Port NOLA Names Beth Ann Branch President & CEO
economic growth will ensure that our State remains a critical player in the global supply chain. With Beth at the helm, we’re poised to strengthen our State’s role as the premier trade and commerce gateway to the Nation.”Branch most recently served as Chief Commercial Officer at the Alabama Port Authority in Mobile, a position she held since 2021. Before that, she played a key role in business development and international marketing at the Port of Oakland, where her initiatives led to record container volumes and enhanced operational efficiency."Beth Ann Branch is exactly the
Bollinger Names Hinkebein Director of Government Affairs
leaders across the I-10 corridor.”A seasoned government affairs leader with over 16 years of experience in navigating complex legislative and regulatory environments at the federal, state, and local levels, Hinkebein most recently served as State Director for U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville in Alabama, where he oversaw operations across five offices, and collaborated with legislative staff to develop state-focused federal legislation.“I’m thrilled to have Andrew join our growing team,” said Geoffrey Green, Executive Vice President of Government and External Affairs. “Andrew
Texas A&M to Reduce Tuition For Merchant Mariner License Students
Guard license while completing one of several license-option four-year bachelor’s degree programs at Texas A&M at Galveston.Effective September 1, under a new three-tiered fee structure approved by the Texas A&M University System Board of Regents, students from Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, Puerto Rico and Panama will save $300 per credit hour under in-state classification; students from Arkansas, New Mexico, South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia and Oklahoma will save $150 per credit hour under in-region classification. Students outside these regions will be considered
Austal USA Names Parsons Human Resources VP
resources management and executive teams to provide strategic, practical and solutions-oriented employment counseling. Parsons previously served as Austal USA’s Associate General Counsel and was the company’s in-house employment attorney across Austal USA’s global footprint spanning Alabama, California, Virginia and Singapore.Parsons obtained a B.A. in Psychology from Loyola University New Orleans and a J.D. from the University of Alabama School of Law, and holds a Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) certification
NOAA Hosts GOM Hiring Events for Research Ship Jobs
NOAA Marine and Aviation Operations will hold two hiring events in the Gulf Coast region to recruit professional mariners to work aboard NOAA’s ocean research ships. The first event will be in Mobile, Alabama on Jan. 23 and the second is in New Orleans on Jan. 25.NOAA operates a fleet of 15 hydrographic survey, oceanographic research and fisheries survey vessels. NOAA ships operate in the U.S. and around the world. The ships are run by a combination of NOAA commissioned officers and civilian professional mariners.NOAA’s civilian professional mariners are federal employees and include
Fowler Appointed to Lead Crowley Shipping
Waterways Operators.Fowler earned his Master of Business Administration with a specialization in finance from the A.B. Freeman School of Business at Tulane University. He obtained a Bachelor of Science degree from the Culverhouse College of Commerce and Business Administration at the University of Alabama
Taylor Named Austal USA COO for Transformation
across these functions to ensure the company is aligned in pursuit of Austal USA’s strategic goals.Taylor holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Georgia State University and a master’s degree in accounting from University of Central Florida. She is a licensed CPA in the states of Alabama and Florida as well as a Chartered Global Management Accountant and a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (CPAs), the Alabama Society of CPAs, and the University of South Alabama Accounting Advisory Board
Austal USA Hires New Chief Compliance Officer
HII’s Mission Technologies Division. Overstreet also served as an Assistant United States Attorney for 10 years, specializing in the prosecution of white collar crimes.Overstreet earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Criminal Justice from Auburn University and a Juris Doctor from the University of Alabama School of Law.In March 2023, a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging three Alabama men from Austal USA. According to court documents, from at least in or around 2013 through at least in or around July 2016, Craig Perciavalle, 52, Joseph Runkel, 54, and William Adams, 63, all of Mobile
Fitts Named VP of Contracts & Pricing at Ingalls Shipbuilding
the growth of Ingalls Shipbuilding’s historic backlog of contracts, including the negotiation of several amphibious and U.S. Coast Guard ships and numerous guided missile destroyer awards.Fitts holds a bachelor’s degree from Auburn University and a juris doctor degree from the University of Alabama. Prior to joining HII, Fitts was an equity partner practicing in the areas of commercial litigation, employment law, outside general counsel and IP litigation
Alabama Shipyard Names Wagner CEO
Mobile, Ala. repair yard Alabama Shipyard, LLC announced it has appointed Greg Wagner as its new chief executive officer (CEO).Wagner is joining the Alabama Shipyard team from the position of CEO at Navarro Capital Partners LLC., an oil and gas industry marine and subsea construction support services provider.Wagner is a graduate from the State University of New York Maritime College and has held various management and executive positions in marine operations, business development, and project and asset management. Over the course of his career, Wagner, successfully led several Engineering, Procurement
Ingalls to Hire Approximately 3,000 Full-time Shipbuilders
America's largest military shipbuilding group Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) said its Ingalls Shipbuilding division plans to hire approximately 3,000 full-time shipbuilders.Ingalls’ talent acquisition team has been recruiting across Mississippi, Alabama and Louisiana, and will return to Pascagoula on June 10 to host a hiring event at Ingalls’ new human resources building. The company is hiring ship fitters, electricians, pipefitters, pipe welders and structural welders and seeking applicants with mechanical, hot work or carpentry experience.“We are steadily adding new team
Bordelon Marine Announces Leadership Promotions
required of a subsea vessel operator. Martin has previous industry experience with McDermott International Inc. working in a global capacity as HSE coordinator in Singapore, Brazil, Spain, France, Scotland and Abu Dhabi/ Dubai in UAE. Martin earned a master’s in engineering from the University of Alabama Birmingham.Bordelon Marine president and CEO, Wes Bordelon, said, “Through the years, Chris and Mike have proven themselves many times over to be highly effective leaders as Bordelon Marine transitioned into a shipbuilder and subsea vessel operator. These promotions are well-earned steps forward
US FMC Commissioners Urge Vaccinations for Maritime Workers
This week, U.S. Federal Maritime Commissioners Daniel B. Maffei and Carl W. Bentzel sent letters to the Governors of major port states urging them to prioritize the vaccination of the maritime workforce to protect the nation’s supply chain.Letters were sent to the Governors of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Maryland, New York, New Jersey, South Carolina, Texas and Washington following an earlier letter to the Biden administration encouraging the prioritization of maritime workers for access to vaccinations, personal protective equipment (PPE) and rapid testing."Because we
Austal USA Names Koblas VP of Human Resources
is a culture builder focused on bringing teams together in a safe and productive environment and the absolute right choice to be leading our human resources.”Koblas’ impact on education and workforce development extends beyond Austal USA. Koblas has been appointed by the Governor of Alabama and other senior officials to multiple state and regional development boards. She was also part of President Obama’s White House Upskill Summit designed to increase education and employment opportunities for more working-class Americans
CMT Expands Its Leadership Team
began his career with Cooper Marine & Timberlands in 2013 as a management trainee, where he first learned the company’s marine operations as a linehaul deckhand. Later, Strickler served as Logistics Coordinator and, most recently, as Sales Manager. Strickler is a graduate of The University of Alabama, where he majored in finance and earned his Bachelor of Science degree from the Culverhouse College of Commerce and Business Administration.“Strickler has played a key role in growing our inland marine footprint and providing an unmatched level of customer service for our clients,” said
Austal USA Graduates 28 Apprentices Into Full-time Positions
Alabama shipbuilder Austal USA said it graduated 28 youth apprentices into full-time paid positions this spring. The apprentices are recent high school graduates from schools throughout Mobile and Baldwin County and completed seven weeks of training at the Alabama Industrial Development Training facility adjacent to Austal’s campus.“Austal USA is excited to have hired 28 Youth Apprentices into full-time Fabrication Trade Assistant positions,” Austal USA Workforce Development Manager Ryan Lee said. “The Youth Apprenticeship program is a special program. It’s an awesome
Hinkebein Named Ingalls Media Manager
develop, community and government relations for Wetlands Solutions; director of the Gulfport Chamber of Commerce, and she conducted marketing and client development for Balch & Bingham LLP. In 2007 she earned a bachelor’s degree in communications and information sciences from the University of Alabama.Hinkebein is a member of the United Way Community Investment Team, Mental Health Association of South Mississippi Board of Directors, Coast Young Professionals, the Public Relations Association of Mississippi and Junior Auxiliary of Gulfport. She is a 2010 graduate of Leadership Gulf Coast
