Greenwich’s Basil Mavroleon Honored by Maritime Aquarium

Greenwich’s Basil G. Mavroleon will be honored for his commitment to environmental education at the 15^th annual Red Apple Awards on April 24 at The Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk.

Along with Charles A. Hinnant of Norwalk, Mavroleon will receive his Red Apple Award during “Cirque de la Mer,” the annual fund-raising event that honors companies, organizations and individuals who share The Maritime Aquarium’s concern for the natural world and environmental education. Both men are active members of the Aquarium’s board of trustees.

Mavroleon co-chaired the “Cirque de la Mer” galas in 2010 and 2012, which raised almost $1.4 million for the Aquarium’s Red Apple Fund for Student Enrichment. This fund helps to make the Aquarium’s unique marine-science and environmental-education programs available to students and teachers in the tri-state area who otherwise may not be able to participate. Mavroleon also helped the Aquarium achieve a new research vessel, as a key voice on the new vessel committee and as a contributor to the $2.7 million project. (The R/V Spirit of the Sound,^™ the only research vessel in the world with a hybrid-electric propulsion system, will be launched this summer.)

Mavroleon is managing director of WeberSeas (Hellas) S.A., a comprehensive ship finance brokerage based in Greece. He previously served for 25 years as managing director at Charles R. Weber Co. Inc., one of the oldest and largest tanker brokerages and marine consultants in the United States. Among his many affiliations, Mavroleon is a director emeritus of NAMEPA (North American Marine Environmental Protection Association) and is honorary director of the Connecticut Maritime Association Education Foundation (CAMEF).

Hinnant initiated The Maritime Aquarium’s “Maritime Golf Classic.” He is president and founder of Charkit Chemical Corp. in Norwalk.

This year’s “Cirque de la Mer” is themed “Mystical Magical Maritime Masquerade.” The event will be held primarily under “the big top” outside the Aquarium’s main entrance. Guests will enjoy a sit-down dinner, silent and live auctions, a one-of-a-kind cocktail party throughout the Aquarium galleries, and the event’s awards ceremony. Funds from the event support The Maritime Aquarium’s Red Apple Fund for Student Enrichment.