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market share and capabilities so we can continue to grow the company.? ?All international companies face the challenges of understanding the countrieswe operate in, conforming to local laws, tax regimes and national content require- ments. Getting the right structure in placeis key to our continued success.? During his Tidewater tenure, Platt lived overseas for 3.5 years, mostly in South America. In September 2001, he was put in charge of Tidewater?s business and JVs in Mexico. In November 2001, Platt was promoted to Vice President, manag- ing the company's activities in South America, Mexico and the Caribbean. In March 2004, he was named Senior Vice President, responsible for operations inthe Americas, Middle East and India. In July 2006, Platt became Executive Vice President, overseeing the company's day-to-day, marine operations, domesti- cally and internationally. In March 2010, he was promoted to Chief Operating Of- ficer. Platt lives in Mandeville, La., with his wife Sandra and their two sons, and works out of New Orleans. He is a 1979 graduate of the University of Pittsburgh, with a BS degree in Electrical Engineer- ing.As for his new role, Platt said ?I am very honored the Board chose me to re- place Dean Taylor. I have big shoes to fill following Dean. He is a remarkable man, very genuine, a truly great guy and a great personal friend of mine.? Looking back at his 34 years at Tide- water, Taylor said "it's been a privilege to work for such a wonderful company for most of my career. I'm grateful to John Laborde and Bill O'Malley for putting my set of skills to work, and for the op- portunities I was given. The company and industry have been a love affair for me." John Laborde retired in 1994 as Tide- water chief, and was followed by William O?Malley, before Taylor took over in 2002.Taylor will kick off his retirement with a trip to Normandy and Paris with his family in early June. "I have a wonderful wife, five daughters, a son and three grandchildren, and plan to spend moretime with them.? He plans to keep up with friends in nearly every part of the world. ?I'm look- ing forward to traveling and using lan- guages at a pace that's different from business," he said Taylor speaks Italian, Spanish and Por- tuguese fluently and reads French. How did he learn those languages? "I've worked at it," he said. "You can't learn by buying lots of books. People get discour- aged partway through books one, two and three and give up on each of them. My advice is to buy one book and stick with it to the finish.? He added ?I think there's an inverse re- lationship between the number of lan-guage books you buy and how much you learn."Taylor lives with his family in Kiln, Miss. in what he said is a ramshacklefarm where timber's the best business. ?In the yard, we have pretty, fat and sassy horses that aren't very functional,? he said. ?I call them yard ornaments.? ?We also have a house 14 miles away in Bay St. Louis, where I love to fish,? he said. ?Between family, friends, hobbies and Board duties, I don't expect to have much idle time." endJune 2012www.marinelink.com 33?It's been a privilege towork for such a wonder-ful company for most ofmy career ... The com- pany and industry havebeen a love affair for me.?Dean Taylor (left) ?I have big shoes to fillfollowing Dean. He is aremarkable man, very genuine, a truly great guy and a great personal friend of mine.?Jeff Platt MR June12 # 4 (25-33):MR Template 6/11/2012 4:18 PM Page 33