Discipline
Expertise

A marine consultant for maritime regulatory and investigative cases involving ocean-going ships, commercial shipping activities, inland waterway vessel operations, and recreational boating.  Retired from the U.S. Coast Guard in 2001 with 21 years of active duty in the Marine Safety, Security and Environmental Protection field. 

During that time he held numerous positions of responsibility during seven tours of duty in the Coast Guard while posted at Marine Safety Offices and Detachments from American Samoa to Miami, Florida.  In the period since that time, he has been a maritime expert for Lloyd’s Register, a world-class ship classification society, responsible for ensuring clients’ needs are met for ship classification, statutory surveys, port state control issues, technical consultancy, marine training  and other marine industry activities.  He is a respected authority on current maritime topics and issues and a frequent guest speaker at major maritime venues.

Education Credentials

M.B.A., California Polytechnic Institute, San Luis Obispo, 1994

B.A., Whittier College, Whittier, California, 1979

Maritime Lead Auditor – ISM Code – Warsash Institute, UK 1999

On-Scene Coordinator Crisis Management – U.S. Coast Guard, 2009

IS-00265 Basic Instructional Skills – FEMA, 2012

Master 100 Gross Tons – Motor Vessels – USCG, 2004/2009 renewal

Authorized Lloyd’s Register Trainer on these and other Lloyd’s Register courses:

  • ­Risk Management & Incident Investigation
  • ­ ISM Lead Auditor and ISM Internal Auditor Courses
  • ­ ISPS Code CSO/SSO and PFSO Courses
  • ­ Incident Command Systems (ICS) in the U.S. – co-authored
  • ­ Hull Inspection, Damage and Repair
  • ­ Classification and Statutory Requirements
  • ­ Sustainability and Shipping
  • ­ Essential Dry-docking
  • ­ Port State Control

 

Professional Experience

Marine Safety Expert Consultant, RTI Group, Annapolis, Maryland, 2013 – present

  • Proven marine industry professional, with over 32 years experience in international maritime safety, security, casualty investigation and recovery, environmental protection, training, legislation, personnel leadership, project management; honed from a career as a Commander in the U.S. Coast Guard, and an M.B.A. from California Polytechnic State University; both of which led to a second career as a regional Major Project Manager, Training and Business Development Manager with a leading ship classification society.

 

Lloyd’s Register, 2001 – Present

  • ­ Maritime statutory and regulatory (particularly U.S. marine regulations) expert. Well versed in current IMO and U.S. regulations pertaining to marine safety, environmental protection, maritime security, safety management systems, and energy efficiency from small craft to large ships. Specifically holds broad and in-depth knowledge in SOLAS, Maritime Security (ISPS) and ISM Code, MARPOL, Ballast Water and the ILO Convention, providing respected advice to clients.  Possesses over 20 years of Homeland Security expertise (U.S. Coast Guard).  Qualifies surveyors, auditors and inspectors to required international (lACS) standards on full spectrum of marine contracts.
  • ­ Project Manager for a major ship emergency response assessment involving 8 operating lines, 24 ship-rider teams (3-person teams) conducting on-site and onboard emergency response effectiveness assessments. Project uses tools developed for industrial psychology evaluations in Human Engineering. Overall effort expected to redefine emergency response training in this industry as this study is heralded as a landmark in safety management.
  • ­External Client Training Manager for the region – overseeing training administered to clients in North and South America. Responsible for authoring regional training business plan, course development, authorizing technical trainers, raising contracts, planning and executing course delivery, and obtaining customer quality feedback. Authorized Trainer holding all maritime safety, security and technical training qualifications.
  • ­   Business Development Manager – Current responsibilities include business development and marketing plans for each client, oversight of fleet ship classification contracts that often exceed $3 million in revenues. Excellent interpersonal skills, with strong business acumen. Preferred public speaker at major marine safety and environmental conferences.

 

U.S. Coast Guard. 1981 – 2001

  • Twenty-one year career officer in the Coast Guard marine safety field culminating in assignment as Executive Officer at Marine Safety Office (MSO) Miami (19962001).  Served seven tours of duty, leading men and women through responses to marine emergencies, large-scale maritime events, in all operational modes; requiring exceptional planning, tasking and organizational skills, strong personnel leadership and management, detailed budget development and analysis, and personal ethics above reproach. Held all department head positions in the Coast Guard Marine Safety, Investigation, Security, and Environmental Protection fields of operations.
  • Recognized expert in major marine incident recoveries and investigations, ranging from small craft to major marine incidents -lead investigator in the IGLOO MOON, CONTSHIP HOUSTON, CARNIVAL ECSTACY, NEPTUNE JADE casualties and other major marine accidents (1996-2001). On-scene coordinator for largest “mystery” oil spill in South Florida history (2000). Personally delegated by the Commandant USCG to investigate two extraterritorial marine casualties threatening the marine environment of the Florida Keys in 1996. Well versed in the application of the Incident Command System.
  • Staff member of team preparing responses and testimony for maritime safety hearings on Capitol Hill for the senior Marine Safety, Security and Environmental Protection leadership cadre of the U.S. Coast Guard during the sweeping changes within the marine safety regimen in the U.S. for global merchant shipping interests (MARPOL Annexes, OPA 90), and the increased focus on recreational, fishing, towing vessels (1989-1992).
  • ­   Received honors as Military Liaison in American Samoa (1987-1989) overseeing details for ambassador, high commissioner, and other international dignitary visits to the territorial government. Responsibilities included: Naval ship visits logistics, fuel, ships agents, and arriving military and foreign diplomatic leaders.

 

Affiliations

Member U.S. Power Boat/U.S. Sailing
Member ASIS International – Technical Committee:

  • Quality Assurance and Security Management for Private Security Companies Operating in the Maritime Environment
  • ­Supply Chain Risk Management Standard: A Compilation of Best Practices (SCRM)

Member International Association of Marine Investigators
Affiliate Member of Society of Accredited Marine Surveyors
Council Member – Gerson Lehrman Group
Free Masons

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