History

North River was chartered by the Governing Board of United States Power Squadrons on February 11, 1936. The following were charter members: Charles W. Aldrich, H. A. Bonyun, Jr., F. G. Darlington, Jr, J. Willard Everitt, Theodore T. Everitt, Charles H. Holbrook, Mertimer B. Kelly, Bruce S. LachIan, Jr, Charles McKnight, William H. Picken, Jr, H. Hastings Reddall, William A. Sayers, Robley D. E. Smith, Bert V.Tornborgh and Pemberton Whitcomb. In 1936 seventeen squadrons made up United States Power Squadrons. Henry Hudson, an English sailor in the service of the Dutch East India Company, had, in the year 1609, discovered the great river which went on to bear his name. He had also entered the great bay and stream of the Delaware. The Dutch had promptly named the Hudson a "Great North River," the Delaware the "South River," and all the rich country which lay about and between them "New Netherlands".

• Our first Commander, Robley D. E. Smith, N, served as Chairman of the USPS Air Navigation Committee in 1942-1943.
• William L Sayers, N, our second Commander, served as Chief Commander of USPS in 1942- 1943.
• Burgess P. WalIace, N, elected Commander of North River in October 1941, resigned from office in June 1942 to take part in the formation of the Engineer Amphibian Command
• Lasell W. Barber, N, North River's Commander in 1945-1946, was Chairperson, USPS Administration Committee, during 1953. Served as District 4 Staff Captain (equivalent to D/Lt/C) from 1946 through 1949 and as District 4 Educational officer from 1949 through 1961.
• Howard E. Drake, N, Commander of North River in 1947, was Flag Lieutenant to Chief Commander F. Ritter Shumway, AP, in 1948-1949 and served as Chairman, USPS Military Affairs Committee, from 1951 through 1953 with the rank of Rear Commander.
• Herbert R. Prior, N, Squadron Commander 1948-1949, became Chief Commander of USPS in 1952 and 1953. He served on many committees at the national level including Chairman, USPS Planning Committee (1954-1959), Chairman, USPS Officer's Manual Committee (1960-1964) and Area Monitor for Districts 4 and 5 for many years. George M. Corning, N, Squadron Commander 1950-1951, was Commander of District 4 in 1956-1957.
• Edward M. Sutton, N, Squadron Commander 1954-1955, became Chairman, USPS Educational planning Committee, 1951-1952, 1955-1956 and 1962-1963. He served as Director of Education of USPS In 1957-1958 with the rank of Vice Commander.
• John M. High, N, Squadron Commander in 1954-1955, was Chairman, USPS General Safety Committee, in 1956-1957, with the rank of Staff Commander, and Commander of District 4 in 1962-1963.
• Charles T. Schrage, N, served as Chairman of the USPS Instruction Techniques Committee from its formation in 1949 through 1958 with the rank of Staff Commander.
• Frederick M. Paull, N, was Chairman of the USPS Engine Maintenance Committee from 1951 through 1958 with the rank of Staff Commander.
• Fullerton D. Webster, N, served as first Chairman of USPS Radio Technical Committee from 1952 through 1955 with the rank of Staff Commander.
• Edward S. Terwilliger, AP, served as Chairman of the USPS Radio Technical Committee from its beginning in 1950 through 1954 with the rank of Staff Commander.
• Lee A. Ward, JN Commander of North River 1955-1956, served as Aide to Chief Commander Prior in 1953.
• Charles W. Gillies, N, was Chairman of the USPS Junior Navigation Committee from 1958 through 1962 and Chairman of the USPS Examination and Review Committee, both with the rank of Rear Commander,
• Jerrold Seymann, N, Commander of North River 1961-1962, was Chairman of the USPS Committee for Elective Courses from 1960 through 1963 with the rank of Rear Commander. He also served as Chairman of the USPS Junior Navigation Committee in 1965-1966 and as a member of the USPS Committee on Rules at the same time.
• Eldredge K. Allston, N, Commander of North River from 1960 to 1961, was chairman of USPS Weather Committee in 1962-1963 and Chairman, USPS Piloting Committee with the rank of Rear Commander.
• On December 18, 1960 the Squadron became a nonprofit corporation chartered in the State and County of New York - "North River Power Squadron, Inc." The incorporators were the Bridge Officers and Executive Committee members served at that time: Eldredge A. Allston, Jerrold Seymann, Charles B. Robertson, Harold R. Proom, David MilIer, Jr., Richard Pratt, John Schaefer, Edward Weist, George M. Corning, Alexander Greenberg, John M. High, Herbert R. Prior, Thomas N. Wickenden and Reville L. Turk
• M. Leonard Hersey, N, developed an absorbing interest in Predicted Log Contests, which led to victories for the yachts he navigated in the NYAC Yacht Club Block Island races of 1956, 1959 and 1965, and the Stamford Yacht Club Predicted Log Contest of 1957. He served as Commodore of the Eastern Cruiser Association in 1956 and 1957, promoted the installation of the Great and Little Captain Islands measured mile in Long Island Sound, and for twenty years contributed a column on predicted log contest news to Yachting Magazine.
• Frederic R. Gruger, Jr., N, Commander of North River from 1967 through 1969, wrote four articles for The Capstan that were subsequently republished by the Ensign. He also served as Commodore of the North Shore Yacht Club in 1960.
• In 1979 the Squadron considered raising dues or facing insolvency. North River's membership is unusually far-flung; because almost no members live in its geographic area (downtown Manhattan); raising dues would have lost members, Instead, the Squadron appealed for voluntary contribution, which restored it to health.
• In September 1982 the Squadron sent its Law Officer, P/C Anders R. Sterner, N, to the September 12, 1982 USPS Special Membership Meeting in San Antonio where, at the request of P/D/C Arthur L. Schilling, AP, in the absence of the D/4 (New York) Law Officer, he successfully argued the D/4 case for admitting women to full membership.
• In 1996, North River celebrated its 60th anniversary at historic Fraunces Tavern.
• In 1997 North River was awarded a sextant for the fastest growing Squadron
• In 1998 North River went online with its first web site. The site received an award from USPS in 1999 and 2003.
• On July 4^th, 2000, North River celebrated the new Millennium with a rooftop view of the Tall Ships sailing up the Hudson.
• In 2001 Commander Grant Hobson started the Seminar Series in which advanced boating topics were presented in two hour seminars for those who could not afford the time for a full class schedule.
• In 2004 North River changed it's name to North River Sail and Power Squadron.

Term		Commanders	Executive Officers
1936-1937		Robley D. E. Smith, N	William L. Sayers, N
1937-1939 1939-1940		William L. Sayers, N	Pemberton Whitcomb, N Herbert S. FitzGibbon, N
1940-1941		Herbert S. FitzGibbon, N	Burgess P. Wallace, NC
1941-1942		Burgess P. Wallace, N	William P. Avey, N
1942-1943		William P. Avery, N	Fred Buerk, N
1943-1944		Fred Buerk, N	Herbert R. Prior, N
1944-1945		Joseph P. Flemming, N	Lassell W. Barber, N
1945-1946		Lassell W. Barber, N	Ambrose L. Merrill, N
1946-1947		Ambrose L. MerrilI, N	Howard E. Drake, N
1947		Howard E. Drake, N	Herbert R. Prior, N
1947-1949		Herbert R. Prior, N	Herbert R. Peters, N
1949-1950		Herbert R. Peters, N	George M. Corning, N
1950-1951		George M. Corning, N	Thomas N. Wickenden, N
1951-1952 1952-1953		Thomas N. Wickenden, N	W. Tienken Edward M. Sutton, N
1953-1954		Edward M. Sutton, N	John M. High, N
1954-1955		John M. High, N	Lee A. Ward, JN
1955-1957		Lee A. Ward, JN	Harold M. MaIm, N
1957-1958		Harold M. MaIm, N	Alexander Greenberg, AP
1958-1959		Alexander Greenberg, AP	Eldredge K. Allston, N
1959-1961		Eldredge K. Allston, N	Jerrold Seymann, N
1961-1962		Jerrold Seymann, N	Charles B. Robertson, N
1962-1963		Charles B. Robertson, N	John H. Schaefer, N
1963-1964		John H. Schaefer, N	Starr Walbridge, N
1964-1965		Starr Walbridge, N	Thomas N. Tarleau, N
1965-1966		Thomas N. Tarleau, N	A. Eugene Wells, N
1966-1967		A. Eugene Wells, N	Frederic R. Gruger, N
1967-1969		Frederic R. Gruger, N	David Alter, JN
1969-1970		Daniel M. Lazar, JN	Donald C. Burgess, AP
1970-1972		Donald C. Burgess, AP	Dana B. Rasmussen, N
1972-1974		Dana B. Rasmussen, N	Irving N. Radol, N
1974-1976		Irving N. Radol, N	Franklin N. Platt, N
1976-1978		Franklin N. Platt, N	John M. Burgess, AP
1978-1979 1979-1980		John M. Burgess, AP	Charles J. Fine, AP John J. O'Connell
1980-1982		John J. O'Connell	Richard S. Lovis, AP
1982-1983		John F. Waggaman, N	Richard S. Lovis, AP
1983-1984 1984-1985		Anders R. Sterner, N	Robert M. Stryker, AP David W. Kilbride, AP
1985-1987		Carl N. Saint-Cyr, AP	David W. Kilbride, AP
1987-1989		Danforth W. Rogers, N	Richard C. Kilbride, AP
1989-1990		Richard C. Kilbride, AP	Mark Faulstick, JN
1990-1992		Marie Schaufeld, AP	Richard F. Bergamini, JN
1992-1994		Richard F. Bergamini, JN	Kim L. Lobach, JN
1994-1996		Kim L. Lobach, JN	James M. Gillis, P
1996-1998		Reginald Law, S	William Schieber, AP
1998-2000		William Schieber, AP	Jeffrey Davies, AP
2000-2003		Grant D. Hobson, N	Reginald D. Law, S
2003-2005		Marvin Lipper, N	Grant D. Hobson, N
2005-2007		Robert Hodgson, N	Grant D. Hobson, N
2007-2008		Mary Hodgson, S	Andrew Comas, AP
2008-2010		Kim O'Connel, AP	Andrew Comas, AP
2010-2011		Nick Garbidakis, AP	Sonia Skounaki-Garbidakis, AP

P/C A. Eugene Wells, N; Com. Grant Hobson, N; Charles J. Fine, AP.