The Woods Hole, Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket Steamship Authority, a longtime member of AIM, has for 65 years provided a critical transportation lifeline from Cape Cod to the islands of Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard.

The Authority sails into a new era this month as former San Francisco ferry executive Alex Kryska takes over as the new general manager of the organization.

The Board of the Authority voted unanimously at a meeting in November to offer Kryska the job.

“Alex has a strong background in the marine industry and related businesses and has the necessary skills to address the many issues facing the Steamship Authority and similar organizations,” said Board Chair James M. Malkin, who represents Martha’s Vineyard.

Kryska brings nearly three decades of experience in fleet operations across maritime, aviation, and transportation sectors. He was most recently the chief operating officer at PROP, a San Francisco-based company that operates a public-private commuter ferry service. He has also worked for ACME Technologies, WestEd, and Covenant Aviation Security.

Kryska has an undergraduate degree in transportation business administration from the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy and a Master of Business Administration in global business operations from San Francisco State University.

“I don’t intend to be an office dweller,” Kryska told the Cape Cod Times last month. “It’s important to be on site and meet the workers at each location. For the first six months it’s going to be moving around.”

Kryska succeeds Robert B. Davis, who announced in September 2024 he would step down from the general manager’s position and transition into an advisory capacity. Davis was appointed general manager in 2016 and began in the role in 2017. He joined the Authority in 1986 and held several positions of increasing responsibility, including treasurer and comptroller, before being elevated to the general manager position.

The Steamship Authority is a staple of life on Cape Cod and the Islands for tourists and year-round residents alike. It is the largest ferry service to the Islands and offers the most frequent daily departures for passengers, automobiles, groups, and trucks. In 2024, more than 2.9 million passengers and more than 690,000 vehicles of all sizes were transported to and from the Islands.