Western Washington University News

Joe Hudspeth is the Director of Business Development for Global Marine at BAE Systems in Endicott, N.Y. BAE Systems offers complete, efficient propulsion and auxiliary power systems utilizing electric technology. Hudspeth has been involved with maritime sales, marketing and product development since 2000. He currently serves as a regional co-chairman for the Passenger Vessel Association, is a judge for the Worldwide Ferry Safety Association student design competition, and frequently speaks and writes on maritime and ferry related issues. Hudspeth lives in Bellingham, Wash.

January of 2017 saw the retirement of one of the veterans of the Samson family. Tony Bon, CEO through 2015 retired as of December 31, 2016. Bon shares his impressions of the time he’s been with Samson and the high points of both the company and the industry it serves. In the Navy they have an expression to describe a captain that moves up through the ranks: “He came up through the hawse pipes.” Bon’s journey to the corner office at Samson is a similar story. In 1974, after leaving Berklee College of Music in Boston, Bon needed a job.

Two activists strapped themselves on Friday to the anchor chain of a Shell Royal Dutch Shell vessel docked in Washington state that will be part of a fleet sent north to Alaska to resume drilling for oil and gas in the Arctic. The women used camping gear and hammocks to attach themselves to the massive chain on the barge in Bellingham, Washington, north of Seattle, the activist group ShellNo said. They attached themselves to the vessel, the American Trader, around 3:30 a.m., the group said. Both are students at Western Washington University, KIRO-TV reported. Bellingham police were not immediately available to comment on whether the pair would be arrested. Images from local media show the two swinging from the chain.

The Liberian International Ship & Corporate Registry (LISCR), a member of the YCF Group of companies and exclusive administrator of the world’s largest quality ship register, has appointed Christian Mollitor to the position of vice president. This newly created role represents a return to LISCR for Mollitor. Having formerly held the position of Assistant Department Head of Seafarer Certification and Documentation, he left the registry in 2001 to further develop his career. This…

Vigor Industrial made two promotions in its sales and marketing team, advancing Bryan Nichols to Manager of Sales and Marketing and Grant Fosheim to Sales and Marketing Associate. Bryan Nichols joined Vigor Industrial in 2011 as a sales representative. He will now serve as Manager of Vigor’s Sales and Marketing division, which is focused on the new build and major refit markets. He will supervise Vigor’s sales staff and play a key role in developing the company’s overall sales and marketing strategy.

Now traversing the Northwest Passage, the Ocean Watch crew - four professional sailors, a scientist and an educator - recently completed the deployment of three NOAA Global Drifter Program buoys. Dr. Ignatius Rigor, research scientist at the University of Washington Applied Physics Laboratory (UW-APL) Polar Science Center and Coordinator of the International Arctic Buoy Program (IABP) is directing these activities. This project, one of 8 scientific projects planned throughout the 13-month Around the Americas expedition…

All American Marine, Inc. and Teknicraft Design, Ltd. have successfully made a proposal to Kitsap Transit to bring a new passenger ferry to Rich Passage. On Tuesday, April 21st, the commissioners of Kitsap Transit unanimously approved $5.3m for the purchase of a 77 ft ultra-low wake Teknicraft catamaran and on May 18th, All American Marine received the signed notice-to-proceed. The high speed passenger catamaran will carry 118 passengers and operate between Bremerton and Seattle, Washington at speeds of 29 to 38 knots.

Dick Dorsett recently joined the Port of Tacoma as Governmental Affairs Manager. In this position, he manages the Port’s State Legislative agenda and works with local and regional communities on a number of key issues, including transportation and the environment. "Dick brings the Port a wealth of experience in state and local government," said Julie Collins, the Port's Director of Economic Development and Governmental Affairs. An attorney at law, Dorsett was Executive Director of the Washington Association of Area Agencies on Aging before joining the Port. From 1988 to 1999, he was Deputy Director for Pierce County Government Relations, responsible for comprehensive issues management and policy development.

Marine Resources Group announced that Kirstin Sandaas has been promoted to Chief Financial Officer and Kevin Orstad has joined the company in the position of Group Controller. Sandaas joined MRG in the spring of 2004, and since that time has worked closely with the financial and operating divisions at the MRG group of companies. Her contributions include assisting in two corporate acquisitions, implementing an MRG-wide 401(k) program and assessing enterprise-wide systems solutions. Prior to joining MRG she held the position of Director of Finance at Sea Coast Towing. She served as Finance Manager at Optiva, makers of the sonicare toothbrush, working as an integral part of the team that helped sell the company to Philips Electronics.

It's never easy being a commuter across Puget Sound. Vessels break, weather intrudes and boats overload. But it just got a little bit easier. Washington State Ferries has introduced a new service to help commuters plan their trips, in spite of breakdowns or weather problems. The new service, email notification, sends electronic messages to customers signed up for a specific route or routes. The service is working for many ferry commuters. More than 900 have signed up, even though the new system is still in the testing mode. "As a commuter, I get as frustrated as anyone when there's a disruption in service, but things do happen," writes Bremerton commuter Edward Shanahan.