Carl Hanson, president and general manager of San Francisco Drydock (SFD), one of seven United States Marine Repair (USMR)ship repair facilities , including Southwest Marine (SWM) and
NORSHIPCO on the East Coast, has retired. He had been with the company since 1978. Due to his extensive shipyard knowledge and experience, he will remain involved with the company on a case-by-case consulting basis.
Hanson's shipyard career began in San Diego, Calif., at Triple A South ship repair facility, where he gained hands-on knowledge as a ship superintendent. When SWM opened a facility in San Francisco in 1978, Hanson left Triple A and moved north to help with the start-up. After signing a 30-year lease with the Port of San Francisco, the company's operations moved from Pier 28 to its current location at the Foot of 20th Street. In 1993, the yard changed its name from Southwest Marine to San Francisco Drydock and focused primarily on
commercial ship repair work.
Joe O'Rourke, who has been with the company since 1987, has assumed the president/general manager position at SFD. He also serves as vice president and general manager of Southwest Marine's San Pedro, Calif., shipyard. "Joe is the perfect person to step into Carl's shoes, as he has substantial ship repair knowledge and has been closely involved with the San Francisco operation in the past," said Monty Dickinson, USMR's executive vice president of operations and president and general manager of Southwest Marine in San Diego. O'Rourke served as the controller at SFD in 1990 and was promoted to vice president of finance in 1993.