Page 38: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (August 2020)

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DREDGING reliable marketplace. And there are many stakeholders who

You have sat at the helm of Great Lakes Dredge and Dock we need to partner with and with that in mind we are opening for just over three years. What attracted you to the posi- regional offices around the country to better engage with on tion when you joined in 2017?

I have worked around ocean and maritime industries most of short and long term challenges.

my career and found the challenge to lead GLDD to be a won-

Looking back, what were your primary goals coming in, derful opportunity. GLDD has a very long term successful and how is GLDD most the same … and most different, history of 130 years to build on and a well recognized brand from when you took the helm?

name and reputation for tackling and accomplishing difficult projects. Initially what attracted me to GLDD was the imbed- My goals were to help GLDD get back on solid footing after ded safety culture that completely aligned with my experience a few rough years attempting to diversify into other business- and commitment as well. This safety culture makes getting es that did not go well. We refocused our operations and ra- our employees home safely every night the highest priority. tionalized our dredging fleet and shed some of the businesses

Dredging is a unique and quite necessary business, as we that did not really fit GLDD. We have had a very good run but have learned during COVID when we were among the first also believe we are just getting started.

businesses to be named as an essential service. Dredging

When you look at your company and the markets you combines elements of ocean and coastal environments in ad- serve today, can you give us a “State of the Market?” dition to actually accomplishing fairly precise excavation in unknown sea floor conditions. The U.S. dredging market is strong and improving. The

Federal government has provided the Corps record annual budgets, there is a lot of funding for coastal protection, and

How would you describe your management philosophy?

My management style has evolved with experience. I have Governors have taken a greater interest in their seaports and learned a lot in my short time at GLDD about dredging but coastal areas. Our international market is weak currently, but even more about the talented people that work for “the bulls- it tends to be more cyclical and retain an interest in that mar- eye”. There is definitely a Great Lakes way” of doing things ket and expect that we will return at some point in the future.

that emphasizes safety, efficiency, and innovation. We have a

Where, specifically, by region or market sector, do you very experienced management team and an equally eager next see opportunity today?

couple generations who we need to get more involved.

One of the things I have focused on is to engage more with There are significant investments being made on the East our wonderful client, the US Army Corps of Engineers, who and Gulf Coasts in the U.S. particularly for port deepening is tough but fair, exactly what we need in terms of defining a and coastal projects.

Photo courtesy Great Lakes Dredge & Dock 38 Maritime Reporter & Engineering News • August 2020

MR #8 (34-49).indd 38 8/11/2020 9:56:58 AM

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