LEadership

Change of Command

FOR ONLY THE THIRD TIME in the school’s history, an MMA alum has been named Commandant of Midshipman. Captain Mark Winter ’88 returned to campus in August. Winter brings more than thirty years of service in the U.S. Navy, U.S. Department of Justice, U.S. Department of Defense, U.S. Merchant Marine, and on the staff of Senator Susan Collins. Winter holds a Third Mate Unlimited Tonnage Coast Guard license.

Capt. Mark Winter
PHOTO BY RHONDA VARNEY

“Captain Winter is well positioned to carry out a vision for regimental excellence while leading a seasoned commandant’s staff,” said President Paul in his announcement of Winter’s appointment.

Winter grew up in Newbury, a small town in New Hampshire, and admits he came to MMA for all the wrong reasons. “My dad was a Navy pilot. My uncle had been a Navy pilot. I was going to be a pilot,” said Winter, “and Maine Maritime had a good reputation for getting people into flight school.” But he suffered a kidney stone his senior year, ending his dream of being a Navy pilot. He was commissioned with his classmates and told he would be a surface warfare officer.

“I told the ROTC commanding officer I didn’t want to be a surface warfare officer,” recalled Winter. “His reply was ‘Welcome to the Navy.’”

Following his active duty, he worked for American President Lines before deciding to go to law school to become an admiralty attorney. “I’d gone to a maritime academy, I had a license, I’d worked for a shipping company, and I had a law degree. I was able to use that to get a job working at a maritime law firm in New York City.”

Winter was in the Navy Reserve when he received the chance to work with the Civil Maritime Industry Group, part of the Office of Naval Intelligence. “To be honest,” said Winter, “I thought about it as a networking opportunity. Then 9/11 happened, and I was recalled to active duty.”

Returning to civilian life, Winter moved to Maine, working with a law firm in Portland before returning to Washington, DC. “I was lucky to get a job with Senator Susan Collins,” said Winter. “I was in the right place at the right time with the right background. I had the port security experience her staff was seeking for a bill they were drafting.” Winter worked in both Washington and in local offices in Maine. He considers this time the highlight of his career.

“Captain Winter brings a great deal of expertise and experience,” said Provost Keith Williamson. “His background as a senior naval officer, attorney, and unlimited license mariner gives him unique insights to his role. Under Mark’s leadership, the regiment will grow to even greater heights.”

Winter sees the job of the regimental staff as teaching cadets how to think and operate aboard merchant ships with structured chains of command. As Winter explains, “Cadets learn to follow instructions and orders. They have to understand where they fit in the team . . . that it’s not just about them anymore. A part of learning to lead is learning to be led.”

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