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lenged by this industry on a daily basis.

Even though the maritime industry is an international business, it is a surpris- ingly small community and those that I have met are truly remarkable people.”

IT, International Comms and IRI

Fast forward to 2016 and it is clear that Sherman stays busy. The cum laude graduate of James Madison University is responsible for overseeing the bud- geting, marketing, and press activities in coordination with 27 IRI worldwide of? ces. And, because this includes co- ordinating event participation, adver- tisements, press releases, marketing trips and marketing collateral, she is required to be familiar with all aspects of the business. Leveraging her creden- tials as a certi? ed Quality System Audi- tor and her position as Assistant Quality

Management Administrator, assuming the additional position of Operations ...We now have more

Technology Of? cer was a logical move for the registry. In this role, Sherman than 360 employees oversees the Information Technology worldwide that all (IT) Department as it serves regional of? ces and other departments to ensure need to be connected that all aspects of the implementation in the same way, uti- of IT services are being considered across the company.

Laura Sherman, lizing the same secu-

Without a doubt – and in today’s wired world – IT and comms go hand in hand.

IRI Group rity protocols, etc.

Within IRI, Sherman weaves the two together on a daily basis. That’s easier said than done. She explains, “The RMI

Registry has grown on average 13% an- nually on a consistent basis since 2001.

Like many organizations, the technol- ogy is not always able to keep up with this type of growth. We now have more than 360 employees worldwide that all need to be connected in the same way, www.maritimelogisticsprofessional.com 17I 1-17 Q3 MP2016.indd 17 8/17/2016 11:46:23 AM