J. Michael Hunter is the Principal Investigator and Marine Surveyor of Hunter Consulting & Survey Services, Inc. of Springfield, Missouri since 2001. Mr. Hunter’s experience is broad within the marine industry with 33 years in the marine trade including Manufacturer’s National Service Representative, Sales, Marine Technician, and Marine Service & Parts Manager, Law Enforcement and 20 plus years in Marine Investigations and Surveying (1996 to present).
Mr. Hunter’s firm, Hunter Consulting & Survey Services, Inc. specializes in:
- Marine Accident Investigations and Reconstruction
- Watercraft casualty investigations involving mechanical evaluation, injury, and death.
- Marine Claims investigations
- Litigation support for the recreational field with practice in Criminal, Admiralty, Federal, Bankruptcy and Civil court proceedings.
- Infrared Thermography (Qualitative & Quantitative)
Mr. Hunter’s experience, with over 4000 handled files, has provided him with a great deal of experience in multiple modes of failure dynamics and accident investigations.
His services are utilized by many insurance claim departments, attorneys, private party individuals, marinas, and manufacturers.
Areas of experience and training:
- Society of Accredited Marine Surveyors -Accredited Marine Surveyor status AMS #939
- National Association of Marine Surveyors – Certified Marine Surveyor #125-949
- International Association of Marine Investigators – Certified Marine Investigator CMI #1828-016
- Thermographer Level I Certified – Mechanical
- Thermographer Level II Certified – Non-Destructive Testing
- American Boat & Yacht Council – Composite Boat Builder Certified
- American Boat & Yacht Council – Marine Systems Certified
- American Boat & Yacht Council – Standards Certified
- American Boat & Yacht Council – Marine Electrical Certified
- American Boat & Yacht Council – Marine Corrosion Certified
- American Boat & Yacht Council – Diesel Engine Certified
- American Boat & Yacht Council – Gasoline Engines Certified
- American Gear Manufacturing Association – Forensic Gear Failure Certification (AGMA)
- Advanced Gear Box Failure Origin –American Gear Manufacturers Association (AGMA)
- Beginning & Advanced training – Marine Accident Reconstruction.
- National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) – Marine Accident Investigation (Beginning, Intermediate and Advanced)
- Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practices (USPAP)
- Carbon Monoxide Exposure and Fatalities
- Multi-Vessel Collisions (injury and death)
- Product liability investigations
- Marina & Repair Facilities Management
The above training and experiences are all complimented by training and prior POST Certification as a Law Enforcement Officer, ensuring an understanding of theft and fire investigations, evidentiary chain of custody and evidence control. He has extensive experience in testimony both in the court room and in deposition.
Formal Education:
1989 Graduate of Southwest Missouri State University
Bachelor of Science Marketing & Management
Minor Computer Information Systems
Professional Organizations:
International Association of Marine Investigators (IAMI)
Member since 1996. Currently Certified Marine Investigator #016 since 2004.
Society of Accredited Marine Surveyors (SAMS)
Member since September 2003. Accredited Marine Surveyor (AMS) 2007
American Boat & Yacht Council (ABYC)
Member since January 2001 – Certified Master Technician
National Association of Marine Surveyors (NAMS)
Member since 2011 – Certified member in Yachts & Small Craft NAMS – CMS Regional Representative
Training & Certifications:
*International Assoc. of Marine Investigators – International Training Conference – Norfolk, VA March 11-14, 2018
*American Boat & & Yacht Council – Corrosion (Renew) Boynton City, MI
Mar. 31, 2018
*Knox ATC – Ft. Lauderdale, FL February 13-14, 2018
*NAMS Global International Training Conference – San Diego, CA March 5-7, 2017
*Knox ATC – Miami, FL February 14-15, 2017
*American Boat & & Yacht Council – Electrical (Renew) Feb 1, 2017
*American Boat & Yacht Council – Standards PTC Committee Meeting January 10, 2017
*American Boat & Yacht Council Product Liability Defense Symposium January 9, 2017
*American Boat & Yacht Council Standards Week Committee Meeting January 10-11, 2016
*American Boat & Yacht Council Standards Certification (renew) October 31, 2016
*American Boat & Yacht Council Marine Systems (renew) October 30, 2016
*Ft Lauderdale’s Mariner’s Club Annual Training Conference November 1-2, 2016
*NAMS Global International Training Conference – Savannah Georgia March 13-16, 2016
*American Boat & Yacht Council Standards Week Committee Meeting January 10-11, 2016
*NAMS Global Pacific Northwest Region Training Conference – Everett, Washington November 12-13, 2015
Ft Lauderdale’s Mariner’s Club Annual Training Conference November 3-4, 2015
Society of Accredited Marine Surveyors (SAMS) Annual Training Conference – Milwaukee, Wisconsin October 14-17, 2015
National Association of Marine Surveyors (NAMSGlobal) – Speaker Western Rivers Region Training Conference – Louisville, Kentucky September 18, 2016
International Boating Exposition (IBEX) Training Symposium – Louisville Kentucky September 15-17, 2016
International Association of Arson Investigators – Marine Arson Investigation
Massachusetts Regional Training Conference – Cape Cod, Massachusetts June 3-5, 2015
International Association of Marine Investigators – (IAMI) International Annual Training Conference March 2-4, Mobile, Alabama
Knox Training Conference Annual Training Conference February 11-12, 2015 Speaker
Ft Lauderdale Mariner’s Club Annual Insurance Training Conference – Ft. Lauderdale, FL October 29-30, 2014
Society of Accredited Marine Surveyors (SAMS) Annual Training Conference – New Orleans, LA October 15-18, 2014
Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) Engine Failure Investigation & Analysis – Troy, MI September 29, 2014
American Gear Manufacturer’s Association (AGMA) Gear Box CSI, Philadelphia, PA March 11-14, 2014
Knox Marine Training Conference, Annual ITC Ft. Lauderdale, FL. February 11-12, 2014
National Association of Marine Surveyors (NAMS Global) International Training Conference Norfolk, VA April 6-9, 2014
International Association of Marine Investigators (IAMI) Intl Training Conference, Oklahoma City, OK February 23-26, 2014
Ft Lauderdale Mariner’s Club Annual Insurance Training Conference – Ft. Lauderdale, FL October 2013
American Boat & Yacht Council (ABYC) Gasoline Engine Certification May 2013
Ft Lauderdale Mariner’s Club Annual Insurance Training Conference – Ft. Lauderdale, FL October 2012
American Boat & Yacht Council (ABYC) Diesel Engine Certification November 2012
*International Association of Marine Investigators (IAMI) Fire & Arson Investigation April 2012
*American Boat & Yacht Council (ABYC) Corrosion Certification April 2012
*American Boat & Yacht Council (ABYC) Electrical Certification February 2012
*American Boat & Yacht Council (ABYC) Electrical Pre-Certification Course January 2012
*American Boat & Yacht Council (ABYC) Marine Investigator Certification Course October 2011
*American Boat & Yacht Council (ABYC) Standards Certification (Recertification Course) September 2011
*American Boat & Yacht Council (ABYC) – Marine Systems Certification August 2011
*American Society of Appraisers Uniform Standards & Professional Appraisal Practices (USPAP) February 2011
*American Boat & Yacht Council (ABYC) Composite Boat Builder Certification November 2011
*American Society for Non-Destructive Testing – The Snell Group
Level II Infrared Thermography – Non- Destructive Evaluation Certification (NDT) August 2010
*American Boat & Yacht Council (ABYC) Standards and Code Accreditation November 2003
*American Boat & Yacht Council (ABYC) Electrical Pre-Certification Course January 5-7, 2005
*JBC Consulting & Ohio Department of Public Safety Advanced Accident Reconstruction April 15-17, 2009
*JBC Consulting & Ohio Department of Public Safety Basic Accident Reconstruction March 11-13, 2009
*American Gear Manufacturers Association AGMA Advanced Forensic Failures of Gears, Big Sky, MT September 2007
*American Boating & Yacht Council, Annapolis, MD. Watercraft Accident Investigation – Basic February 2004
*Infrared Training Center (FLIR), Boston, MA Thermographer Level I Certification #20842 January 15-19, 2009
*National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) Accident Investigation Orientation (BASIC) October 7-8, 2008
*National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) Marine Accident Investigation January 26 – 30, 2009
*Farm Bureau Insurance Technical Institute – Professional Adjuster Training
1996 Jackson Mississippi (120-hour Training Course)
Missouri State Law Enforcement Academy
1993 Drury College, Springfield, Missouri
