Capt. Allen Garfinkle, a member of Masters, Mates & Pilots (an international organization of maritime professionals), majored in theater arts at the University of California, Irvine, from 1972-1974. He received his bachelor of science degree in Nautical Industrial Technology from California Maritime Academy in 1979. After graduating from California Maritime, he sailed as a deck officer on tankers, bulk carriers and container ships. In 1987, he received a J.D. from the University of San Francisco School of Law. The lifelong Bay Area resident worked at Matson Navigation Co. for 21 years, where he served as master of 10 ships in the fleet, most recently the S.S. Maui. Garfinkle was appointed executive director by the board in February 2010. He operates a small kennel devoted to labrador retrievers and is president of the Golden Gate Labrador Retriever Club.