People News for January 21, 2021

Mr. and Mrs. William Kearns of East Quogue are delighted to announce the engagement of their son, Will, to Ms. Julia Nunez, daughter of Richard and Susan Nunez, of New Rochelle.

Will Kearns is a 2008 graduate of Westhampton Beach High School and received his BA in business from Lehigh University. He is currently employed as a project manager at Delamere Building Corporation in Bridgehampton. Ms. Nunez is a 2009 graduate of New Rochelle High School and received her BA in architecture from Yale University. She is currently employed as a designer at Winter McDermott Design in Sag Harbor. The couple resides in East Hampton with their beloved pets, Sandy and Pepper. No wedding date has been set at this time.

Kristen Frohnhoefer, president of Sea Tow Services International, the nation’s leading on-water assistance provider, has been named the Darlene Briggs Marine Woman of the Year by the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas (MRAA) Educational Foundation.

Ms. Frohnhoefer received the prestigious award during MRAA’s 2020 Dealer Week via digital, an annual conference and expo designed for marine retailers across the country.

The Darlene Briggs Marine Woman of the Year Award is named after the late Darlene Briggs, who was admired for her tireless dedication to the marine industry. The award is presented yearly to an outstanding woman who is actively involved in the marine industry. Recipients showcase “long and devoted service, untiring commitment, and the advancement of women in the marine business.”

“Kristen has been connected to the marine industry ever since childhood and has demonstrated an encouraging and inspiring spirit for women in her field,” said Natalie Briggs Carlson, executive director of the MRAA Educational Foundation. “Her ability to bring fresh and successful ideas to the industry and serve as a leader to all made her the perfect recipient for the 2020 Darlene Briggs Marine Woman of the Year Award.”

Ms. Frohnhoefer is the daughter of Sea Tow’s founder, Captain Joe Frohnhoefer, and has spent over 25 years working with the company. In her current role as Sea Tow President, she is responsible for overseeing all internal operations such as the membership program, finance, marketing, sales, the technology infrastructure and the call center that supports the nationwide network. She also serves as president of the Board of Directors of the Sea Tow Foundation, the nonprofit that promotes safe boating practices. Within the industry, Ms. Frohnhoefer serves on the Board of Directors of Marine Marketers of America and will assume the role of vice-chair this month.

“I have always admired the accomplished women who have been recognized as the Darlene Briggs Marine Woman of the Year and am honored and humbled to be recognized amongst them,” Ms. Frohnhoefer said. “It is times like these where I reflect on my own female role models throughout my life who made moments like these achievable. I am blessed to be supported by my amazing team at Sea Tow, including my mom Georgia Frohnhoefer, who helped Sea Tow get started with my father in 1983.”