Sheldon Kinney Memorial Lecture

The 2021 Sheldon Kinney Memorial Lecture will take place on 19 October as a blended event with on-site and online attendance and delivery. The event is by invitation only to the WMU community of students, alumni, and invited guests.

The lecture will feature Lois K. Zabrocky, Chief Executive Officer and Director of International Seaways, Inc., one of the largest tanker companies worldwide with a fleet of 93 vessels including VLCCs, Suezmaxes, Aframaxes/LR2s, Panamaxes/LR1s, MRs and Handysize. Through a joint venture partnership, the company has ownership interest in two Floating Storage and Offloading Service vessels. She is the strategic leader for the company directing and implementing fleet management, goals, plans and policies.
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Mrs. Zabrocky leads the company with an emphasis on integrity, mutual respect and a commitment to Environmental, Social and Governance best practices and advocacy. Over her nearly 30 years in the company, she has demonstrated strong leadership shifts at all levels in the organization, beginning at the Chartering desk and culminating with her role as CEO and Director.

Mrs. Zabrocky currently serves on the Boards of Tidewater Inc., BIMCO and ITOPF Limited, a leading industry based, not-for-profit ship pollution response adviser. She began her maritime career sailing as third mate aboard a U.S. flag chemical tanker. She received her Bachelor of Science degree from the United States Merchant Marine Academy, holds a Third Mate's license and has completed Harvard Business School Strategic Negotiations and Finance for Senior Executives.

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ABOUT THE KINNEY LECTURE

Rear Admiral (Ret.) Sheldon Hoard Kinney had a 38-year career in the United States Navy. His service included distinguished combat in three wars, and took him from Signalman to command of 125 ships and 65,000 officers and crew of the Cruiser-Destroyer Force of the Pacific Fleet. He served as the Navy´s Chief of Education & Training, as Commandant of Midshipmen at the US Naval Academy, as President of the New York State Maritime College at Ft. Schuyler, and as Rector (President) of the World Maritime University.

Following his death in 2004, the United States Friends of WMU established the Sheldon Kinney Lecture as a public lecture on a significant topic in maritime transportation. The speakers are internationally renowned experts in different areas of maritime transportation. The Sheldon Kinney Lecture is funded by a small endowment from the US Friends of WMU and by WMU.