In Memoriam—2025
- Sarah Ness
- 3 days ago
- 2 min read
Frank Barney
Written by: Sarah Ness—Corporate Asset Specialist
We are deeply saddened to announce the passing of former Manson employee, Frank Barney, in September 2025.
Frankie, as most knew him, started working in 1980 for the Manson-Osberg joint venture with his dad, Frank Barney Sr., aboard the cutter suction dredge HUSKY, cleaning up the Cowlitz River after Mt. St. Helens erupted.
He officially joined Manson in 1985, starting as a deck engineer on the derrick barges HAAKON and VIKING, eventually working his way to leverman on the VIKING.
In 1996, he was part of the team that built the NJORD and was the vessel's first operator, working on dredging projects along the West Coast.
In 2006, he took on the role of dredge superintendent for the Sakhalin Island 1 project, leading the dredging of an entrance channel in Russia.
In 2017, he was brought on as captain of the derrick barge HAAKON for the Rehoboth Beach Ocean Outfall project in Delaware.
Frankie retired in 2018.
He will be missed by numerous colleagues and friends throughout the organization; our thoughts are with his loved ones.
Charlie Gibson
Written by: Sarah Ness—Corporate Asset Specialist
We are deeply saddened to share the passing of former Vice President and Northern California Area Manager Charlie Gibson. Charlie passed on October 11th after a long battle with cancer.
After 39 years in the marine construction industry—28 of those with Manson—Charlie retired in 2013.
During his tenure, he oversaw many projects that helped shape the Bay Area, including wharf projects for the Port of Oakland, ferry terminal projects for WETA, and bridge projects for Caltrans—including the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge Skyway Phase construction project.
Charlie will be deeply missed; our thoughts are with his family at this time.
Gerhard “Getty” Skinner
Written by: Sarah Ness—Corporate Asset Specialist
We are deeply saddened to share that former Senior Estimator, Gerhard “Getty” Skinner, passed in August 2025.
Getty joined Manson in 2006 following the acquisition of Sea Tech Marine International (“Sea Tech”). He was among the first group of employees to help establish Manson’s Jacksonville, FL, office during its early months of operation.
A civil engineering graduate from Virginia Tech, Getty worked for a local marine construction firm, Wood-Hopkins, before joining Sea Tech and eventually Manson.
Getty retired in June 2025 and was honored with the Estimator’s Retirement Victory Bell. Getty will be greatly missed, and our thoughts are with his loved ones.
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