Our Captains

Capt. Mike Vinik

Our Founder, Owner, and most importantly Captain, Mike steers the ship at Vinik Marine. Mike holds a BS in Marine Operations with a Third Mate and Designated Duty Engineer from SUNY Maritime and was the youngest tugboat captain in NY Harbor. Today, he holds an impressive array of credentials, including a Second Mate Unlimited, a 1600-Ton Master, and a Master of Towing Vessels license.

Capt. Marco Velez

Our resident hawsepiper, Marco got his maritime start in the Navy in '89. Upon separation, he attended Sea School to start working on dive boats where he captained research vessels until 2008 when he made the switch to tugboating. He's now proudly passing on the tradition to his son who also works at Vinik Marine. Marco holds a USCG 200-Ton Master license with a Master of Towing Vessels (Near Coastal) endorsement

Capt. Kyle Holmes

Kyle’s first job was working for his family's commercial fishing business. Unable to imagine a life away from the ocean, he attended California State University Maritime Academy. Kyle has spent the last 17 years in the maritime industry, including 14 years serving as a captain—first commanding luxury yachts, and later transitioning to commercial tugboats. He holds a US Coast Guard 1600-Ton Master Oceans license.

Our Senior Leadership Team

Capt. Chuck GraBois

Port Captain

Nicknamed "The Professor" by Tianna, Capt. Chuck has more than 40 years experience in the maritime field. After an exciting career at Week's Marine where he assisted in disaster mitgation coast to coast, including on 9/11, he joined the Vinik Marine Crew where he contributes unmatched industry knowledge.

Melissa Shea

Administration

Melissa was Vinik Marine's first employee and expertly manages the daily operations of the office. Although she started her career out on the water as a deckhand, she quickly realized she preferred a less seasick office environment. Today, Melissa is the ultimate guardian of the company's institutional knowledge, keeping all internal systems running full speed ahead—especially the ones nobody else knows about.

Tianna Lydon

Development

Tianna comes from a corporate background, previously holding key finance roles at Guest Supply, a Sysco company. She is enjoying immersing herself in the maritime industry while focusing on streamlining internal processes, integrating new technology, and driving business development for Vinik Marine.