mainemaritime.edu 7Alumni News
T
he MMA Alumni Association held
elections this year for all officer po-
sitions and six director slots, as per
the MMAAA bylaws. Compared to the last
election held in 2012, there were three times
as many candidates and six times more ballots
cast for Board Member positions.
“It is exciting to see the level of interest
from our alumni across the decades,” says Jeff
Wright, Director of Alumni Relations. “Want-
ing to perpetuate alumni participation and
draw from their passion, energy and expertise,
we will reach out to all the candidates on the
ballot and ask if they have an interest in assist-
ing the board with committee work that takes
place throughout the year.”
Joe Cote ’82, will serve a two-year term as
the new Alumni President. After graduating
from MMA, Cote received his MBA degree from
Husson University. Throughout his career, he has
supported the academy in many capacities. Cote
joined Cianbro in 2008 and is Vice President and
General Manager, Industrial and Manufacturing
Group, working with their flagship module yard
located in Brewer, Maine.
Capt. William S. Full ’76 is the new Vice
President. Full has served one term on the
Association Board during which he led the stra-tegic planning committee. Prior MMA/Alumni
activity includes participation in the Casco Bay
Chapter and a term as President, chairing the An-
nual Fund auction for three years, serving on the
steering committee of the last capital campaign
and assisting the chair of the student endowment
segment on the 1987 capital campaign.
Charles (Cal) Lechman ’65 continues as Board
Treasurer and Michael X. Savasuk, Esq. ’
also serves another term as Registered Agent
(Clerk).
Results for the six four-year member seats
include incumbents John Gillis ’72, Marc
Gousse ’82, Shawn Longfellow ’86 and Chet
Manuel ’67.
New board members include:
Mary E. Hutchins ’11 is a graduate of the
Small Vessel Operations program, who sailed for
Hornbeck Offshore Services as a Navigational
Bridge Officer in the offshore oil industry.
Capt. David Witherill ’76 spent a 34-year
career with ExxonMobil in their tanker fleet,
including 18 years as Master and five as a moor-
ing master at an offshore facility in Angola. He
currently operates Pathfinder Compass Service
and is the author of From Sea of Life to Sea of
Dreams, 2016.
William M. Guerette ’19 (student represen-tative) is a sophomore and Vessel Operations
and Technology major. Working for a decade
in the hospitality industry before enrolling
in MMA, Guerette adds a unique student
perspective to the board as a non-traditional
student.
Due to resignations and vacated board
positions, there were three seats open. Per the
bylaws, those seats were filled by a Board of
Directors vote. These new members include:
Troy Malbon ’89 was employed by BIW as
a Project Planner. Malbon left BIW and went
to sea for 6 years before rejoining BIW as an
Engineering Manager. In 2004, he received his
MBA and is now a financial advisor with UBS
Financial Services. Malbon has been President
of the MMA Casco Bay Alumni Chapter for
five years.
Stephen Rendall, Jr. ’96 has held positions
with American Bureau of Shipping, Amer-
ican Maritime Officers Union, PenPower/
GE and then joined Strategic Maintenance
Solutions, Inc. He became a partner at SMS
Cloud Services, LLC, Gorham, Maine, in 2002
where he is now Senior Director and Principal
Consultant.
Andrew Strosahl ’05 sailed with Military
Sealift Command for about six years and
earned his Masters license for ships of any
gross tonnage. He graduated from University
of Maine School of Law with a focus on ocean
law and policy. He is the Vice President, Gov-
ernment Relations with the Transportation In-
stitute where he advocates for the U.S. flagged
Merchant Marine in Washington, D.C.
Feel free to contact the members if you
have any questions, issues or concerns regard-
ing the Alumni Association.Alumni Association Elections