U.S. Friends of WMU, INC.
In 1984, Admiral Kinney established in Washington, D.C. and became the founding Chairman of U.S. Friends of World Maritime University, Inc., a non-profit organization of American supporters of the World Maritime University. Over the years, the U.S. Friends have provided different kinds of invaluable assistance to WMU such as the following:
- providing a 50,000 USD donation in 2020 to upgrade the University's video conferencing equipment to meet the challenges posed to maritime education, training, and the University's operations during the COVID-19 pandemic
- financial assistance for special purposes such as the cost of consultants, the binding of student theses, the purchase of WMU minivans, and the travel and subsistence of invited experts such as the speakers at the Sheldon Kinney lectures
- facilitating the award of student fellowships to WMU from American sponsors such as Mobil Oil and the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS)
- providing academic staff assistance through the provision of visiting professors and the facilitation of fully funded ongoing staff secondments from the US Coast Guard
- facilitating regular contact with senior officials from the US Government such as the US Coast Guard and the Maritime Administration (MARAD)
- assisting WMU in being accepted by the US Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA) as an educational institution at which US veterans can study with DVA funding
- providing the “Sheldon Kinney Lecture,” a public lecture which is given by an internationally renowned expert on a significant topic in maritime transportation and which is traditionally held in conjunction with the annual meeting of the University’s international Board of Governors
Officers
CHAIRMAN AND DIRECTOR:
Jeffrey Lantz, Director, Commercial Regulations & Standards Marine Safety, Security, and Stewardship, U.S. Coast Guard
PRESIDENT AND DIRECTOR:
Caryn Hederman, Esq., Founder & Principal, Hederman Consulting LLC
VICE PRESIDENT AND DIRECTOR:
VADM Brian Salerno, USCG (Ret.)
TREASURER AND DIRECTOR:
Kevin Woelflein, Senior Fellow, National U.S.–Arab Chamber of Commerce
SECRETARY AND DIRECTOR:
Daniel F. Sheehan, P.E.
ASSISTANT SECRETARY AND DIRECTOR:
Gerald Malia, Esq., Law Offices of Gerald A. Malia; Professor, Georgetown and Catholic Universities (Law) (Retired)
Directors at large
Bruce Carlton, President and CEO (Retired), National Industrial Transportation League; Assistant Administrator (Retired), Maritime Administration
Joe Cox, President Emeritus, Chamber of Shipping of America
Charles R. Cushing, Ph.D., P.E, President, C. R. Cushing & Company, Inc.
David M. Kennedy, Senior Arctic Advisor, U.S. National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration Suzanne Lemieux
Suzanne Lemieux, Manager, Mid-Stream and Industry Operations, API
Clay Maitland, Esq. Managing Partner, International Registries, Inc
Kathy Metcalf, President and CEO, Chamber of Shipping of America
Charles G. Raymond, Chairman & CEO (Retired), Horizon Lines, Inc. Principal, Raymond Management, L.L.C.
Robin Rorick, Director, Marine & Security, API
Jim Watson, USCG (Ret.), Senior VP of Global Government Services, American Bureau of Shipping
Accountant
C. Robert Beans, Certified Public Accountant
Founders and Emeritus Officers
FOUNDER and Former CHAIRMAN AND DIRECTOR:
RADM Sheldon Kinney, USN (Ret) (1918 to 2004) Former Rector (President) World Maritime University
CHAIRMAN EMERITUS:
Gerald Malia, Esq.
VICE CHAIRMAN EMERITUS:
Captain Richard Soper, Former Chairman and President, American Bureau of Shipping
PRESIDENT EMERITUS:
Captain James McNamara, Former President, National Cargo Bureau
For more information about U.S. Friends, please contact
Caryn Hederman, President of U.S. Friends of WMU
carynh@hedermanconsulting.com.
Kinney lecture series (2006-2008)
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