NEWSMAKERS

ABS names John McDonald Chief Operating Officer

JOHN MCDONALD has been named ABS executive vice president and chief operating officer, succeeding TONY NASSIF, who is to retire at year’s end. McDonald will assume the head operations role on July 26, 2021. He joined ABS in 1996 as a surveyor and served in various frontline operational roles.

SAMUEL CROLL, CEO of CR Ocean Engineering LLC, has announced two changes to his senior management team effective July 1, 2021. DOMINIQUE PHILIBERT has become president and COO, and NICK CONFUORTO, former president and COO, has retired and remains with the firm in an advisory capacity. Crowley Maritime Corporation has appointed JOHN CLAYBROOKS to the newly created position of chief marketing officer, leading the company’s strategic marketing and communications. In this new role, he leads all marketing and communications functions for the global enterprise.

Derecktor Shipyards reports that RICHARD STEADY is joining it as chief operating officer. He will be based at Derecktor Dania in Florida and will be responsible for overall operations and development at Derecktor’s Florida and New York shipyards, including new vessel construction along with yacht and commercial vessel refits and service. Lloyd Register’s Global Sustainability Manager KATHARINE PALMER has been appointed as the United Nations Climate Change High-Level Climate Champions’ Shipping Lead to support the shipping industry’s drive to decarbonization.

The Shearer Group Inc., a Houstonbased leader in the design of inland towboats, ferries and barges, has made two additions to its team of naval architects: JACOB FROST and COLTON BONNAURE. Frost holds a B.S. in naval architecture and marine engineering from the University of Michigan and is a four-year veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps. Bonnaure has a B.S. in ocean engineering from Texas A&M University.