The Pilot Marine Surveyors & Consultants Team
Doug Alling
Charleston, SC
CEO
Doug Alling, SAMS-AMS, IAMI-CMI, provides day-to-day oversight of Pilot Marine Surveyors & Consultants from our headquarters in Charleston, SC. Doug performs inspections from North Carolina to Georgia. He is an IAMI Certified Marine Investigator, ABYC Certified and a former Coast Guard captain’s license instructor.
Jeff Kibler
Charleston, SC
Operations Manager
Jeff Kibler, SAMS-AMS, oversees day-to-day operations from our headquarters in Charleston, SC, where he has been surveying since 2012. He is ABYC Certified in Diesel Engines, Marine Electrical Systems, and is a Certified Level 1 Thermographer. Jeff’s background is in yacht delivery and multi-day sea trials along the East Coast, as well as in boatbuilding quality control.
Laurie Moran
Richmond, VA
Laurie Moran is our business manager and oversees the business side of the company from our Richmond, VA office. She also reviews nearly every survey report before it is sent to our clients. Laurie’s multi-faceted expertise has been critical to keeping Pilot Marine running smoothly since she joined the team in 2014.
Staci Houser
Charleston, SC
Staci Houser joined Pilot Marine in 2016 and is based in our Charleston, SC office. She brings a wealth of financial expertise to the team, managing invoicing, booking keeping, and all financial operations.
Rick Milner
Norfolk, VA
Rick Milner, SAMS-AMS, serves our clients in coastal VA and the Outer Banks of NC. He owns and operates Dynamic Marine Surveys, which he founded in Norfolk in 2003. Rick is a member of the International Association of Marine Investigators and is ABYC Certified in Marine Electrical Systems. He is a valedictorian graduate of the Chapman School of Seamanship Yacht and Small Craft Surveying.
Bill Patterson
Richmond, VA & Jamestown, PA
Bill Patterson, SAMS-AMS, maintains offices in the Pittsburgh/Erie/Cleveland area as well as Richmond, VA. Bill is an experienced engine mechanic with a background in boat repair and wooden boat restoration. He has recently traded in his 108-year-old Chesapeake Bay buy-boat for a newer 77-year-old model. Bill has managed a local marina and railway and also continues to conduct pre-purchase and C&V surveys.
Will Robinson
Morehead City, NC
SAMS Mid-Atlantic Regional Director
Will Robinson, SAMS-AMS, NAMS-CMS, serves our clients throughout North Carolina. Will is a Certified Level 1 Thermographer and has comprehensive experience in fiberglass boat construction, restoration, paint application, commercial vessels and cargo work. Will is a member of IAMI, ABYC and a graduate of the Chapman School of Seamanship. In 2024, Will was named the SAMS Mid-Atlantic Regional Director.
Ceal Potts
Red Lodge, MT
Ceal Potts, SAMS-AMS, runs the Mountain West office out of Red Lodge, Montana. Ceal is an ABYC certified technician, and an accomplished sailor and rigging expert with extensive experience in electrical systems, boat restoration and repair. She is the former owner of The Electric Marina which specializes in repowering boats with electric propulsion. Ceal is also an instructor at the Chapman School of Seamanship.
Eric Smith
Gloucester, VA
Eric Smith, SAMS-AMS, IAMI-CMI, works from our Gloucester, VA office. Eric is an accomplished maritime professional and retired U.S. Coast Guard Master Chief Boatswain’s Mate, where his duty assignments included maritime law enforcement, vessel inspections, search and rescue operations, marine salvage, pollution response, towing assistance, aids to navigation, marine construction, and waterborne heavy lift operations. He is a graduate of the Chapman School of Seamanship, an ABYC Certified Standards Technician, and maintains a Coast Guard 100-Ton captain’s license.
Brian “Lucky” Levens
Norfolk & Eastern Shore, VA
Brian “Lucky” Levens, SAMS-AMS, maintains two Virginia offices in Norfolk and on the Eastern Shore. After retiring from the US Navy as a Chief Navy Diver, Lucky has owned and operated Colonial Marine Survey since 2019. He has an extensive background working with commercial and steel-hull military vessels, including ship husbandry, NDT inspections, vessel drydocking, diving and salvage recovery operations. Lucky holds a USCG 100-ton license, has worked with multiple recreational towing and salvage companies, and is ABYC Certified in Standards and Diesel Engines.
Jason Ustaszewski
Fort Myers, FL
Jason Ustaszewski, SAMS-AMS, IAMI-CMI, and ABYC Master Technician, runs the company’s Fort Myers operation. Jason is a talented mechanic and marine technician with exceptional knowledge and experience, particularly with gasoline inboard and outboard engines. Jason is an instructor at the Chapman School of Seamanship and a recipient of the 2024 ABYC Outstanding Technician Award.