Board of Trustees
Wendel Thomas
This long time Ocean Grove resident has been a board member since 2018 and served as board president from 2021 to 2023. Wendel is now stepping into the position of Director of Development and Community Relations. Wendel graduated from Rutgers with a degree in Urban Planning. Since then, he has spent many years working in state government including managing an employment agency, and as an employment interviewer for the State of New Jersey. Wendel was born and raised in the Caribbean and has a love for the water. The Thomas family has many years as members a FOBH with two daughters who became collegiate sailors, an activity which they started as students at FOBH's Shark River Sailing and Science Academy.
Joseph Gribko
An attorney by trade, Joe has been a sailing enthusiast his whole life, racing sailboats since he moved to the New Jersey Shore including various positions on J105 crews sailing out of several Raritan Bay area yacht clubs. Joe first became involved with FOBH when his son became a student in the Shark River Discovery Program. He is an active member and can often be found making repairs to the sailing dinghies, helping with boat launchings, or driving the safety boat. On most summer weekends, Joe is sailing on the Shark River with his family on one of the organization's sailboats.  Joe has been a New Jersey resident since graduating from Rutgers University Law School more than twenty-five years ago. Before Law School, Joe obtained his Bachelor of Science Degree in Biology and in Philosophy from the University of Toronto. Using his science education, he was once an instructor at the Discovery Museum in Bridgeport, Connecticut. Joe is a Jersey Shore resident who has been serving as a federal prosecutor in New Jersey since 2003. Joe joined the Board of Trustees for Friends of Belmar Harbour in the autumn of 2019, and is focused on developing adult sailing activities.
Fred Carl
Fred Carl is interested in local history and the stewardship of the Shark River Estuary. He is known to many in the area as the savior of Camp Evans and the founder of INFOAGE. This scientifically interesting and historically meaningful place in Wall Township was once to be demolished but is now a National Historic Landmark. Fred is also the Project Controls Specialist at Princeton University Department of Physics for Simons Observatory. Fred Carl was born and raised in Monmouth County. He received his B.S. in Science Education and his M.S. in Computer Science from Monmouth University. He has Teaching Certificates in Comprehensive Science and Computer Science. Fred Carl joined the board in December 2021.
Paul Mucciarone
Originally from the Atlantic City area, Paul Mucciarone attended the U.S. Naval Academy, and subsequently spent 20 years in the Navy serving in many positions of leadership such as ship’s engineering officer, engineering instructor, and serving as the assistance department head of the Naval Science Department at the U.S Merchant Marine Academy. After retiring from the Navy, he worked as a consultant for a few years, before joining the faculty of the Marine Academy of Science and Technology (MAST) on Sandy Hook as a Naval Science Instructor. While at MAST Paul taught sailing to Navy Junior ROTC cadets as part of a summer leadership development program in Newport, RI, and served as the advisor to the MAST sailing team. In 2011, Paul was appointed to his current position as the principal of the Monmouth County Academy of Allied Health and Science in Neptune, NJ and plays an active role in the development of his students. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Management from the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, MD, a Master of Arts degree in International Relations from Salve Regina University in Newport, RI, and a Master of Science Degree in Marine Science from the State University of New York in Stony Brook, NY. Paul is married and has two adult daughters. During the raising of his children, Paul became very involved in youth competitive swimming including coaching for over eleven years at the Peddie Aquatic Association. Paul joined the FOBH Board of Trustees in 2018 and served as Board Secretary from 2018 to 2023.
Tony Eldridge
Tony joined the board in 2021 and is providing valuable IT experience and leadership to the organization. More information to come.