About TMA BlueTech
Promoting BlueTech & Blue Jobs®.
Developing the inventors and entrepreneurs of the future
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TMA BlueTech™ is the non-profit industry association and cluster organizer for the San Diego ocean and water technologies community. Our tagline is Promoting BlueTech & Blue Jobs®.
We bring education, policy and technology resources together to promote innovation and economic development in the Blue Economy. We create a strong “Blue Voice” via unique events, information sharing, national and international outreach, networking, research, and workforce development.
We believe that in order to promote sustainable, science-based Ocean and Water industries, the BlueTech community must collaborate with all members of our society. Diversity and inclusion is critical to the success of the planet and the BlueTech industry. As an organization, we seek to recruit, develop and retain the most talented people from a diverse candidate pool that possess the required skills, experience and education to succeed. We support efforts of our member companies and partners to select from a diverse candidate pool. As part of our ongoing efforts, we encourage diversity within our internal practices, the voices we feature and amplify, and the partners with whom we engage. We encourage presenting companies to help provide a diverse speaking panel during BlueTech Week.
Promoting the economic development in the Blue Economy allowing it to flourish and provide the foundation for sustainable growth, and international outreach which fortifies global networks spanning the breadth and depth of the oceans.
TMA BlueTech promotes collaboration in the region combined with active national and international outreach.
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Matt Classen serves as the Executive Director of TMA BlueTech, where he has strengthened TMA's position as a leading blue economy cluster in Southern California. Under his leadership, TMA has expanded its influence through international trade missions and global dialogues, promoting both economic growth and positive environmental impact. A sought-after speaker at global forums, Matt has cultivated strong relationships with policymakers and academic institutions, driving efforts to forge strategic partnerships across the Pacific Rim and North Atlantic. His work advances key initiatives in defense readiness, decarbonization technologies, and ocean science. Through collaboration with regional partners and flagship events like BlueTech Week, Matt is helping transform Southern California into a global hub for maritime defense, ocean resilience, and climate innovation.
Sergey Chekov holds a Diploma in Supervisory Management and a Master’s in Law. He began his legal career in 2000, transitioning to private practice in 2012 as Head of Legal for a leading Construction & Development group. Sergey later founded and served as CEO of his own law firm, providing legal services to businesses and individuals. In 2024, driven by his passion for environmental impact, Sergey joined TMA BlueTech as a Deputy Executive Director, Strategic Partnerships and Member Engagement, marking a significant shift in his professional path.
Brendan Gray currently serves as Chairman of the Board of Directors of The Maritime Alliance BlueTech (TMA), a non-profit promoting sustainable science-based Ocean and Water Industries based in San Diego, CA. Brendan is an Independent Board member and assists the Executive Director in strategy development and in developing synergy with other Blue Tech organizations in the United States and internationally. He is also on the Board of Advisors of Atargis Energy Corporation, which delivers Cost-Effective, Always-On Renewable Electricity on a utility-scale from ocean waves. As the Vice-President of Operations at Interactive Data Corporation, he was responsible for operations, strategy development, organizational alignment, communications, IT Service Management (ITSM) processes, Business Continuity, and Disaster Recovery (BC/DR) across the globe. A graduate of the US Naval Academy, Brendan served with distinction for thirty years as a Naval Aviator; his last five years as the Deputy Commander for Navy Region Europe, responsible for the security, force protection, and the day-to-day operations of all US Navy bases in Europe. He has extensive experience in forging international partnerships, having organized and led a multi-national, multi-discipline team from 5 countries and 4 major defense contractors that established requirements for an initial design of the P-8A (new U.S. Navy aircraft).
Michael Jones is the Board Chair Emeritus of TMA and TMA Foundation. He founded TMA in 2007 after noticing that San Diego has a strong cluster of maritime technology companies. His background is in finance and international relations, having spent 8 years as a commercial lender and 31 years as an investment banker. He is an angel investor, a member of the Board of Directors of the Maritime Museum of San Diego, and a member of the Board of Governors of the Southern California Coastal Ocean Observing System (SCCOOS). Michael speaks five languages and travels extensively.
Director of Industry Relations, Innovation & StartBlue Accelerator
Scripps Institute of Oceanography
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