Aaron Hendry, Florida maritime industry businessman, dies

Aaron W. Hendry, the longtime head of Tampa, Fla.-based Hendry Marine Industries, died Monday at the age of 80.    Aaron W. Hendry, a longtime Florida maritime industry businessman, died Monday at the age of 80.
   The cause of death was pancreatic cancer.
   He started his career at Hendry Corp. in 1952 as a deckhand and worked his way through the shipboard ranks. Hendry obtained a civil engineering degree from Georgia Tech and a Master’s degree in business administration from the University of Tampa. He eventually became president and chief executive officer of Hendry Marine Industries, a company started by his father, Capt. F.M. Hendry.
   At the time of his death, Hendry Marine Industries, a holding company for Hendry Corp., celebrated its 90th anniversary. The Tampa, Fla.-based company’s other subsidiaries include Gulf Marine Repair, a ship repair company in the Southeast; Universal Environmental Solutions, providing marine environmental services; and Port Hendry Terminals, a stevedoring and terminal operations company.
   As part of a recent management transition, Hendry Marine set up an employee stock ownership plan and hired Jim Long to serve as the new CEO.
   Hendry is survived by his wife, Barbara, six children and three grandchildren.
   The Hendry family asked that donations be made to either the American Victory Ship Mariners Memorial Museum or Tampa Port Ministries, both located in Tampa.