Edward D. Whitmore, President & CEO

In 2002, Ed Whitmore acquired Norfolk Tug Company. Over the past decade various tug and barge operations were acquired by NTC. In 2011, he formed U.S. Waterways Transportation LLC,  a management company that acquired Buchanan Marine LP and now generally manages Norfolk Tug Company and 64 Express.  

Ed is a native of the Sandbridge Beach area of Virginia Beach. He earned his Bachelor’s degree from Elon University in 1982. After graduating, Ed’s first significant work experience was as a salesman for a Norfolk-based packaging supply company in Norfolk, VA. In 1989 he accepted work as a salesman for Maersk Inc. in New York City, and later headed up sales and operations for Maersk’s Charlotte, NC, region. In 1994, Ed changed industries when as he accepted a marketing job in foreign exchange currencies to large corporations with First Union in Charlotte, NC. Later, he returned to New York to work for Standard Chartered Bank – first in marketing and later as a Senior Vice President responsible for United States marketing. In 2001, Ed elevated his foreign currencies work to include structured finance and accepted a job as Managing Director at AIG Trading in New York City and later as Senior Vice President for AIG Structured Finance. 

In 2003, as his children approached school age, Ed returned to the Hampton Roads area, where he now lives with his three children. 

He is the sitting Chairman of The Mariners’ Museum in Newport News, Virginia; a member of the board of trustees for the Nauticus Foundation in Norfolk, Virginia, a member of the Norfolk City Townebank Board of Directors. A member of  the board for CHKD, and a past member of the Virginia Stage Company and The Williams School board of trustees. 

W. Lloyd Taliaferro, CFA, Chief Financial Officer

Lloyd Taliaferro joined USWT in 2012 as a principal and shareholder of Norfolk Tug Company.  He is the Chief Financial Officer.

 Lloyd has an undergraduate degree from the Virginia Military Institute, and a Masters in Business Administration from Emory University’s Goizueta Business School.  He also holds the Chartered Financial Analyst designation.

 Lloyd served as a Naval Officer for several years before going to Business School.  Following graduate school, he began his banking career at Wachovia Securities Investment Bank in 2001.  He relocated to Norfolk, Virginia in 2006 where he worked for U.S. Trust advising clients on investment and tax strategies.  During his time at U.S. Trust, he was named by Barron’s magazine as one of the top Private Bankers in the U.S. 

 Lloyd currently serves as Chair of the ForKids Foundation, founded to support the work of ForKids, a local non-profit combating homelessness in Hampton Roads.  He is also a member of the VMI Foundation Board of Trustees and also serves on the Board of Norfolk Collegiate School.

Andy Giglia, Chief Engineer

Andy Giglia has led  Risk Management and Compliance initiatives at global banks over the last 10 years, most recently leading the Volcker Program for the largest bank in the United States. Andy has significant experience in the development and sustainability of Policies, Standard Operating Procedures and Compliance that govern the way business is conducted and in that capacity has authored a multitude of documents that have been subject to audit by banking regulators, internal audit and compliance. He has managed large teams and vendors with a focus on developing and implementing effective processes to support business operations. Prior to joining the banking industry, Andy spent 15 years as a Commodity Trader for merchant energy trading companies where he led the North East Natural Gas desk with a primary focus on customer asset management.

Andy is a lifelong sailor with extensive offshore racing and coastal cruising experience. He has served in senior leadership roles at his regional sailing club on Western Long Island Sound where he grew up on the water learning to sail in the junior programs and later with the adult club members. Andy lives in Wilton, CT with his wife of 28 years.

Steve McGowan, Chief Commercial Officer

Steve McGowan has been involved in the operations of USWT from the company’s formation in 2011, having served in various capacities with Norfolk Tug Company since 2004.  He is the Chief Commercial Officer, responsible for operations management and commercial relations.

Steve is a native of Chesapeake, Virginia and earned a Bachelor’s degree from Old Dominion University.  Immediately following college, he managed a freight forwarding, warehousing and logistics operation primarily servicing S.Q.M. Chile for air and maritime transport.  In late 2001, he entered the marine transportation industry’s tug and barge sector, working in every capacity from vessel crew, accounting & finance, purchasing, human resources, vessel operations, customer relations, and overall operations management.  In addition to the Chief Commercial Officer, he serves as the company Designated Person Ashore.

He sits on the Port of Virginia Stakeholders Committee, Virginia Maritime Association Tug and Barge Committee, Board of Governors for the Masonic Home of Virginia, and a member of the Coast Guard Auxiliary.  Steve is an aviation enthusiast, avid aviator, and motorcyclist, where is a member of an award-winning “Khedive Motor Patrol” precision motorcycle drill team.  Steve is actively involved in various philanthropic activities with the Masonic fraternity and Shriners Hospital for Children.  He is also an FCC licensed amateur radio operator.

Captain W. Hugh McCrory, Chief Compliance Officer

Captain Hugh McCrory joined NTC in 2009, then US Waterways Transportation, LLC. after its formation 2011. As the Chief Compliance Officer, Captain McCrory is responsible for ensuring safety policies are properly incorporated across all USWT operations, overseeing compliance of 16 towing vessels, 120 barges, and approximately 170 mariners. Captain McCrory also manages Company training programs, including the USWT owned Full Bridge Simulator, a simulated tugboat wheelhouse wherein he trains mariners in safe and efficient operations, emergency procedures, and environmental protection. In addition to his office responsibilities, he holds an unlimited inland masters license with a near coastal towing endorsement, and a first-class pilotage from Cape Henry VA to Richmond VA, including all Hampton Roads waters. 

Captain McCrory is a native of Norfolk, Virginia, and attended the University of Virginia. Prior to his time with USWT, Captain McCrory held a 28-year career with the Virginia Pilots, where he guided over 5,000 vessels in and out of the waters of Hampton Roads, including some vessels inland as far as the Port of Richmond. He retired from the Virginia Pilot Association in 2008.

In his personal time away from the office, Captain McCrory is involved in leadership in several industry-related groups, to include Atlantic Region American Waterways Operators (Chairman, 2017-2019), Towing Vessel Inspection Bureau (Board Member 2014-2017), and a member of the Towboat and Harbor Carriers Association of NY/NY and the Maritime Association of the Port of New York/New Jersey.  He is a Qualified American Waterways Operators RCP Lead Auditor, and a Qualified USCG Sub-Chapter M Lead Auditor and Lead Surveyor.