FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Clean Gulf Associates Announces Leadership Transition, Honoring President Frank Paskewich and Welcoming New Executive Leadership Team
[New Orleans, LA] – [July 22, 2026] – Clean Gulf Associates (CGA) is proud to announce a historic leadership transition as President Frank Paskewich retires following years of dedicated service to the organization and the response community. The organization is pleased to welcome James Hanzalik as President and Nicholas Benson as Vice President, marking the beginning of an exciting new chapter for Clean Gulf Associates and its members.
Under Frank Paskewich’s leadership, Clean Gulf Associates has continued to strengthen its mission of advancing preparedness, response capabilities, and collaboration across the oil spill and emergency response industry. His steady leadership, commitment to service, and unwavering support of CGA’s membership have helped position the organization for continued growth and success.
“Frank’s contributions to Clean Gulf Associates and the response community are immeasurable,” said James Hanzalik, incoming President of Clean Gulf Associates. “His leadership has built a strong foundation that we are proud to carry forward. On behalf of our Board of Directors, members, and industry partners, we extend our deepest gratitude and wish him nothing but the very best in his well-earned retirement.”
As President, James Hanzalik will lead Clean Gulf Associates into its next era, focusing on strengthening member engagement, advancing industry preparedness initiatives, and continuing the organization’s longstanding commitment to excellence in oil spill preparedness and response.
Joining Hanzalik is Nicholas Benson, who will serve as Vice President. Benson brings more than two decades of experience in crisis leadership, emergency management, and oil spill response, having served in leadership roles during some of the nation’s most significant incident responses. Throughout his career, he has been committed to building partnerships, developing response capabilities, and mentoring future leaders within the industry.
“I am honored to join Clean Gulf Associates at such an exciting time in its history,” said Benson. “This organization has long been recognized as a leader in preparedness and collaboration across our industry. I look forward to serving our members, supporting Hanzalik’s vision for the future, and helping develop the next generation of response leaders.”
Together, Hanzalik and Benson are committed to building upon the organization’s strong foundation while positioning Clean Gulf Associates to meet the evolving challenges and opportunities facing the response community.
“Leadership transitions provide an opportunity to honor where we’ve been while embracing where we’re going,” said Hanzalik. “We are excited about the future of Clean Gulf Associates and remain committed to delivering value to our members and strengthening the partnerships that make our organization successful.”
As Clean Gulf Associates looks to the future, its mission remains unchanged—to foster collaboration, advance preparedness and response capabilities, and serve as a trusted leader within the oil spill and emergency response community.
The organization extends its sincere appreciation to Frank Paskewich for his years of service and leadership and welcomes James Hanzalik and Nicholas Benson as they lead Clean Gulf Associates into its next chapter.
About Clean Gulf Associates
Clean Gulf Associates is a member-driven organization dedicated to enhancing oil spill preparedness, response capabilities, and industry collaboration throughout the Gulf Coast and beyond. Through technical expertise, strategic partnerships, and member engagement, CGA continues to advance best practices and strengthen the response community.