Credentials

Father of four, and grandfather of two, Mark Middleton's life has been full of rich experiences. Growing up in New York City Mark was always close to the sea and felt the calling when he joined the Merchant Marines in 1967. Sailing the east coast as well as International waters Mark served for two years working for U.S. Lines and Moore-McCormick.

Mark then attended college and received his Bachelor of Science Degree in Economics in 1972.

Mark Middleton began his hands-on business training while employed by the prestigious Brooks Brothers, Inc. on Madison Avenue in New York in the merchandising, marketing, and buying division from 1973-1975.

In 1975, Mark felt the sea calling again and was hired by the Shelter Island Oyster Company on Long Island New York as an office manager and was quickly promoted to general manager. Mark's responsibilities included; complete facility and vessel oversight, in house payroll system, marketing and merchandising input on a complete line of fresh, frozen, and canned products. Additionally, Mark was instrumental in creating a new export division and participated in the sister company's Modern Oyster Company, Inc., aquaculture project. This project was an integrated shellfish grow-out and transplant operation on 1300 acres of company owned underwater lands.

In 1980, Mark Middleton formed and served as President of Seafare Trading Co., Inc. This partnership served as an international seafood export company.

Testimonial

My professional relationship with Mark Middleton has spanned some 25 years in this industry. As an owner-operator of various enterprises during this time, Mr. Middleton’s astute business sense has allowed him to be successful in an often very difficult business atmosphere. It has been and continues to be our pleasure to work with Mark’s company as an industry consultant. His capacity to establish necessary relationships in solving problematic issues speaks to his results- oriented unique personality. Honestly assessing the successful outcome of any given project presented to him is refreshing.

Verne Conaway
Vice President, Marine Operations
Sea Watch International, Inc.

Mark went on to form an additional company in 1982 when he established and served as President and CEO of Winter Harbor Fisheries. This company was the successor to Shelter Island Oyster Company. Mark acquired all the real estate, the processing plant, vessels, and the underwater land. Mark secured the financing through the use of Industrial Development Bonds. By offering a high level of dedication and customer service Mark was able to continually grow the customer base of this company for more than seventeen years. Mark had strongly positioned the company within the industry to a point where international companies had taken notice. In 1998, Winter Harbor Fisheries, Inc. and his land holding company, Tidal Properties, Inc. were purchased by a multi-national company based in Spain.

In early 2000, Mark once again returned to the sea by purchasing two Offshore Ocean Clamming vessels and licenses. Mark owned and operated these vessels, as well as a dockside unloading facility. By the end of 2005 Mark sold these vessels, the licenses and the docks to the largest shellfish company in the United States.

Not content to sit back, Mark has continually served as a consultant to the commercial seafood industry since 1998. Providing professional consulting services to companies such as Inlet Properties Management, LLC, Atlantic Capes Fisheries, Inc., MBJ Seafoods Neptune Seafood Plant, and Sea Watch International.

Mark's knowledge and skills allowed him to completely rehabilitate the former Snow-Doxsee processing plant in Point Pleasant, NJ for the Atlantic Capes Fisheries company as well as secure land permits and Army Corps. of Engineers permits.

Mark acted as a consultant on a squid processing technique unique to the industry for the MBJ Seafoods Neptune Seafood Plant in Millville, New Jersey.

Mark continues to serve as a project consultant for Sea Watch International with offices in Maryland, Delaware, Massachusetts, and New Jersey. His expertise allows him to act as governmental representative on the state level for vessel and resource management. Mark's various responsibilities include writing legislative amendments, vessel statute modification, and serving as an industry liaison between corporate legal representation and environmental government members.

In the Government and Civic arenas Mark has also served on Industrial Development Boards and facilitated grant applications. Mark Middleton was one of the original members of the New York State Surf Clam/Ocean Quahog Advisory Board as well as serving an an elected town councilman.