Coast Guard Foundation Welcomes 13 New Board Members

Thirteen new trustees joined the Board this year, bringing our total number of active trustees and directors to 78. The Board is led by Chairman Thomas A. Allegretti.

Capt. John Cameron, USCG (Ret.), James Clappin, Robert Cuthbertson, Joseph DePietro, Capt. Jeffrey Dixon, USCG (Ret.), Jeanne Grasso, Parker Harrison, Andre Kostelnik, Capt. Mark Morin, USCG (Ret.), Raymond Oneglia, Capt. Jonathan Spaner, USCG (Ret.), Clark Todd and David Vardeman will each serve three-year terms.

The Coast Guard Foundation Board of Trustees and Directors governs the organization and promotes the Foundation’s mission of support to the Coast Guard.

“We are grateful for each new board member’s commitment to serve on our Board of Trustees,” shared Susan Ludwig, president, Coast Guard Foundation. “Individually and collectively, they represent the best our country has to offer. Our new trustees include individuals active in their communities, experts in their respective industries, and several who have served in the military.”

Capt. John E. Cameron, USCG (Ret.) is the executive director of the Charleston Branch Pilots Association and is the founder and president of Tradeworthy, Inc., an operational safety and security consulting firm for ports and marine industries. John served in the Coast Guard for 27 years, including a position as captain of the Port of Charleston, S.C. He is a Coast Guard Academy graduate and holds degrees from the University of Michigan. He serves as a state commissioner for the South Carolina Emergency Response Commission and is on the Board of Directors of the Charleston branch of the Propeller Club of the United States. Additionally, he serves as a member of Senator Lindsey Graham’s Port Security Coalition.

Mr. James Clappin is the retired Vice Chairman of Corning Incorporated, where he most recently led the design and implementation of the corporation’s senior leadership team. Prior to that, he led Corning’s glass businesses to substantial growth over a 20-year period, residing in Asia through most of that time. Jim holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Rhode Island, where he was recognized in 2013 with a Distinguished Achievement Award from the school’s College of Engineering, and again in 2020 with the President’s Distinguished Achievement Award. He serves on the McLean Hospital Board of Visitors, the Geronimo Foundation, and the University of Rhode Island Campaign Committee. He enjoys fishing, recreational boating, tennis and golf.

Mr. Robert Cuthbertson serves as treasurer of the Sahm Family Foundation, a private foundation that supports programs and projects that benefit the visual and performing arts and the wellbeing of children and senior adults in California. Bob spent more than 40 years in finance, accounting and risk management roles with several corporations, most recently Elixir Industries, a family-owned metal manufacturer with 17 divisions in 12 states. He is a graduate of the California Polytechnic State University and the University of La Verne. He is a member of The Farms Golf Club in Rancho Santa Fe and is an avid boater and sports fisherman.

Mr. Joseph G. DePietro is the vice president of Lockheed Martin’s Integrated Warfare Systems and Sensors Naval Combat and Missile Defense Systems market segment. Joe has more than two decades of experience managing ship construction and mission system integration. He is a Navy veteran who served aboard the USS CHOSIN (CG-65), where he led the ship’s Aegis Combat Systems Division for three Western Pacific deployments among other assignments. He is a member of the Shipbuilding Council of America and the Surface Navy Association. He and his family are active volunteers in their church, sponsors to STEM programs in the Metro DC area, and enjoy season tickets to the New York Jets.

Capt. Jeff Dixon, USCG (Ret.) is president of Jacksonville-based TOTE Services, LLC, a leading U.S.-based ship management company. As president, Jeff leads a team that oversees a fleet of 27 vessels and more than 800 mariners operating around the world. He also serves as vice chair of the Maritime Sector Coordination Council and holds positions on both the National Cargo Bureau and the United Seaman’s Services Board of Directors. Prior to joining TOTE Services, he spent 27 years in the Coast Guard, including serving as commander of Sector Jacksonville. He is a graduate of the Coast Guard Academy and holds a graduate degree from George Washington University.

Ms. Jeanne M. Grasso is a partner with Blank Rome LLP in Washington, DC, and co-chair of the Maritime and International Trade Practice Group. Grasso focuses her legal practice on maritime, international and environmental law for clients around the world. She is a guest lecturer at the Massachusetts Maritime Academy and served on the Advisory Board of the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center from 2007 through 2021. She served as president of the Women’s International Shipping and Trade Association (WISTA USA) for five years, served for six years on the WISTA International Executive Committee, and is now on the WISTA USA Board of Directors. Grasso holds a degree in biology from the University of Notre Dame, a Masters in Marine Affairs from the University of Southern California, and her Juris Doctorate from the University of Maryland School of Law. She is an avid SCUBA diver, golfer and cyclist.

Ms. Parker Harrison is the chief legal and risk officer for Crowley, where she is responsible for the overall management of the company’s enterprise risk function comprising the legal; government relations; insurance and claims; sustainability; and internal audit, ethics and compliance teams. Parker also holds a key role in the Crowley Cares Foundation, an employee-run program that supports engagement in local communities through charitable giving and volunteering that promote education, health and wellness in the communities Crowley serves. She serves on the board of the Women’s International Shipping and Trade Association USA (WISTA) and is the organization’s immediate past president; she is also a member of the board of Signal Mutual Indemnity Association. She is a graduate of the University of Virginia and holds a Juris Doctorate from Tulane Law School.

Mr. Andre Kostelnik is the president and CEO of SeaRiver Maritime, Inc., an ExxonMobil marine affiliate. Andre's career at ExxonMobil spans 24 years and includes assignments in Malaysia, Australia and Angola. He has held a variety of technical, commercial and leadership roles having served in drilling, planning and production for ExxonMobil’s upstream division and crude trading and global marine in the company’s downstream division. He holds degrees from Texas A&M University and the University of Texas.

Capt. Mark Morin, USCG (Ret.) is the senior manager for Maritime and Strategic Systems, Business Development for General Dynamics Mission Systems, where he develops and maintains aviation and maritime programs for the Department of Homeland Security and the Coast Guard. Mark served a combined 38 years in the Coast Guard and Army. He began his military service as an Army Ranger with the 1st/75th Ranger Battalion. He attended Army flight school and the Coast Guard’s Officer Candidate School, which led him to pilot search and rescue helicopters and airplanes. He served as the commanding officer of Air Station Kodiak, among other positions. Morin attended the Naval War College and the National Graduate School. He is a member of the Coast Guard Aviation Association and enjoys spending time volunteering in his community, golfing and fishing.

Mr. Raymond R. Oneglia is vice chairman of O & G Industries, Inc. Ray has more than 50 years of experience in civil and highway construction. He is past president of the Connecticut Road Builders Association and has served on several industry association boards. He is currently a member of the Construction Industry Roundtable, the Business Executives for National Security, the Hudson Institute and the National Academy of Construction. He served with the Connecticut Army National Guard for six years. He is a graduate of Union College, was a participant in the FBI Citizen Academy and is an avid recreational boater.

Capt. Jonathan Spaner, USCG (Ret.) is a partner at McKinsey and Co. based in Washington, D.C. He advises clients on management issues involving leadership, transportation, border security, innovation, strategy, and international development. Prior to McKinsey, Jon served 22 years in the Coast Guard including tours as sector commander and captain of the Port of San Diego, and commanding officer of Air Station Traverse City. He is a distinguished graduate of Navy Pilot Training where he finished first in his class, holds a Bachelor of Science cum laude from the Merchant Marine Academy where he served as the regimental commander, a Master of Science in Management from Purdue University, and an MBA from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He is a former International Affairs fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, former fellow at the German Marshall Fund of the United States, and a former White House fellow.

Mr. Clark Todd is the president and chief executive officer of Blessey Marine Services in New Orleans, La. Since joining the family business in 2001, Clark has taken on an increasing role of responsibility for Walter Blessey. He currently serves as the vice chairman of the board of the American Waterways Operators. He is a current board member and past chairman of the board for Junior Achievement of New Orleans, serves on the board of the National Waterways Foundation and Chairs the Seaman’s Church Institute Houston Benefit Luncheon. He grew up in Lufkin, Texas and is a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin. He holds an MBA from Southeastern Louisiana University. He enjoys coaching his three kids’ numerous athletics, various outdoor sports, hunting, cooking and volunteering in the community. He and his wife Laura live in Mandeville, La.

Mr. David Vardeman is a community banking leader, specializing in not-for-profit business and global business development sectors at Capital Bank in Washington, D.C. David is dedicated to helping not-for-profit organizations grow by sharing his understanding of their market, strategic planning and alignment of financial planning, asset management, and fundraising. He is a community activist and member of several military veteran service organizations, including the Association of United States Navy, Warriors Ethos, Navy Safe Harbor Foundation, U.S. Navy League and International Leadership Foundation. Over the last eight years, he has specialized in military health care, military occupational transition and military historical preservation. He is a graduate of James Madison University.