Carlisle & Bray Enterprises has hired Matt Kristof, a veteran of the inland marine industry, as the company’s new Chief Operating Officer.
In his role as COO, Kristof will manage all operations at C&B Marine and C&B Energy Services, companies that provide a multitude of inland-marine services to utility and aggregate customers in the Midwest and the South, including towing, fleeting, shifting, dredging, and other services.
Carlisle & Bray Enterprises was established in March 2011 as a result of the merger of Bray Marine and Greater Cincinnati Marine. The corporate offices are located in Covington.
“We are excited to have someone with Matt’s vast experience and knowledge joining our team and our corporate family,” said Chad Bray, a partner with Carlisle & Bray Enterprises who previously served as the company’s COO. “Matt’s energy, experience, and passion for the industry is well known and we expect he will do an excellent job managing our marine-services operations.”
Kristof, a native of the Pittsburgh area who has spent much of his career in Louisiana, has more than 30 years of experience in the inland marine industry. He began his career on the water in high school when he worked part-time for Gateway Clipper Fleet, based in Pittsburgh. Throughout high school and college, Kristof first worked as a deckhand for Gateway before becoming a master/mate there.
After a stint as a master/mate with President Casino, Inc., Kristof joined Argosy Casino in Baton Rouge, La. to work on the construction and operation of the Belle of Baton Rouge. Kristof, who supervised the building and fitting of the vessel, was made a captain of the vessel at the age of 25.
After four years with Argosy, Kristof joined L.C.C.I., dba Casino Rouge, as a first-class pilot before working his way up to Director of Marine Operations and Facilities, where he oversaw all vessel operations, including leadership of 300 employees.
After laws changed in 2002 allowing casino boats to be permanently moored, Kristof decided he was not interested in working on a non-sailing vessel so he joined the Carline Group of companies as Senior Vice President. At Carline, Kristof was responsible for all operations, including managing the towing, fleeting and shifting of barges.
Kristof was promoted to Carline’s President in 2003, a position that he held for nearly 12 years before accepting his current position at Carlisle & Bray Enterprises.
“I have a lot of contacts in the industry but I didn’t want a corporate job,” Kristof said, explaining why he decided to join Carlisle & Bray. “I could have worked at a lot of places, but like Carline, C&B is a family-owned and -operated business and I like working in that type of operation.”
“This operation also plays to my strengths and gets me closer to my parents, who live in Pennsylvania. This is the company where I want to retire.”
