MMA Alumni Association Announces Awards
In 1997, MMA created a Wall of Honor to recognize alumni who, through their achievements in professional and civic life, and service to MMA, have brought honor to themselves and the Academy. This Wall was established not only to recognize and honor those alumni for their achievements, but also to allow their accomplishments to serve as inspiration to students and alumni, current and future, to strive for excellence.
Wall of Honor
This year, we are honored to induct Captain Sherri Hickman ’85 of the Houston Pilots Association. Capt. Hickman graduated from Maine Maritime Academy with a degree in Nautical Science.
Captain Sherri Hickman ’85 and Coronado Hickman ’16
Following graduation, Capt. Hickman sailed with Marine Transport Lines, obtaining her 2nd Mate license. She then sailed for Keystone shipping, where she accumulated the sea time and experience to earn her USCG Captain’s license. She was the first female Master for Keystone Shipping and in 1994 she became the first woman Master to call on the Port of Freeport, Bahamas.
Also during that year, she was the first woman to be voted into the Houston (TX) Pilot Association, where she is a partner, a bay pilot, and past vice president and training master. A very busy port, Houston consistently ranks first in the U.S. in foreign waterborne tonnage; first in U.S. imports; first in U.S. export tonnage, and second in the U.S. in total tonnage.
She was featured on the cover of Port of Houston magazine in 2003 and the PBS film Shipping Out, The Story of American Seafaring Women, in 2007. Filmed on board merchant ships in coastal waters from Alaska to New York, Shipping Out looks at the little-known history of women and seafaring in America.
Her list of professional accomplishments and community service is lengthy and admirable.
- Co-President, TX Chapter, Women’s International Shipping & Trading Assoc., 2017-19
- 2019 Wave Maker Award for Women Offshore UNITE Conference, acknowledging women for pursuing their career dreams, while supporting others in the industry.
- Houston Pilots Anchor Watch – nonprofit offering scholarships to maritime students in need and boosting opportunities for minorities and women.
- Tampa Bay Frogman as sponsor of MMA alumnus, Eric Smith ’88, at a Navy SEAL Foundation annual fundraiser designed to improve health and welfare and provide critical support during times of illness, injury, and loss.
Sherri is also the largest donor for the Sawyer Strong Benefit for Cardiac Heart Defects and directs the Christmas gift wrapping for the Houston International Seafarers Center, in the Port of Houston, when over 300 boxes are put together annually to be distributed to the visiting seafarers coming into Houston around Christmastime.
Sherri’s service to MMA began as a member of the Alpha Phi Omega fraternity and has not stopped. Her list of support and volunteerism is generous.
- Serves as MMA Texas Chapter President, 2016 – present
- Contributes to Texas alumni events and receptions including Casino Night – 2015, Houston Rockets alumni gathering – 2016, Houston Astros alumni gathering – 2018, as well as the annual MMA Alumni Golf Classics held in Texas and Maine
- Donor for multiple MMA athletic rehabilitation projects
- Sponsor of annual International WorkBoat Show Reception, New Orleans
- Active donor to the Annual Fund since 1986; the Class of 1985 Regimental Scholarship; and, in 2016, established the MMA Hickman Scholarship, a $100,000 endowment
Sherri’s daughter, Coronado, graduated from MMA in 2016 and sails as a Chief Mate for Crowley Transportation in Houston. Read Coronado’s story.
Outstanding Alumnus
The Outstanding Alumnus Award is given in recognition for outstanding and uncommon service to the Alumni Association and Maine Maritime Academy. This year’s recipients are Chet Manuel ’67 and Mark Cote ’83.
Chester “Chet” Manuel received his Bachelor of Science degree in Marine Engineering, a U.S. Coast Guard license, and a commission as an Ensign in the U.S. Navy Reserve in 1967. He was involved in many extracurricular activities, serving as Class Treasurer, top runner on the cross-country team, and first Battalion Commander Regimental Officer and he graduated first in his class.
Chet Manuel ’67
Following graduation, he began sailing later that same day on a Gulf Oil Corp. tanker and stayed at sea until 1972, when he was hired as a Project Engineer for Brown Paper Company in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. In 1979, he became Project Manager for Scott Paper Company / S.D. Warren Company and Sappi Fine Paper Company in Skowhegan, Maine and managed various and challenging projects including major additions and rebuilds. He was the liaison with various government agencies to assure compliance for the safety of personnel and the laws and regulations of the state and federal agencies.
Since 2006, he has been semi-retired, while doing some consulting work and traveling.
His service to alumni started as a founding member of the Bangor Seadogs Alumni Chapter, where he served as Treasurer from 2000-2010. The group met regularly for years, planning and working on activities to keep alumni engaged and serving to satisfy a need in the northern part of the state. The chapter grew to about 100 dues-paying members and started fundraising activities to help MMA and the students with scholarships. In a matter of about six years, over $30,000 was saved for the endowed scholarship fund. Chet was also actively involved in helping start the Kennebec Valley (Waterville), Maine Chapter of the MMA Alumni Association by advising, planning, creating bylaws, and attending meetings.
From 2006 to 2020, Chet served as a Director on the MMA Alumni Association Board, giving him an opportunity to become more directly involved with Castine, the Academy, students and faculty. He notes, “It has been a pleasure to work with other Board members, the Alumni Director and office personnel over the years and spend much time in Castine attending various activities for the students, awards, graduations, etc.”
During his tenure, the Board advanced the Association’s mission, promoted the image to political and industrial sectors, signed an MOU with the Academy, actively participated in alumni fundraising planning and efforts, authored major revisions to the bylaws and investment policy, while also adding a new director handbook, two student board members, and more engaging functions between the students, stakeholders and the Academy.
Chet has also been the organizer for his Class of 1967 for class reunions, mini-musters and fundraising initiatives over the years. He organized a small sub-committee of classmates and established the Class of 1967 Endowed Scholarship and started a fundraising campaign, which proved very successful. It has been through excellent communications and class support that the class of 1967 is one of the top classes supporting the Vision 20|20 Alfond Challenge Campaign.
Chet said, “MMA was responsible for giving my life stability, a sense of purpose, discipline, and a positive direction, which would carry me throughout my lifetime. For that I was, and am, extremely grateful. Therefore, I have felt a need to give back to MMA in any way that I could over the years.”
Mark Coté received his Bachelor of Science degree in Marine Engineering in April, 1983. He has been a professor of engineering at the Academy since September, 1992 with the exception of a stint as instructor at the U.S. Naval Academy (1999-2001).
Mark Coté ’83
In January of 2020, Coté accepted the position of Acting Provost, while a professional search was underway. He had only been in the position for little more than two months when the reality of the COVID-19 pandemic was recognized and, within three months of taking the position, he had to cancel all classes, send all students home, ramp up the entire academic capability to transition to online instruction, and preside over the complete retooling of the Academy as it attempted to address its responsibility to the students.
While overseeing all aspects of alternative delivery of programs, Coté was significantly involved in the development of the Fast Cruise and served as the Senior Training Officer and a watchstander. President William Brennan notes, “During this time of deep challenge to the Academy, Mark went above and beyond what would be expected of a dedicated employee – he demonstrated an unprecedented commitment to his alma mater and the Academy’s success in dealing with the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic is largely due to Mark’s unstinting efforts.”
Coté holds two master’s degrees (M.S., Mechanical Engineering, Clemson University; M.A., National Security and Strategic Studies, U.S. Naval War College) and studied Doctorate-level Engineering courses at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. He is a Captain, USNR, retired. He holds two A/E USCG licenses, Motor, and 3/AE, Steam and Gas Turbine, Unlimited Horsepower, is a registered Professional Engineer (ME), holds a First Class Stationary Engineering license (ME) and is an EMT.
As MMA faculty member, he has been responsible for teaching courses in the Engineering and Engineering Technology programs, specializing in the power generation and thermal/fluid science areas. He was the faculty coordinator for the Power Engineering Operations (PEO) program, the power plant simulation laboratories, PEO curriculum and course development. He also uses his USCG license, serving as Senior Training Officer-Engine and Assistant Training Officer on multiple training cruises.
The Maine Maritime Academy Alumni Association will recognize Wall of Honor and Outstanding Alumnus award recipients during the MMA Virtual Homecoming on Saturday, October 3, 2020 and during an alumni event at a later date to be announced.
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