Current Storis Owner Bluffs With Plans To Scrap Ship And Prepares to Take $70,100 Bath With Losses

Mark Jurisich- Owner of former CG Cutter Storis

Update: I have made a few edits in order to add some links and add content which explains a few things more clearly. Why? Well, I have taken it upon myself to create this blog and what is posted to it but, I am not nor have I been a part of the Storis Museum or any of the non-profits trying to save the ship. In other words... I won't sugar-coat my dislike for the current Storis owner and the reason is simple: I take personal offense when someone takes a virtual piss on Coast Guard vets, supporters and the Storis herself. Additions/corrections are in current font and color background. 
Today was to be an important day for Mark Jurisich, current owner of the former Coast Guard Cutter Storis. Today is the day Jurisich was to make good on his threat to remove the Historic ship from Suisun Bay and go full steam ahead with his plans to turn the ship into scrap metal. No matter that he missed the original removal date which was 10-days after he bought the ship in late June for $70,100 from the GSA in an auction.

After over two months of holding the ship hostage against Storis supporters and the non-profit groups that continue to try to obtain the ship to make her into a museum, Jurisich has been clear with his position: Pay me $250,000 and I will give you your ship. But, if you don't give me my payday... Your little piece of history will be one "cut up cutter." Note: Jurisich may not have said those exact words but, according to info posted  to the Storis Museum FaceBook page, what I said above is the impression that Jurisich has led people to believe... on top of not picking up the ship within 10 days of the sale.

Let me summarize for those just joining in...
Mark R Jurisich, a failed business man from San Diego bought the Storis with the intention of flipping her to the non-profits for FIVE times the amount he paid. In other words, profit off the non-profits. This is NOT my opinion. This is a fact that Mark Jurisich has failed with his recent business as I have copied the following as proof: Oh, Suspended and Revoked! Perhaps he got into some trouble? Allegedly.
http://www.bizapedia.com/people/MARK-JURISICH.html

Principal Name:	Mark Jurisich (Officer)
Company Name:	Decorlight, LLC
Status:	Suspended	Filing Date:	05/22/2000
Entity Type:	Foreign Limited-Liability Company	File Number:	200014510097
Filing State:	California (CA)	Registered Agent:	Mark Jurisich
Principal Name:	Mark Jurisich (Manager)
Company Name:	Decorlight, LLC
Status:	Permanently Revoked	Filing Date:	05/10/2000
Entity Type:	Domestic Limited-Liability Company	File Number:	LLC4466-2000
Filing State:	Nevada (NV)	Registered Agent:	Agent Resigned

This link shows Jurisich as owner for Decorlight and US Metals but, neither have an address: http://www.wysk.com/index.cfm#url=/search/index.cfm&search_terms=MARK+JURISICH&search_page=1&filter_type=&filter_state=&filter_status=&filter_city=&ppf=0&officersOnly=1
Jurisich is a failed business man because, he went into this extortion plan without doing his homework before buying the ship which could have given himself an escape route. Like his previous business failure, he tried to save himself the embarrassment of being the idiot who spent $70,100 on a ship that would cost over a half million to get prepared properly in order to scrap it  by standing his ground against the Storis faithful (Note: this is my interpretation based upon what has been said online thus far) by insisting he will scrap the ship if they don't pay up.

The Storis faithful, armed with Jurisich's failed business history (If they didn't know it before... They do now because of this blog) as well as all the real numbers involved, told him they won't pay.
"Ok! I warned you!" Said Jurisich, (note: that is not a quote. I wasn't there to hear what he might have said but, it has been reported that he asked for $250,000 or will scrap the ship. I welcome Jurisich to contact me directly and I will be happy to quote exactly what he said.) and he set a pick up date of Tuesday, September 17, 2013. Today actually, to get the Storis headed to the scrap yards,

As of last night, the Pilots log for Suisun Bay shows nothing for the Storis or Jurisich. Nothing.
What this means is that Mark Jurisich of the soon to be former owner of US Metals Recovery (Note: This is my opinion based on his documented failure above), has had his (alleged) bluff called and it is now public record that he can't follow thru with the contract he had with the GSA upon buying the ship and with a little pressure put onto the GSA, the ship should be taken out of Jurisich's name and at the very least, the ship put up for sale.  Thus, giving the Storis Museum a chance to buy her and sail off into the sunset while Jurisich enjoys what is left of his $70,100 BATH!
(Update: I want to pose this question for Jurisich that seems shady and worthy of the IRS looking into what business does US Metals Recovery actually conduct? The question: How and where does what appears to be a shell company (my opinion) with no office address, staff, working office phone or even a website URL come up with a cool SEVENTY THOUSAND DOLLARS to drop with buying the Storis???)

Mark R Jurisich and Dr. John R Bryan, Have No Respect For Historic CG Cutter Storis

US Metals Recovery owners Mark Jurisich and John Bryan -
Don't see history with CGC Storis... Only money 

US Metals Recovery, LLC is technically the owner of the former Coast Guard Cutter Storis. She is one of the most reliable ships the US Military has ever had serving for the United States and last year the Storis was acknowledged for her 64+ years of service when she was added to the National Registry Of Historic Places. She was the first ship to successfully circumnavigate the north American Continent back in 1957. The Storis is a piece of US History and to thousands of people who have been associated with her over the last seven decades, she is also a treasure.

However, in June of 2013, after looking like she would become a museum in Toledo, Ohio where she was built in 1942, the GSA dropped the ball and put her up for sale in an auction.
She was bought by a company called US Metals Recovery of San Diego.

There are 2 people who are listed as owners of US Metals Recovery, LLC. 
The first one was not born in the US and has no regard for any history associated with the Storis. The New Zeland/Australian natives name is Mark R Jurisich of San Diego. 

The second owner has not taken an active role thus far with the Storis and from what I have found out about him and his status in his community, it would make sense for him to want to distance himself from his partner, Jurisich. According to his resume and bio, Dr. John R Bryan of San Diego portrays himself to be something of a modern day All-American citizen. "Dr. Bryan has been the Chair of the Board of Alliance for African Assistance since 2004 and of the Alliance Health Clinic since 2009. Since 2010, he has been Membership Chair of the San Diego Chapter of the Institute of Management Consultants." and has an ownership stake in several businesses while claiming his main business is being a mentor to new business owners. 

However, in the case of one such business that he is part owner of, US Metals Recovery, it is not clear at all what the company actually does. The company has no website. No working phone number. No physical address other than a PO Box at a hotel. No employee's. No indication that the company has done any business with anyone in the 3+ years since the company was formed. For a 3 year old company with such a solid, established businessman as Bryan to be involved with, one might expect that company to have some sort of history of business dealings. Something. Anything. But, US Metals Recovery appears to be a company in name only or merely a "shell" that was set up to serve another purpose. 

Since June of this year after they bought the Storis, the sole purpose appears to be attempting to make a massive profit by holding the Storis as a hostage, threatening the Storis Museum non-profit group to have the ship made into scrap metal unless, of course their ransom demand of $250,000 is paid. There is a term used to describe people who take advantage of other peoples emotional attachments and only see how they might profit using a piece of treasured US history that was used to save so many lives... That term is BOTTOM FEEDER. 
Anyone who shows such disregard for something as historically significant as the Storis and all who support her are just that... Bottom Feeders. 

In light of all the "injustices" that these two men have bestowed upon the Storis, I wish there was a way that they could face justice for their actions by having them "walk the plank."
They would be two people the Coast Guard Cutter Storis would not be expected to rescue. Since that fantasy scenario won't happen, the Storis faithful continue on with their attempts to rescue the Storis. THAT is one cause fully worth rescuing.

Coast Guard Cutter Storis Held Hostage: New Owner Mark Jurisich Demands Ransom

Cutter Storis at home port in Kodiak, Alaska in 1990
Photo taken by Jim Watkins

The Coast Guard Cutter Storis was decommissioned in 2007 after providing over 60 years of service to her country. In 2012 the Storis was added to the National Registry of Historic Places and was set to be donated to the Storis Museum group who planned to use it as a museum in the city where it was built, Toledo, Ohio.

Earlier this year, some technical issues came up and the ship was pulled away from the Storis Museum group and handed over to the GSA for them to quickly auction the historic ship to the highest bidder on June 27, 2013. The highest bid was $70,100 and even though that amount was less than the $100,000 reserve price set by the GSA, the ship was sold for $70,100.
The Storis Museum group was shocked by all of what happened and it appeared that the Storis would not become a museum.
The new owner of the Storis knew the history of the ship and was aware of the non-profit group wanting to acquire the ship. They contacted the Storis Museum people soon after the auction to see if a sale could be worked out.

The company that bought the Storis from the GSA is US Metals Recovery, LLC. Mark Jurisich of La Jolla, California is the owner of US Metals Recovery. The company is registered in the state of California as a Foreign Limited Liability Company and in Nevada as a Domestic Limited Liability Company. Extensive research has found that the company does not appear to do any actual business.
The address listed for US Metals Recovery, LLC is 2102 Hancock Ste 200, San Diego, CA. 92110. The company does not appear to have an office at that address and there is no listed telephone number for the company.

Another search of the company found it listed with the following address, P.O Box 82712 
401 Hotel Circle South, San Diego 92138.

No phone number is listed with that location as well.

US Metals owner Mark Jurisich does not have a home telephone number listed either.

It turns out that Mark R. Jurisich is not from the United States. He is from New Zeland or Australia and his current immigration status in the US is not known. 

Here is a breakdown of what Jurisich has done under the cloak of his apparent shell company US Metals Revcovery since buying the Storis in June, 2013.

He paid $70,100 for the ship and was required to remove it from Suisan Bay within 10 days of the sale. That has not happened yet. Word is that he will be removing the ship on Tuesday, September 17, 2013 but it is not known where he intends to take it. 

He contacted the Storis group and offered to sell the ship to the non profit group for $250,000. It is interesting to note that the reason Jurisich has not removed the ship from the holding bay is due to not having the resources to have the ship processed thru the steps required in order for him to sell it to a metal scrap yard as he told the Storis group were his intentions unless they wanted to pay the ransom amount nearly five times more than he paid.

It is the opinion of this blogger that Mark Jurisich is a parasite who came to the US, sets up a company that does nothing, buys a valuable piece of American history that is listed on the National Registry of Historic Places and immediately attempts to take advantage of the group that had intended to extend the ships service to the public as a museum by threatening to sell the ship for scrap if his price is not met. He did all of that while knowing next to nothing about what was required in order to scrap the ship which means, he bought the ship with the sole intention of flipping it for a quick profit at the expense of the Storis Museum group and their supporters. 

He is the current legal owner of the Storis. He knows the significance of the ship and the history behind it and has indicated to the group that he does not care about any of that. Why would he when he is not even from the United States? Since he has not done what was outlined in the contract with the GSA, the government has a small window of time remaining for them to intervene and void the sale. If the government allows this person to take advantage of a piece of American history and use it as collateral against those trying to preserve it, then I encourage the American public to voice their opinions to their elected officials and also to demand an IRS investigation into US Metals Recovery, LLC. Mark Jurisich is not a man of good moral character nor is he a good person. Anyone who buys a piece of American history and disgraces it as he has done with the Storis deserves to go down with the ship. If the Storis ends up as scrap metal, here is hoping that the greedy, un-American ship swindler goes down with his ship.