The Great Lakes Towing Company / Great Lakes Shipyard

Happy Thanksgiving from all of us at The Great Lakes Towing Company, Great Lakes Shipyard, Great Lakes East, LLC, and Plotz Machine.

Tugs MINNESOTA and OHIO assists Navy vessel USS NANTUCKET into the Port of Cleveland. https://lnkd.in/gdbAzQAv

Shelly was a true gentleman and a great American. And he was a unique and special business owner, especially for the Towing Company, which has continuously evolved to remain the #1 harbor towing operation on the US Great Lakes during his tenure. We have been blessed by his leadership and his friendship, and we will miss him dearly.

Today we are saddened to announce the passing of Sheldon (“Shelly”) Guren, principal owner of the Towing Company since 1973. Shelly was born in Cleveland, Ohio on October 25, 1924, and passed away peacefully in Jackson Hole, Wyoming on August 16, 2024.  His life is a quintessential American story – the 100-year journey of a boy from a poor but proud upbringing in Cleveland, Ohio to a successful and diverse legal and business career, with a strong commitment to human rights, intellectual thought, and a love of art and culture.  Shelly had hundreds of close friends and personal relationships that ranged from deckhands on the tugs to presidents of the United States. The “Towing Company,” as it is well-known, spurred many other marine-related businesses, including Admiral Towing and Barge Company, a government tug contractor; Soo Linehandling Services, which handles dock lines ashore for ships transiting through the locks at Sault Ste Marie, Michigan; Runyan Shipyard, Inc., a Pensacola, FL ship repair facility; Tugz International LLC, a tugboat chartering business; Puerto Rico Towing & Barge Co., a harbor towing operation in San Juan, Puerto Rico; and several others.  Shelly graduated from Cleveland Heights High School in 1942 and Western Reserve University 2-years later. Upon graduation from WRU, he was admitted to Harvard Law School. He became editor of the Harvard Law Review. During his second year at Harvard, Shelly was drafted by the US Army and, after training, was promoted to sergeant and assigned to the Pentagon in Washington, DC. Shelly returned to Harvard in 1947 and graduated in 1948. He then returned to Cleveland and joined the law practice of his uncle, Henry S. Gottfried, and that fall, at age 23, he became a partner in the firm Gottfried, Ginsberg, and Guren. The firm grew, and by 1983 included 68 lawyers and 70 non-lawyers, with offices in Cleveland, Columbus, and Miami. Shelly’s other business ownership interests included Thistledown Raceway, NY Yankees, Cleveland Browns, and Chicago Bulls. In addition, he also had ownership in Cleveland Stadium and a horse breeding farm in Ocala, Florida. But Shelly was most proud of the Towing Company and, when Towing Company celebrated its 125th year in business earlier this summer, Shelly traveled to Cleveland to participate in the festivities. He enjoyed every minute.

We’re thrilled to announce that we've been recognized as one of Crain's 2024 Best Employers in Ohio! This achievement reflects our commitment to creating a positive, inclusive workplace where our team can thrive. Thank you to our incredible employees for making this possible—this honor belongs to you!

We’re thrilled to announce that we've been recognized as one of Crain's 2024 Best Employers in Ohio! This achievement reflects our commitment to creating a positive, inclusive workplace where our team can thrive. Thank you to our incredible employees for making this possible—this honor belongs to you!

Captain and Port Director Paul LaMarre III created a phenomenal video as a gift for The Great Lakes Towing Company's 125th Quasquicentennial Celebration. Click the link below to view it on our YouTube channel. https://lnkd.in/gmhz_r68

Captain and Port Director Paul LaMarre III created a phenomenal video as a gift for The Great Lakes Towing Company's 125th Quasquicentennial Celebration. Click the link below to view it on our YouTube channel. https://lnkd.in/gmhz_r68

Yesterday was a landmark day for The Great Lakes Towing Company as we christened our newest tug, the MINNESOTA, and celebrated 125 years of business! We were honored to have Natalie Ronayne, Chief Development Officer for the Cleveland Metroparks, as the sponsor for Tug MINNESOTA. Our fireboat CHIEF, previously known as ANTHONY J. CELEBREZZE, made a special appearance. A big thank you to the hardworking staff at Collision Bend Brewing and Böaterhead for the outstanding entertainment, and to all our wonderful guests for joining us in this celebration. l

Congratulations to The Great Lakes Towing Company on their 125th anniversary, and also to Chairman and CEO Joe Starck (SUNY Maritime Class of 1990), and Chairman Emeritus Ron Rasmus (Class of 1960)! It’s wonderful to see a succession of Fort Schuyler graduates leading the largest U.S.-flagged tugboat company on the Great Lakes! #mariner #thegreatlakestowingcompany #sunymaritime