Dee Burch takes the helm at Gunderson Marine & Iron

Dee Burch [Photo: GM&I]

Dee Burch, a veteran marine industry leader, is now the sole proprietor of Gunderson Marine & Iron (GM&I), Portland, Oregon, and has assumed the active role of president. He has had a longstanding involvement as part-owner of the company since it was sold by the Greenbrier Companies last year to a company formed by Burch and Terrence (“Terry”) Aarnio, who was the chairman and majority owner of Oregon Iron Works, Inc. until its acquisition by Vigor Industrial in 2014.

“My transition to an active role in the organization is both a profound honor and a tremendous responsibility,” said Burch. “We stand on the shoulders of giants that have built a stellar 100-plus year history. I am committed to continuing this rich tradition of excellence in barge building while expanding our capabilities in other complex fabrication including bridges, hydro, ships, tugs, and dry docks.”

The past year has been marked by achievements by Gunderson Marine & Iron that include a substantial increase in workforce, notable projects including the completion of the Denali State Park PolyChrome Bridge, the completion of the Makani Loa barge for Lynden Inc., and the construction of a new dry dock at the shipyard.

“With GM&I under private ownership for the last 15 months, we have successfully built a roadmap for success,” said Burch. He added that he was deeply appreciative of the energy and dedication that Terry Arnio, previous CFO Bob Wise and previous COO Joe Corvelli had given to the organization.

“Without their efforts, the company would not be in the strong position we are in now: on a growth trajectory with a significant backlog,” Burch concluded.