Westlawn Adds Dean of Naval Architecture

Westlawn Institute of Technology, the not-for-profit educational affiliate of the American Boat & Yacht Council (ABYC), welcomed RADM Gordon G. Piché USCG (Ret.) as Dean of Naval Architecture. Piché was also elected to Westlawn’s Board of Directors. Piché is a graduate of the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, with a BSE in general engineering. He holds an MSE in naval architecture and marine engineering and an MSE in engineering mechanics from the University of Michigan.

“Gordon has already contributed highly important technical reviews to Westlawn’s new general structural engineering text as well as to a new aluminum text that is in the drafting phase, and to the student technical reference manual,” said Dave Gerr, Westlawn Director.

During his 34 year career before retiring from the United States Coast Guard (USCG), Piché served as the assistant Superintendent of the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, Commanding Officer of the Marine Safety Offices in Honolulu, Hawaii and Cleveland, Ohio and Commander of the Maintenance and Logistics Command Pacific. He also served at Coast Guard Headquarters as Chief of the Merchant Marine Technical Division, manager of the Fishing Vessel Safety Task Force, and led U.S. delegations to the International Maritime Organization in London.

Following retirement, Piché served as a consulting naval architect for industry and government including The Port of Milwaukee, The Ocean Development Corporation in Miami, Fla., and as the Consultant Naval Architect to the George Washington University Institute for Crisis, Disaster, and Risk Management Project Team for The Washington State Ferries Risk Assessment.

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