52nd Annual Blessing of the Fleet at Mariners' Church of Detroit - March 2016

Captain Mark Stevenson receives the Lewis Ludington Award.

Mark P. Stevenson received a Bachelor of Science degree in Biological Sciences from Chicago State University in 1984.  He later attended the
University of Wisconsin at Madison, where he did graduate work in genetic engineering and biotechnology.  Upon moving to Chicago, he worked
as a Great Lakes Sport Fishing Captain for charters, operated a taxi service on Lake Michigan and was an Ichthyologist for the Shedd Aquarium. 
Being passionate about maritime education, Captain Stevenson became a Maritime Technology Consultant.  He has served on the Chicago Harbor
Safety Committee and was a trainer for the Great Lakes Captains Association, training captains on the use of computers.   He is a consultant tot he
William Tilman Maritime Academy in Chicago.  Captain Stevenson hosts the television series "From the Wheelhouse" on CanTV Chicago.  In this
series, he premiers the views of captains as they navigate through the Great Lakes and connecting waters.  He has also appeared as a Maritime
Geography Consultant on the History Channel's series "How the States were Shaped."  In 2014, he was appointed by Congressman Danny Davis as
chairman of the Maritime Task Force Committee for the 7th U.S. Legislative District.  In 2015, he was appointed by Alderman Susan Garza as
chairman of the 10th Ward Maritime Task Force.  Captain Stevenson served ISMA as Grand Warden in 2011, Grand Chaplain in 2013, and President
of Chicago Lodge No. 3 in 2013.