Speakers

Speakers subject to change

Friday Gala Dinner Keynote Speaker:
Admiral Eric T. Olson
Eighth Commander of U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM)
Admiral Eric T. Olson is the eighth commander of U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) headquartered at MacDill Air Force Base, Florida. USSOCOM ensures the readiness of joint special operations forces and, as directed, conducts operations worldwide.

A native of Tacoma, Washington, Admiral Olson graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1973 and qualified as a Naval Special Warfare (SEAL) officer in 1974. He has served operationally in an Underwater Demolition Team, SEAL Team, SEAL Delivery Vehicle Team, Special Boat Squadron, and at the Naval Special Warfare Development Group. He has commanded at every level.

Admiral Olson has participated in several conflicts and contingency operations, and has served as a SEAL instructor, strategy and tactics development officer and joint special operations staff officer. His overseas assignments include service as a United Nations Military Observer in Israel and Egypt, and as Navy Programs Officer in Tunisia. He served on the Navy staff as Assistant Deputy Chief of Naval Operations (Plans, Policy, and Operations).

Admiral Olson earned a Master of Arts degree in National Security Affairs at the Naval Postgraduate School and studied at the Defense Language Institute. He is a Joint Specialty Officer and Political-Military Affairs sub-specialist with emphasis on Africa and the Middle East. His awards include the Distinguished Service Medal and Silver Star.

Panelist:
Capt. Tim Brown
MM&P International President and CAMM #1494-R
Captain Tim Brown, a charter member of the CAMM Tampa Bay Chapter, was very instrumental in the formation of the Tampa Chapter, culminating with the issuance of our charter in 1989.

Captain Brown embarked on his maritime career in 1961, when he entered the United States Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point. After graduating in 1965, he sailed as deck officer, including Chief Mate, on various vessels carrying vital military supplies to U.S. forces in Vietnam.

From 1970 to 1974 Tim sailed part time while he attended Graduate School at the University of South Florida in Tampa, and at the University of Pennsylvania. In the winter of 1974 he received a Master of Science degree in Accounting, and a Master of Business Administration degree specializing in Labor Relations from the prestigious Wharton Graduate School at the University of Pennsylvania.

In 1975 Captain Brown returned to sailing full time, starting as Chief Mate with Puerto Rico Marine. In 1978, he started sailing with SeaLand as Chief Mate and Master. His first command was the S.S. SeaLand Consumer in 1983. He remained with SeaLand until 1991, when he was elected President of the International Organization of Masters, Mates and Pilots, a position that he still holds today, 17 years later.

As President of the MM&P, Captain Brown serves as Chairman of all the union's plans, which include the Pension Plan, Vacation Plan, Training Plan, and Health and Benefit Plan.

A significant milestone in Captain Brown's maritime career occurred in November 2002 when he was recognized by the United Seaman's Service as an individual who distinguished himself by his outstanding efforts in promoting the American Merchant Marine. He was made an Admiral of the Ocean Sea at their annual AOTOS awards dinner in New York, and was awarded the silver Christopher Columbus Statuette.

In addition to belonging to CAMM, Captain Tim Brown is also a member of the Boston Marine Society, the Marine Society of the City of New York, and the American Merchant Marine Veterans.

Panelist:
Capt. John A. C. Cartner
Co-Author, International Law of the Shipmaster, CAMM #2574-R
John A. C. Cartner practices maritime law domestically and internationally. He is designated Proctor in Admiralty by the Maritime Law Association of the United States and is member of other state maritime law associations.

He is chartered as a naval architect (U.K.) and similarly registered in the E.U. (Eur. Ing.). He is a Registered European Engineer (Eur. Ing) and an elected Fellow of the Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers (U.S.A); the Royal Institution of Naval Architects (U.K.), and the Institute of Marine Engineering Science and Technology (U.K.). Mr. Cartner founded and chaired for ten years, after employment in and working with similar firms, a full-service naval architecture and marine engineering practice dealing with both warships and commercial vessels.

As a practicing maritime lawyer, John A. C. Cartner has tried cases in the admiralty jurisdiction and has argued orally before a state supreme court in the United States. He has been involved in ICC arbitration internationally. He is experienced in matters in the E.U., the U.K., Latin America, Commonwealth states and elsewhere as well as in the United States.

John A. C. Cartner has had several commands of oceanic tank and container vessels and is a current licensee of the U. S. Coast Guard as Master of Steam and Motor Vessels of any Gross Tons upon Oceans with endorsements including STCW. He was involved in naval control of shipping policy matters as a reserve naval officer and was master under charter to the U.S. Navy Military Sealift Command on jet fuel carriers supporting the fleet worldwide and master of container and of tank vessels in the North Atlantic and North Pacific commercially.

Panelist:
Captain Timothy M. Close
USCG Commander, Sector St. Petersburg
Captain Timothy M. Close is a 1982 graduate of the United States Coast Guard Academy and is originally from Macungie, Pennsylvania. After earning a Bachelor of Science in Marine Engineering from the Academy, he was assigned to the USCGC STEADFAST, a 210’ medium endurance cutter where he served as Damage Control Assistant and Assistant Engineering Officer. Captain Close was next selected to attend post-graduate school at Massachusetts Institute of Technology where he earned a Masters Degree in Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering and a Masters Degree in Mechanical Engineering.

Upon graduation from MIT, he was assigned to the Quality Assurance Division within the Office of Acquisition at Coast Guard Headquarters where he was involved in various acquisition projects including the 47’ Motor Lifeboat, the Coast Guard’s Juniper and Lighthouse Keeper classes of buoy tenders, and the icebreaker USCGC HEALY. Captain Close was then assigned to Marine Safety Office Morgan City, Louisiana from 1991 through 1995, where he served as a marine inspector before being assigned as the Assistant Chief, then Chief of the Inspection Department. In 1995, he was assigned as Executive Officer of Marine Safety Office Cleveland, Ohio. During his tour, over 200,000 gallons of oil were successfully pumped from a sunken barge under Lake Erie that had been lost in a storm in the 1940s. Captain Close was next assigned to Coast Guard Headquarters as the Chief of the Human Element and Ship Design Division where he spearheaded the Coast Guard’s casualty prevention efforts focused on human and organizational factors, the application of risk concepts to improve maritime safety, and risk-based methods to assist in maritime homeland security activities. He then was assigned as the Commanding Officer, Marine Safety Office Savannah where he served as Captain of the Port and Officer in Charge Marine Inspection from 2002 until 2004. He has just completed a tour as the Chief, Western Rivers Division at the Eighth Coast Guard District in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Captain Close’s military awards include three Meritorious Service Medals, two Coast Guard Commendation Medals, the 9-11 Medal, and an Army Achievement Medal.

Panelist:
Father Sinclair Oubre
Apostleship of the Seas, USA; CAMM Chaplain, #3220-A
Father Oubre is a Diocesan Director for Apostleship of the Sea - USA and leads a congregation in Port Arthur, TX. He is the Director for many Seaman’s clubs around the world and sails as a deckhand with the USCG.

In March, Fr. Oubre helped organize the Gulf Coast Regional Conference of Seafarer Welfare Issues. THe conference produced resolutions concerning the 29 Day Rule, criminalization of pollution, restriction of shore access, and the Seafarer's Manslaughter Act.

Panelist:
Mr. Will Watson
Maritime Security Council, Member; CAMM member #3256-A
Will Watson is the Deputy Director, Marketing and Communications for International Registries, Inc., administrator of the Marshall Islands Flag, where he directs media and public relations. Will is a former Deputy Americas Editor for Fairplay magazine and continues to write regularly for Sidelights and Seaports, the journal of the American Association of Port Authorities. Will remains active in the National Press Club.

Last year Will organized and moderated Maritime 101 at the National Press Club where members of the general news media were briefed on the latest issues facing the global maritime industry and the importance of the industry to the global economy.