Grab your lunch and join us in the Mess Deck

Please join MMA alumni for a roundtable discussion to discover what helped them to become leaders in their respective industries and for all to network and share thoughts on leadership and decision-making, both technical and behavioral. This will be an informal session and you may “drop-in” as your class schedule allows. Though informal, we do ask you to be courteous as you quietly come and go and ask that you plan to join a table for a minimum of 15 minutes. If time allows, go on to another table!

All students are welcome!

Biographies of Participating Alumni

• Michael Ames ‘77 | “Captain Ames” | Major: Nautical Science | Activities: Football | Career: Retired Master at ConocoPhillips Polar Tankers | Bio: 39 years at sea, 26 as Master, Alaska-West Coast, crude oil trade on tankers 35,000 to 265,000 DWTons. | Home: Camden, Maine
• Myles Block ’06 | “Myles” | Major: Marine Engineering Technology | Activities: Drill Team, Yearbook, E-Squad | Career: Town of Hampden Code Enforcement Officer/Building Official/Fire Inspector | Bio: Spent 2 years shipping after graduation then got into Public Safety and Education. Spent 11 Full-time in Fire/EMS then taught at MMA for 4 years and now back in Building and Fire Inspection. | Home: Bangor, ME
• Seth Brown ’98  | “Seth” | Major: Marina/Boatyard Management | Activities: Varsity Soccer | Career: SVP Sales & Enrollment at Axis Sports Academy | Bio: Collegiate coaching career which transitioned into sport education | Home: Maine/Arizona
• Bill Full ’76 | “Captain Full” | Major: Marine Transportation | Activities: Sailing, both summer sailing and varsity, Ski Club, Midshipman CO TV STATE OF MAINE | Career: Retired Captain at Exxon and retired Sales Manager at East Coast Yacht Sales | Bio: Retired 23 years Exxon 23 years East Coast Yacht Sales. | Home: Cumberland, Maine
• Nathan Gandy ’92 | “Captain Gandy” | Major:Marine Engineering Technology | Career: Pilot at Global Medical Response | Bio: Retired Navy (helicopter pilot) stationed in FL, TX, CA, RI, Japan and 10 deployments. MMA Commandant of Midshipmen for 8 years and current Air Ambulance helicopter pilot. | Home: Brooksville, Maine
• Stephen Gumpel ‘75 | “Mr. Grumpel” | Major: Marine Engineering | Activities: Regimental Adjutant, Yearbook Editor-in-Chief | Career: Retired Industry Executive – Several Pres. and two V.P.s. USCG Licenses Marine Eng. | Bio: Fm watchstanding ship engineering officer to international and US construction, safety, safety management, and maritime security, senior expert. | Home: Connecticut
• Jeff Ivory ’95 | “Jeff” | Major: Marine Engineering Technology | Activities: Striker, Student employee Manager for Mess Hall | Career: Transocean, Director of Marine / Operations Assurance & Global Performance | Bio: I joined Global Marine Drilling Company immediately upon graduating in 1995 and have been with the same organization for over 30 years. I started my career working offshore on rigs and have been onshore for the last 20+ living in a variety of global locations with my family along the way, serving in various Operations, Human Resources, Corporate Planning, and technical services capacities | Home: Houston, Texas
• Sheila Ivory (spouse of graduate) | “Miss Sheila” | Major: Nursing Home Administration – University of Louisiana ‘95 | Career: Nursing Home Administrator and Realtor | Bio: Worked as a Nursing Home Administrator for 5 years moved overseas for 14 years. Became a Realtor after moving to Houston. | Home: Houston. Texas
• Jake Jacobs ’85  | “Jake” | Major: Nautical Science | Career: Owners Rep of Colliers Engineering | Bio: At sea for 10 years. Then shoresode, home building, facilities management. | Home: Swanville/Castine, Maine
• Charles Ted Knowles ‘75  | “Ted” | Major: Nautical Science | Activities: Four year starter on the football team. Founding scuba diving club and helped to certify new divers. | Career: Retired Portsmouth Naval Shipyard Pilot (31 years). Before that sailed as Captain with Crest Tankers | Bio: Ocean going tugs out of Coos Bay, Oregon. Supply boats in Gulf of Mexico. AB, Bosun, and Second Mate, Ingram Ocean Systems. AB, Third, Second Mate and Chief Mate with Mobil Oil. | Home: Kittery Point, Maine
• David Kendall ’75 | “Capt’n” | Major: Nautical Science | Activities: Midshipman Council, Recreation Committee, sailing |  Career: Retired – Director of Marine Operations at National Response Corporation | Bio: Ten year sailing career as deck officer aboard Research Vessels, Drill Ships and Offshore Supply Vessels. Shoreside career spent managing fleets of oilfield service vessels, oceangoing tugs, and oil spill response vessels. | Home: Texas, but sail between Maine and Florida
• Kevin Morrison ’90 | “Chris” | Major: Marine Engineering Technology | Activities: Band, APO, Propeller Club, NROTC, Social Committee, Striker Staff | Career: Marine Inspector at U.S. Coast Guard | Bio: Career Navy, ship repair industry, American Bureau of Shipping Marine Surveyor, USCG Marine Inspector. | Home: New Jersey
• Thomas “Tip” Macdonald ‘83   | “Captain Tip” | Major: Nautical Science | Activities: Coached football, was RC and #1 in his class academically | Career: Retired Pilot in Association of MD Pilots | Bio: Captain on product and chemical tankers for American Trading and OMI before becoming a Pilot on the Chesapeake Bay. | Home: Castine, Maine
• Peter Michaud ’90 | “Peter” | Major: Marine Engineering | Career: Yash Consulting Delivery Director | Bio: Sailed briefly after MMA. Attended graduate school and consulted for large corporations implementing Enterprise Resource Planning software. | Home: Madbury, NH and Beddington, Maine (camp)
• Jeffrey Ridel ‘86 | “Jeff” | Major: Marine Engineering | Activities: APO, Club Ice Hockey, NROTC | Career: CEO at R & P Technologies | Bio: Served 27 years in the USN as a Surface Warfare and Engineering Duty Officer. A Major Program Manager for 2 shipbuilding programs. Joined R&P Technologies in 2013. | Home: Stafford, VA
• Dave Sterling ’92 | “Dave” | Major: Marine Engineering Operations  | Activities: Football 88-91 Regimental Mess Deck Officer | Career: Sales Engineer at Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories – SEL | Bio: Sailed with Military Sealift Command & Mormac Marine 3 A/E 92-96. 20 yrs working with BP/Castrol Engineer. 20 yrs High School Football Coach, 2 times Class A coach of the year Edward Little HS. | Home: Auburn, Maine
• Benjamin Strunk ’95 | “Ben” | Major: Marine Engineering Technology | Activities: Started girls’ basketball and soccer teams – captain soccer team fall 1998 | Career:  Executive Director- Network Facilities and Energy at Comcast NBCU SK | Bio: I migrated to ED in Telecommunication power systems in 1998. I have built over 1600 telecommunication Broadband enablement stations all over North America and control a function compute capacity of over 300mw. | Home: Lancaster, PA
• Captain Ron Ward ’80 | “Captain Ron” | Major: Marine Transportation | Activities: Sailing Team, Soccer Team, Rugby Club, Bagaduce Ambulance Corps | Career: Southwest Alaska Pilots Association, Senior VLCC Pilot, Training Chair, Port of Alaska Chair, VP Cook Inlet Harbor Safety Committee | Bio: Sailer tankers ‘80-97 left as Master to go piloting in South Central Alaska | Home: Homer, AK & Sebago, ME

Brought to you by Advancement, Alumni Association, and the Regimental Staff.