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Commercial Fisheries News
Volume 35 Number 2
October 2007
O’Haras celebrate 100 Years in the fishing business
ROCKLAND, ME – The O’Hara family and its patriarch, Francis “Frank” J. O’Hara, celebrated a combined 100th anniversary of being in the fishing business and vessel christening at its complex along Tillson Ave. in Rockland on Sept. 1.
Respect for and gratitude to the O’Haras from the 1,000-plus guests, which included friends, workers, and business associates, ran fathoms deep during the spectacular afternoon event.
Maine Coast Catering of Rockport added to the festivities by sating the attendees’ appetites with traditional Downeast dishes including shrimp cocktail, lobster rolls, and scallops wrapped with bacon. Frank O’Hara Jr. also treated the company to his homemade bean dip.
An “Irish Music Program” directed by John O’Neil from Boston even tempted many of the guests to dance as they dined around tables indoors and outdoors.
The O’Hara Corporation’s new fleet addition, the 84'x28' Polaris, was on hand for the special occasion. The scalloper was christened by Victoria Bryant, oldest daughter of Frank J. and Donna “Jill” O’Hara, and blessed by the Rev. Mark Reinhardt, pastor of St. Bernard’s Catholic Church in Rockland, also the family’s church.
Built by Duckworth Steel Boats in Tarpon Springs, FL, the Polaris is finished off in the corporation’s traditional colors, “O’Hara blue,” white, and international orange hull and superstructure with the “O” bow emblem.
Builders Junior Duckworth and his son Joel traveled from Florida to attend the festivity.
“We’re real, real proud of the Polaris,” said Junior Duckworth. “We have 30,000 man hours in her.”
The Polaris returned to her homeport of New Bedford after the christening (see related story next page).
O’Hara evolution
At 76, Frank J. O’Hara serves as president of the O’Hara Corporation.
“My father started Atlantic & Pacific Fish Company in Boston in 1907,” he said.
The original company later became F.J. O’Hara & Sons. Frank J. eventually relocated to Rockland, where he started another branch of F.J. O’Hara & Sons in 1958 that primarily operated a dragger fleet and a fish processing plant at the Tillson Ave. location.
Other family members, including brother J. Bradley, kept the Boston company going. The Rockland company merged with several smaller associated businesses about 20 years ago to become the O’Hara Corporation.
“The O’Hara name in Maine has made a name for itself,” said longtime employee Roger Smith of Warren, ME.
Dave Allen, the corporation’s weekend dock master, added, “We are still primarily fish.”
Today, O’Hara Corporation owns or co-owns a fleet of approximately 10 modern, large fishing vessels. Its factory/freezer trawlers Constellation, Defender, and Enterprise work the Bering Sea for groundfish, while its combination midwater trawler/purse seiner Sunlight harvests primarily herring off New England. The corporation also co-owns the Starlight, a combination midwater trawler/purse seiner, with Alfred Osgood of Vinalhaven, as well as five scallopers, including the Polaris, with Eastern Fisheries in New Bedford.
Diverse operation
O’Hara Corporation continues to operate facilities at its Rockland complex that supply the fishing industry with petroleum, ice, bait, repairs, annual maintenance, and even new boats. The company recently began its Mitchell Cove boat building division, producing fiberglass vessels from the well-known 20', 32', 35', and 37' Mitchell Cove molds.
The corporation has also purchased properties along Tillson Ave., especially former fish processing plants, over the years, and converted those into income producers including office space and the full-service Journey’s End Marina.
A photo exhibit displayed during the celebration showed the evolution of F.J. O’Hara & Sons and the O’Hara Corporation.
Married nearly 55 years ago, Frank J. and Jill are at the center of the extended O’Hara family. Their son, Frank Jr., serves as vice-president of the corporation, daughter Donna works in O’Hara’s Seattle, WA office, and daughter Catherine works in the Rockland office. Daughter Victoria is not active in the family business.
According to Frank O’HaraJr., the corporation’s business philosophy is pretty simple.
“We try to do a nice job for our customers and be a good employer, too,” he said.
The comments from and long careers of current and former workers attending the party attest to the fact that the O’Haras practice what they preach.
“I worked for the O’Haras (tending ice, fuel, and gas) for 54 years. I retired on my 80th birthday,” said Lawrence Pooler, an 84-year-old from Bristol, ME.
Francis Donahue of Rockland was another O’Hara employee of 50 years. He worked in the main office.
Added Mary Beth Tooley, a consultant to the corporation, whose husband, Ed, has crewed on the Starlight since 1983, “The people who come to work here never quit.”
Dave Allen agreed.
“The O’Haras are a good bunch to work for. You have a good bunch of satisfied workers here,” he said. “They are good with their customers, too.”
Roger Smith, a 25-year veteran with the corporation said he couldn’t ask for a better company to work for.
“Frank Sr. is quite the family man. The whole family is,” said Smith. “Frank often walks around and asks how the family is. They are right there when you need them.”
Peter K. Prybot
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