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March 24-25, 2026
Hilton University of Houston
Houston, TX

Archive for the ‘Speaker’ Category

Tim Dipetropolo

Posted on: January 25th, 2026 by Oleksandr Korostashivets No Comments

Tim DiPietropolo is the President and Chief Operating Officer of OSG, with oversight of all operations, maintenance, SQE and commercial operations for the Fleet.

Prior to joining OSG in October 2024, Mr. DiPietropolo had most recently served as Vice President of Operations & Marine with Tropical Shipping, where he has held various leadership roles across Florida and the Caribbean since July 2000.

In 2013, Mr. DiPietropolo expanded his maritime industry experience holding senior leadership positions with Maersk Line in Arlington, Virginia, as Director of U.S. Government Cargo Execution, and with SeaLand in Miramar, Florida, as Head of Trade for the Caribbean & Central America markets. In 2017, Tim returned to Tropical Shipping where he oversaw all operational aspects for Tropical, including port and terminal operations, liner operations and tonnage center activities, marine and fleet management, maintenance and repair functions, as well as distribution center and Tropical global logistics operations.

Mr. DiPietropolo holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Marine Transportation from the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point, NY, and an active USCG Third Mate Unlimited Tonnage license. He furthered his education with dual Master of Science degrees in business administration and international management from the University of Maryland – University College, and a Master of Science degree in National Security and Strategic Studies from the U.S. Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island.

Mr. DiPietropolo currently serves as Captain in the U.S. Navy Reserve as a Strategic Sealift Officer. He is assigned to Military Sealift Command Headquarters, Strategic Sealift Office Unit, in Norfolk, Virginia.

Jonathan Breen

Posted on: January 25th, 2026 by Oleksandr Korostashivets No Comments

Jonathan Breen leads Engineering at Carbon Ridge, overseeing the development, certification, and assembly of the company’s onboard carbon capture systems for maritime applications. He brings end-to-end ownership across the full product lifecycle – from requirements definition and system architecture through FAT/SAT, commissioning, and the build-out of service and support functions – bridging rigorous R&D with deployable, class- approved solutions.

Capitán de Altura Manuel Fernando Gutiérrez Gallardo

Posted on: January 21st, 2026 by Mark Omalley No Comments

Manuel Fernando Gutiérrez Gallardo is originally from Papantla, Veracruz. His training as a Captain and Geographer Engineer has led him to stand out in various roles within the maritime and port field, through different responsibilities.
He is a graduate of the Merchant Nautical School of Veracruz, has a Master’s Degree in Shipping and Port Business Administration and has also received the title of Doctor Honoris Causa by the Mexican Institute of Leaders of Excellence in 2023.
Since August 15, 2020, Capt. Gutiérrez held the position of General Director of the Administration of the National Port System in Ensenada. Prior to this assignment, he accumulated solid experience as Regional Captain of Puerto Chiapas, as well as Superintendent of Regulations and Lead Coordinator of Towing and Off-Shore Projects at Pemex Logística.
Capt. Gutiérrez Gallardo has also held leadership positions in the private sector, within companies such as Grupo Transportación Marítima Mexicana (TMM), where he served as Director of Ports, Terminals and Agencies. Likewise, during the period 2009-2015, he was Director of Maritime and Port Security of the General Coordination of Ports and Merchant Marine.
His experience also includes his performance as Port Facility Security Officer (OPIP) of the Port Administration of Veracruz, Head of the Department of Navigation and Port Supervision of the Captaincy of the Port of Tuxpan and Commissioner in the Captaincy of the Port of Coatzacoalcos.
He was also Captain and 1st Officer of dynamic positioning ships; Captain of supply ships for oil platforms; Captain of offshore passenger boats; 3rd Gas Tanker Officer; 1st Officer, 2nd Officer and 3rd Officer of passenger ships and ferries. In addition, his role as Marine Surveyor and International Inspector of IICL containers and isotanks has given him extensive experience in maritime inspections and safety.
Likewise, as a proud member of the Mexican Merchant Navy, he carried out his professional internship aboard the Training Ship “Náuticas México”.
Captain Gallardo has received multiple certificates, diplomas and courses in areas such as port administration, security and foreign trade, container inspection and port security. On June 1, 2022, in recognition of his outstanding work in the coordination to control the fire of the Pemex Logística Oil Tanker “Burgos”, he received the Outstanding Merit Award during the celebration of the LXXX anniversary of the National Navy Day, from the President, Andrés Manuel López Obrador.
Capt. Gutierrez’s dedication and extensive experience make him an exceptional leader in the maritime and port arena, where he has contributed significantly to the development and consolidation of both the port administration and the Mexican merchant marine. Their commitment to excellence in the field is clearly evidenced through their valuable contribution to the progress of the sector.

Quentin Smith

Posted on: January 17th, 2026 by Oleksandr Korostashivets No Comments

Quentin Smith is the Director for New Business in Energy and Commodities at Veson Nautical, the global market leader in developing, implementing, and supporting the solutions that propel maritime commerce. A Digital Asset Evangelist, Quentin is focused on working with clients to develop and implement digitalization strategies that provide a distinct decision advantage and that have measurable ROI. Quentin is a MBA from UCLA Anderson School of Management, a former naval officer and holds degrees and certifications in Chemical Engineering, Nuclear Engineering, and Business Applications of AI/ML.

Tim Scarbrough

Posted on: January 15th, 2026 by Mark Omalley No Comments
Tim Scarborough leads high-profile techno-economic and policy studies for policymakers, such as the European Commission and the International Maritime Organization. Working with port and shipping industry organisations on their journeys to reduce their environmental impacts, his clients value that his evidence-driven expertise spans from policy through strategy development to implementation, and draws on cross-sectoral insights. He has expertise in low/zero carbon fuels, their production pathways, energy efficiency / emission abatement techniques, emission inventorying and life cycle assessment. Above all, he’s passionate about decarbonising the maritime sector.

Chad E. Hensley

Posted on: January 6th, 2026 by Oleksandr Korostashivets No Comments

Chad E. Hensley  is a senior Survey Manager and Dimensional Control specialist with more than 30 years of experience delivering complex survey solutions for offshore energy, marine construction, heavy civil infrastructure, and industrial fabrication projects worldwide. His career spans bridge construction, vessel recovery, offshore fabrication, subsea imaging, hydrographic survey, and aerial LiDAR operations.

Chad has led survey operations on high-profile projects including the San Francisco–Oakland Bay Bridge, major offshore vessel recoveries, LNG and FLNG facilities, refineries, and offshore production platforms. He brings deep expertise in dimensional control, laser scanning, multibeam sonar, vessel calibration, and integrated survey workflows, providing technical leadership from project planning through final deliverables.

Recognized for his ability to solve complex survey challenges in demanding environments, Chad combines hands-on technical excellence with strong business development, client coordination, and team leadership, making him a trusted partner to EPC contractors, operators, and marine construction firms.

Paal Eric Thorsen

Posted on: January 5th, 2026 by Oleksandr Korostashivets No Comments

Paal Eric Thorsen is an energy shipping executive with more than 30 years of experience guiding maritime and energy companies through complex commercial, technical, and strategic challenges. His career spans LNG, tankers, dry bulk, offshore, seismic, and tugs, where he has developed maritime strategies, negotiated chartering, S&P, and new building contracts, and delivered transactions ranging from short term fixtures to capital intensive LNG newbuild and sale and charter programs.

Paal serves in a senior commercial and customer-facing role at DNV, a global leader in classification, risk management, and energy transition advisory. He works closely with U.S. energy companies to ensure that DNV is a trusted partner capable of helping them navigate an increasingly complex world, one characterized by evolving fuels, shifting markets, regulatory uncertainty, and heightened expectations around safety and sustainability. Throughout his career, Paal has led cross-functional teams, contributed to HSSE committees, and driven innovation across multiple fuel and technology domains, including hybrid battery retrofits, LNG as fuel programs, and the development and evaluation of CNG solutions. His approach is rooted in listening, collaboration, and creating tailored pathways that align commercial needs with operational integrity and environmental responsibility.

In his work today, Paal focuses on enabling energy companies to make confident decisions amid uncertainty—helping them understand emerging risks, evaluate technology options, and chart strategies that strengthen resilience and long-term value across maritime ecosystems.

Michael P. Scherer

Posted on: December 29th, 2025 by Oleksandr Korostashivets No Comments

Michael Scherer has over fourteen years of uncrewed systems experience, focusing in the maritime environment. At ASV Global, he scaled an autonomy architecture used on over a hundred self-driving boats and ships. Michael led and implemented the design, build, and commissioning of over a dozen USVs deployed to customers around the world. After being acquired by L3Harris, he went on to capture and manage a major US Navy USV program starting in 2019. In 2022, he became a founding member of Chance Maritime Technologies as CTO. Since then, he has led the engineering efforts at Chance Maritime Technologies, delivering multiple classes of long-endurance high- power USVs. Michael holds a BS in Computer Science from the University of Central Florida, and is pursuing an MS in Computer Science from Georgia Tech.

Tony Zhao

Posted on: December 29th, 2025 by Oleksandr Korostashivets No Comments

Tony Zhao has been with Shell for over 10 years with a varied background in Upstream, Projects, and Trading & Supply. He is the Shell Subject Matter Expert for marine batteries and manages electrification projects in the Americas region. His goal is to help Shell businesses reduce cost and emissions by leveraging electrification technologies in ships and ports.

MG Jason Kelly

Posted on: December 17th, 2025 by Oleksandr Korostashivets No Comments

Major General Jason E. Kelly assumed duties as the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Deputy Commanding General for Civil and Emergency Operations on September 9, 2024, after most recently serving as the 53rd Commanding General of the U.S. Army Training Center and Fort Jackson, the U.S. Army's main production center for Basic Combat Training. The installation trains roughly 50 percent of all Soldiers and more than 60 percent of women entering the Army each year. In addition to basic combat training, more than 24,000 Soldiers graduate each year from other Fort Jackson schools and courses, such as the Drill Sergeant Academy, U.S. Army Institute of Religious Leadership, the Adjutant General School, Finance School, and Noncommissioned Officer Academy.

Major General Kelly, a native of Flint, Michigan, attended the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, New York, and graduated in 1994 with a commission as an engineer officer.

Major General Kelly holds a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from West Point, and master’s degrees in engineering management from the Missouri University of Science and Technology, in statistics from the Georgia Institute of Technology, in Joint Campaign Planning and Strategy from the National Defense University and in Strategic Studies from the U.S. Army War College.

Kelly’s thirty-year career assignment history is vast. He has held Army leadership positions at every level of command and staff with duty in Asia, the Middle East, and the United States, including Commander of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers South Atlantic Division; Commander of the Afghanistan District; Commander of the Norfolk District; Commander of the 20th Engineer Battalion in Afghanistan; Deputy Commander of the 36th Engineer Brigade during Operation Iraqi Freedom/Operation New Dawn; Commander of Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 11th Engineer Battalion, 3rd Infantry Division; Assistant Operations Officer for the 10th Engineer Battalion, 3rd Infantry Division; Adjutant for both the 44th Engineer Battalion and the 2nd Infantry Division Engineer Brigade in Korea; Plans Officer for the 4th Infantry Division Engineer Brigade; and Line Platoon Leader, Assault and Obstacle Platoon Leader; and Company Executive Officer in the 588th Engineer Battalion, 2nd Armored Division.

Other key assignments include participation in the Army’s Advanced Civil Schooling Program, with duty as an advanced calculus instructor in the Department of Mathematics, U.S. Military Academy; Aide-de-Camp to the Superintendent, U.S. Military Academy; and assignments in the Pentagon in the Office of the Chief of Engineers.

His awards and decorations include the Bronze Star Medal with 2 oak leaf clusters, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Army Meritorious Service Medal with 3 oak leaf clusters, the Combat Action Badge, and the Army Parachutist Badge, and the Sapper Tab.