LEADERSHIP
Meet Our Team
The GLDD Leadership Team is committed to delivering innovative, industry-leading workmanship to our clients while executing every project safely – for our employees, clients, vendors, the communities where we work, and the environment.

Lawrence R. Dickerson

Dr. Elaine Dorward-King

Ryan Levenson

Lasse Petterson

Kathleen M. Shanahan

Ronald Steger

Michael Steuert

Earl Shipp
Lawrence R. Dickerson
LAWRENCE R. DICKERSON spent 34 years at Diamond Offshore Drilling, Inc. (NYSE:DO), a deepwater oil and gas drilling contractor, where he served as a member of the Board of Directors from 1998, and as President and Chief Executive Officer from 2008 until his retirement in 2014. Prior to his service as President and Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Dickerson served as Chief Financial Officer, during which time he helped take the company public, and as Chief Operating Officer, during which time he gained substantial operating and commercial experience. In addition to being a seasoned executive, Mr. Dickerson has significant board experience. He has been a member of the Board of Directors of Murphy Oil Corporation (NYSE:MUR), an oil and gas exploration and production company, and Oil States International (NYSE:OIS), an oilfield equipment services company, since 2014. Mr. Dickerson is a member of the Audit and Nominating and Governance Committees at Murphy Oil Corporation and is Chair of the Compensation Committee and a former member of the Audit Committee at Oil States International. Mr. Dickerson was Non-Executive Chairman of the Board of Directors of Hercules Offshore, Inc. (NASDAQ:HERO), an offshore drilling company, from 2015 – 2016, and served from 2008 – 2012 on the Board of Directors of Global Industries, Ltd. (NASDAQ:GLBL), a subsea construction company sold to Technip in 2011. Mr. Dickerson received a B.B.A. from the University of Texas.
Dr. Elaine Dorward-King
DR. ELAINE DORWARD-KING most recently was the Executive Vice President, Sustainability and External Relations at Newmont Mining Corporation (“Newmont”) (NYSE:NEM), the world’s leading gold mining company. Dr. Dorward-King has spent the majority of her career in mining and joined Newmont in 2013. Prior to joining Newmont, Dr. Dorward-King spent 20 years with Rio Tinto, one of the world’s largest diversified producers of metals and minerals, in general management and Environmental Health and Safety leadership roles. Dr. Dorward-King has over 25 years of leadership experience in creating and implementing sustainable development, safety, health and environmental strategy as well as programs in mining, chemical and engineering consulting sectors. Currently Dr. Dorward-King serves on the Board of Directors of Kenmare Resources plc (LSE:KMR, ISE:KMR); Sibanye Stillwater plc (JSE:SSW, NYSE:SBSW); and NovaGold (TSX:NG, NYSE American:NG). Dr. Dorward-King holds a Bachelor’s Degree from Maryville College and received a Ph.D. in Analytical Chemistry from Colorado State University.
Ryan Levenson
RYAN J. LEVENSON is currently Principal and Portfolio Manager of Privet Fund Management LLC (“Privet Fund”). Mr. Levenson currently serves on the Board of Directors of Hardinge, Inc. Previously, Mr. Levenson served as a director of AgJunction, Inc. (TSX: AJX) from 2016 – 2019, Frequency Electronics, Inc. (NASDAQ:FEIM) from 2016 – 2017, Cicero, Inc. (OTC:CICN) from 2015 – 2017, and RELM Wireless, Inc. (NYSE:RWC) from 2013 – 2014, where he served as a member of the Audit Committee. He served as a director and member of the Compensation, Organization and Corporate Governance Committee of Material Sciences Corp. (NASDAQ:MASC) from May 2013 until its sale in March 2014, and as a member of the Board of Directors and Compensation and Audit Committees of The Middleby Corporation (NASDAQ: MIDD) from 2006 – 2012. Prior to founding Privet Fund in 2007, Mr. Levenson served as Vice President of Business Development at MSI, a privately held building products distributor and construction services company. Prior to MSI, Mr. Levenson served as a financial analyst for Cramer Rosenthal McGlynn’s long/short equity hedge fund after working at SAC Capital Advisors LLC in a similar capacity. Mr. Levenson began his career as an analyst on the sell side in small cap research for CJS Securities. Mr. Levenson earned a Bachelor of Arts from Vanderbilt University.
Lasse Petterson
LASSE J. PETTERSON was named Chief Executive Officer in May 2017 and assumed the additional title of President in March 2020. He has served as a member of our Board since December 2016. Prior to his employment with the Company, Mr. Petterson served as a private consultant to clients in the oil and gas sector, and was Chief Operating Officer and Executive Vice President at Chicago Bridge and Iron Company N.V. (NYSE:CBI) (“CB&I”), an engineering, procurement and construction company, from 2009 – 2013. Prior to CB&I, Mr. Petterson was Chief Executive Officer of Gearbulk, Ltd., a privately held company that owns and operates one of the largest fleets of gantry craned open hatch bulk vessels in the world. He was also President and Chief Operating Officer of AMEC Inc. Americas, a subsidiary of AMEC plc (NASDAQ:AMFW), a British multinational consulting, engineering and project management company. Prior to joining AMEC, Mr. Petterson served in various executive and operational positions for Aker Maritime, Inc., the deepwater division of Aker Maritime ASA of Norway, over the course of 20 years. He spent the first nine years of his career in various positions at Norwegian Contractors, an offshore oil and gas platform contractor. Mr. Petterson is a National Association of Corporate Directors (“NACD”) Board Leadership Fellow. He received a M.Sc., Engineering, as well as a B.S., from Norwegian University of Technology.
Kathleen M. Shanahan
KATHLEEN M. SHANAHAN is currently Chief Executive Officer of Turtle & Hughes, Inc., a private, certified women-owned business, which services the industrial, construction, commercial, electrical contracting, export and utility markets. Ms. Shanahan joined the Board of Directors of HireQuest (NASDAQ:HQI) in 2019 and currently serves on the Audit Committee. Ms. Shanahan has served as Chair of Ground Works Solutions (previously known as URETEK Holdings, Inc.), which provides foundation lifting and soil stabilization solutions, since 2011 and previously also served as Chief Executive Officer from 2011–2016. Ms. Shanahan also previously served as the Chair and Chief Executive Officer of WRS Infrastructure & Environment, Inc. (d/b/a WRScompass), an environmental engineering and civil construction company, as a member of the Board of Directors and Audit Committee of TRC Companies, Inc. (NYSE:TRR) from 2015 – 2017, and as a member of the Board of Directors and Chair of the Executive Compensation Committee of WCI Communities, Inc. (NYSE:WCI) from 2004 – 2007. Additionally, Ms. Shanahan has held numerous positions in government and public policy, having served on the campaigns and administrations as Chief of Staff for Florida Governor Jeb Bush and for Vice President-elect Dick Cheney; Deputy Secretary of the California Trade and Commerce Agency for California Governor Pete Wilson; special assistant to Vice President George H.W. Bush; and as staff assistant on President Ronald W. Reagan’s National Security Council. Ms. Shanahan currently serves on the boards of several private companies, including Lumia Analytics, PRISM, and Tampa General Hospital. Ms. Shanahan is a member of Women Corporate Directors and the International Women’s forum. Ms. Shanahan previously served on the board of TerraSea Environmental Solutions LLC, one of the Company’s previous joint ventures.
She received a M.B.A. in Executive Business Administration from New York University’s Leonard N. Stern School of Business and a B.A. in Nutrition Biochemistry and Economics from the University of California, San Diego.
Ronald Steger
RONALD R. STEGER Mr. Steger previously served on the Boards of Directors of Global Eagle Entertainment Inc., where he held the position of Audit Committee Chair; International Seaways, Inc. (NYSE:INSW) from 2016 – 2017; Overseas Shipholding Group, Inc. (NYSE:OSG) from 2014 – 2018, where he served as Audit Committee Chair; and Sentinel Energy Services Inc. (NASDAQ:STNL) from 2018 – 2020. Mr. Steger also served as an Advisory Board Member of ATREG, Inc. from 2014 – 2020. Mr. Steger is currently a Senior Technical Advisor at Effectus Group, a boutique accounting advisory firm that specializes in serving high-growth technology companies. Until December 31, 2013, Mr. Steger worked as an Audit Partner for KPMG LLP, where he served a broad array of clients in the Fortune 1000 and middle market technology, chemical, food service and semiconductor sectors. Additionally, Mr. Steger has gained significant knowledge regarding the marine services industry through his board service. Mr. Steger is a licensed Certified Public Accountant (retired status). He received a B.S. from Villanova University.
Michael Steuert
D. MICHAEL STEUERT rejoined Fluor Corporation (NYSE:FLR), one of the world’s largest publicly traded engineering, procurement, construction, maintenance and project management companies, on June 1, 2019 as Chief Financial Officer. He retired from that position at the end of 2020. Previously, Mr. Steuert served as Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Fluor Corporation from 2001 until his retirement in 2012. Previously, Mr. Steuert served as SVP and CFO of Litton Industries Inc., a defense contractor acquired by Northrop Grumman Corporation in 2001 and as Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of GenCorp Inc., now Aerojet Rocketdyne, a technology-based aerospace and defense company (NASDAQ:AJRD), from 1990 – 1999. Mr. Steuert started his career at TRW Inc. In addition to his extensive executive leadership experience, Mr. Steuert has substantial board experience. He has been a member of the Board of Directors of Liquefied Natural Gas Limited (ASX:LNG) since 2015 and is a member of its Audit Committee, Compensation Committee and Chairman of its Risk Committee. He has also been a member of the Board of Directors of Weyerhaeuser Co. (NYSE:WY) since 2004 and is a member and former Chairman and the financial expert of the Audit Committee. Mr. Steuert received a M.S. in Industrial Administration and a B.S. in Physics from Carnegie Mellon University.
Earl Shipp
Mr. Shipp most recently was Vice President of Operations for the U.S. Gulf Coast and Vice President for Texas Operations at Dow Inc. (NYSE:DOW), formerly known as The Dow Chemical Company, a materials science leader committed to delivering innovative and sustainable solutions for customers in packaging, infrastructure and consumer care. Mr. Shipp has over 38 years of domestic and international executive and non-executive leadership experience in manufacturing, operations, and strategic growth. Currently, Mr. Shipp serves on the Board of Directors of National Grid PLC (NYSE:NGG; London:NG) and Olin Corporation (NYSE:OLN). Mr. Shipp holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Chemical Engineering from Wayne State University and graduated from The Consortium for Graduate Study in Management at Indiana University. Additionally, Mr. Shipp is a United States Coast Guard Licensed Captain.

Lasse Petterson

William H. Hanson

Scott Kornblau

Vivienne Schiffer

David E. Simonelli

James Tastard, Ph.D.

Eleni Beyko, Ph.D.
Lasse Petterson
LASSE J. PETTERSON was named Chief Executive Officer in May 2017 and assumed the additional title of President in March 2020. He has served as a member of our Board since December 2016. Prior to his employment with the Company, Mr. Petterson served as a private consultant to clients in the oil and gas sector, and was Chief Operating Officer and Executive Vice President at Chicago Bridge and Iron Company N.V. (NYSE:CBI) (“CB&I”), an engineering, procurement and construction company, from 2009 – 2013. Prior to CB&I, Mr. Petterson was Chief Executive Officer of Gearbulk, Ltd., a privately held company that owns and operates one of the largest fleets of gantry craned open hatch bulk vessels in the world. He was also President and Chief Operating Officer of AMEC Inc. Americas, a subsidiary of AMEC plc (NASDAQ:AMFW), a British multinational consulting, engineering and project management company. Prior to joining AMEC, Mr. Petterson served in various executive and operational positions for Aker Maritime, Inc., the deepwater division of Aker Maritime ASA of Norway, over the course of 20 years. He spent the first nine years of his career in various positions at Norwegian Contractors, an offshore oil and gas platform contractor. Mr. Petterson is a National Association of Corporate Directors (“NACD”) Board Leadership Fellow. He received a M.Sc., Engineering, as well as a B.S., from Norwegian University of Technology.
William H. Hanson
WILLIAM H. HANSON is the Senior Vice President – Government Relations & Business Development. A 44 year veteran of the dredging and maritime construction industry, Bill Hanson has been with GLDD for 34 years and a Vice President since 2004. In 2013, he opened GLDD’s first office in Washington DC. Mr. Hanson began his career with the US Army Corps of Engineers in Galveston and Los Angeles, and then worked for Connolly Pacific of Long Beach, California before joining GLDD in 1988. At GLDD, he served in management roles in the North Atlantic and Southern Divisions as well as managing Latin America for 12 years. Mr. Hanson serves on several Federal Advisory committees as well as on boards of groups with national and regional interest to GLDD, and several academic advisory boards related to ocean and coastal engineering. Mr. Hanson is a 1979 Ocean Engineering graduate of Texas A&M, where he was named a distinguished alumni in 2013.
Scott Kornblau
SCOTT KORNBLAU was named Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer in January 2022 after serving as our Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer since he joined the Company in October 2021. Prior to joining Great Lakes, he was with Diamond Offshore Drilling in Houston for over 24 years, serving as Vice President and Treasurer from 2007 until 2017, and more recently, Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer from 2017 until September 2021. Previously, he worked as an auditor for KPMG.
Mr. Kornblau graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a degree in Accounting and is a licensed Certified Public Accountant in the State of Texas.
As a member of the Great Lakes’ Executive Team, Mr. Kornblau offers over 25 years of financial leadership, specializing in accounting, financing and strategy.
Vivienne Schiffer
Vivienne “Lie” Schiffer joined Great Lakes Dredge & Dock in December 2020 as SVP, Chief Legal Officer, Chief Compliance Officer, General Counsel + Corporate Secretary, and leads the Company’s legal and compliance organization, providing legal counsel to Executive Management and the Board of Directors. Lie’s specific responsibilities include the oversight of corporate governance, policy and regulatory strategy development, litigation, environmental matters, intellectual property, global corporate compliance, and labor and employment laws.
Prior to joining Great Lakes, Lie was a senior corporate and securities partner in the global firm of Thompson & Knight, LLP. She has over 35 years of experience and has held significant legal, business and operational leadership roles in the industrials sector including advising clients on a range of corporate governance, capital markets and M&A matters. Lie is part of Great Lakes’ Executive Team and reports directly to the CEO.
David E. Simonelli
DAVID E. SIMONELLI is GLDD’s Chief Operating Officer and served as President—Dredging Division since April 2010. He has overall responsibility for the Dredging Division including safety, estimating, engineering, domestic and foreign operations, and plant and equipment. He was named a Vice President of the Company in 2002 and Special Projects Manager in 1996. He joined the Company in 1978 as a Civil Engineer and has since held positions of increasing responsibility in domestic and international operations and project management.
Mr. Simonelli earned a Bachelor of Science in Civil and Environmental Engineering from the University of Rhode Island. He is a member of the Hydrographic Society, the American Society of Civil Engineers, and The Western Dredging Association.
James Tastard, Ph.D.
JAMES TASTARD, Ph.D. joined Great Lakes as Senior Vice President & Chief Human Resources and Administrative Officer in October 2020. As a member of the Executive Team, he is responsible for leading GLDD’s HR organization, Talent Management, Leadership Development, and Learning, Compensation, and Benefits, Employee Relations, Payroll, Risk Management, Marketing and Communications, and Environment, Social, and Governance (ESG).
James has been a leader in Human Resources for three decades, focused on driving business results through the unique intersection of strategy, leadership, and culture. With a distinct focus on leadership, his areas of expertise include developing top talent, succession planning for critical roles, helping organizations thrive in dynamic conditions, and leading large-scale complex change.
Before joining GLDD, James served as a strategic talent and leadership consultant. Previously, he worked as Chief Human Resource Officer at Geokinetics, VPHR at Freeport LNG, VPHR at Statoil (now Equinor), and SVP HR & HSE at Aker Solutions. James spent ten years working and living globally to deliver significant oil and gas capital projects in Saudi Arabia, the United Kingdom, Russia, and Norway. Earlier in his career, he held positions leading people and organization change strategy, M&A, health, safety and environment, and global human resources.
James holds a bachelor’s degree from California State University, Long Beach, an MBA from the University of Phoenix, and received a Ph.D. in Business, Organization, and Management from Capella University.
Eleni Beyko, Ph.D.
Eleni Beyko, Ph.D. joined Great Lakes in January 2021 as Senior Vice President, US Offshore Wind, starting January 25, 2021 and is responsible for US Offshore Wind strategy and business development, as well as leading GLDD’s US Offshore Wind Operations.
Ms. Beyko has over 20 years’ experience in program engineering, business leadership, and project execution for the automobile and offshore oil and gas markets. Her experience has also included Engineering, Technical Manager, Research & Development – Offshore Technology, and offshore projects. She most recently served as Director, Energy Transition for Americas at TechnipFMC responsible for positioning TechnipFMC to support the transition into new and economically viable wind energy resources, and managing the Makani wind-borne energy spar offshore platform installation in partnership with Shell and Google X.
Ms. Beyko graduated with a Diploma from National Technical University Athens in 1988 in Mechanical Engineering, Naval Architecture & Marine Engineering. She attended the University of Michigan where she earned her MSE, Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering (1990), MSE Applied Mechanics, Mechanical Engineering (1991), Master of Business Administration (MBA) (2003) and Ph.D., Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering (1992).

David Johanson

Lynn Nietfeld

Mark Reid

Steven W. Becker

Christopher Gillespie

Christopher G. Gunsten, P.E.
David Johanson
DAVID JOHANSON is Senior Vice President, Project and Area Operations – Gulf. Before that, Mr. Johanson was promoted to Vice President and Hydraulic Division Manager in 2015 and served as Vice President Project Director of Charleston Deepening Projects from 2018-2020 which included the largest dredging contract ever awarded by the US Army Corps of Engineers. He joined the company in 1994 as a field engineer and has held positions of increasing responsibility in project management.
Mr. Johanson earned a Bachelor of Science in Ocean Engineering from Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University and a MBA – finance specialization from University of South Carolina. He is a current board member of the Western Dredging Association Eastern Branch and is a member of American Society of Civil Engineers.
Lynn Nietfeld
LYNN NIETFELD was appointed January 2022 to Senior Vice President, Project & Area Operations for the Southeast Region for Great Lakes. Ms. Nietfeld previously served as Vice President – Senior Project Sponsor, Project Area Operations Southeast, and Senior Project Sponsor, overseeing projects in the Southeast and West Coast beginning 2011. Prior to this role, she worked as a Project Manager on several Great Lakes projects, including deepening project in Long Beach, California and the Columbia River. Ms. Nietfeld joined Great Lakes in 1995 as a Field Engineer and offers over 27 years of engineering and operations leadership.
Ms. Nietfeld received a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Minnesota.
Mark Reid
Mark Reid was appointed January 2022 to Senior Vice President, Project & Area Operations for the Northeast Region at Great Lakes Dredge and Dock with overall responsibility for processes, policies and controls for ensuring that dredging operations are executed safely, and efficiently, profitably and consistent with Corporate operating and site procedures.
Mr. Reid earned a Bachelor of Science in Construction Management Technology from Purdue University. He is a member of the International Society of Explosive Engineers and the Western Dredging Association. He joined Great Lakes in 1993 filling engineering and management roles throughout the US, Middle East and Denmark. He has sponsored multiple capital Harbor Deepening Programs for a number of USACE Districts. Mr. Reid also manages the company’s drilling and blasting operations and licensing.
Steven W. Becker
STEVEN W. BECKER was named Senior Vice President, Fleet Engineering in 2020 after serving as Senior Vice President of the Plant & Equipment Division since 2013, and Vice President from 2006. Since 1995, he has managed the Equipment Maintenance and Mechanical Engineering Departments. Prior to serving as a Vice President, Mr. Becker held the positions of Chief Mechanical Engineer Manager and Manager of Production Engineering. He joined Great Lakes in 1984 as a Field Engineer after interning with the company during college as a Design Engineer/Draftsman. Mr. Becker earned a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Illinois.
Christopher Gillespie
CHRISTOPHER GILLESPIE is Senior Vice President, Cutter Suction Dredge Fleet Manager. Prior to this, he had been GLDD’s Vice President and Special Projects Manager since 1997. He joined the Company in 1987 as a Project Engineer and previously served as a Commissioned Officer in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Mr. Gillespie earned a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and a graduate degree in Environmental Engineering from the University of Tulane. He is a member of the Society of American Military Engineers.
Christopher G. Gunsten, P.E.
CHRISTOPHER G. GUNSTEN, P.E. was appointed to Senior Vice President, Project Services in October 2021. Previously he served as Vice President, International Operations with responsibility for acquiring projects, providing estimation data, and leading field supervision of work in progress. Chris began his career with Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Company as a Field Engineer in1992. Career highlights include serving as Deputy Project Manager for Chevron’s Wheatstone LNG Project’s Engineering, Procure and Construct dredging subcontract in Onslow, WA, Australia valued at $1.2 billion AUD, as Project Manager executing a series of capital projects for the USACE New York District’s 45 and 50 Foot Harbor Deepening Programs, and as Operations Manager for GLDD’s Øresund Fixed Link Project in Copenhagen, Denmark. He received his Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from Rutgers University.

Steven R. Auernhamer

Jason W. Campbell

Garrett L. Gibson

Stan Ekren

Todd Lightfoot

T. Christopher Roberts

Trond Ellefsen

Armand F. Riehl

Dave Allen
Steven R. Auernhamer
STEVEN R. AUERNHAMER was named Vice President, Commercial Clients in 2020 and was previously GLDD’s VP and Area Manager, Gulf Coast since 2012. He started with Great Lakes in 1990 as a Field Engineer after graduating with a bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering from Michigan Technological University. He was promoted to Hydraulic Division Engineer in 1999, and a Project Sponsor in 2006 and Area Manager, Gulf Coast in 2011.
Jason W. Campbell
Jason Campbell joined Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Company in September 2013 as Risk Manager, and was appointed VP of Health, Safety & Environment in 2021. Jason has over 24 years of experience and has held various safety and risk roles in Oil and Gas, Utilities, Deep Tunnel, and Heavy Civil industries.
Jason has a B.S. in Safety Management from the University of Central Missouri State and served in the U.S. Navy. He is a member of the American Society of Safety Professionals.
Garrett L. Gibson
Garrett L. Gibson was appointed to Vice President, Senior Project Sponsor in 2020, and works in the Gulf Region. Previously, Garrett worked in the International Division from 2007 to 2019 in various roles including Project Director for the 80 million m3 island development project, Diyar Al Muharraq; Project Sponsor for Latin America works; and as Area Manager for the Middle East Division.
Garrett began his career with Great Lakes Dredge and Dock Company as a Field Engineer in 2000, and holds a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from North Carolina State University.
Stan Ekren
Stan has over 39 years of experience in the dredging Industry working with 23 USACE District Offices, located on the West, Gulf and East Coast, as well as the Great Lakes, Mississippi River System and mid-America. He has completed numerous project types including Harbor/Channel Deepening, Beach and Marsh Restoration, Land Creation, Car/Rail Tunnel Crossings, Navigation Dredging, and Inland Reservoir Dredging. Additionally, Stan has been involved in the pricing of dredging opportunities on four (4) continents and both the Canadian & U.S. Arctic. Stan’s prior experience includes ownership of B+B Dredging, a small business, Hub Zone Hopper Dredge Company.
Todd Lightfoot
Mr. Lightfoot was named Vice President, Finance in May 2019. He joined Great Lakes in 2011 as Senior Manager of Financial Reporting responsible for public company (SEC) reporting. In 2013, he was appointed to the role of Director and assumed financial planning and analysis and tax responsibilities. Prior to Great Lakes, he was a financial consultant to large publicly traded clients and was a divisional Director of Strategy for Equity Office Properties. Mr. Lightfoot has dual bachelor’s degrees in accounting and international business from Taylor University, and is a CPA.
T. Christopher Roberts
T. CHRISTOPHER ROBERTS was named Vice President in 2011 having developed and managed the Field Engineering Department from 1996. He joined the Company in 1989 as a Field Engineer Intern and within Engineering roles worked on Company projects throughout the US and Middle East. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering Technology from Murray State University and a Master of Business Administration from Lewis University
Trond Ellefsen
TROND ELLEFSEN joined Great Lakes in September 2020, as Vice President for Digital and Innovation. Prior to joining Great Lakes, Mr. Ellefsen spent more than 25 years in several global leadership positions in the oil, gas and energy industries.
He most recently held the position of Chief Executive Officer for an artificial intelligence, analytics and consultancy company providing technical strategies and solutions for FT100 companies, as well as Chief Technology Officer for a Nano technology company.
Mr. Ellefsen holds an Electrical Engineering degree from Gothenburg University and Master’s Program in Technical Leadership & Development from the University of Stavanger.
In September 2021, Mr. Ellefsen was named Vice President, IT/IS & Digital, leading the company’s IT function in addition to implementing the company’s strategic digital initiatives.
Armand F. Riehl
In 2021, Armand F. Riehl was appointed to Vice President, Senior Project Sponsor in the South East Region. Previously, Armand worked as a Senior Project Manager on major US Port Deepening Projects and as a Project Sponsor from 2015 to 2021. Armand also worked in the International Division in various roles including Operations Manager / Project Sponsor for the 48 million m3 Joint Venture Project, Suez Canal Deepening with Dredging International NV.
Armand began his career with Great Lakes Dredge and Dock Company as a Field Engineer Intern in 2000, and holds a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from Louisiana State University, and a Masters of Business Administration from Tulane University’s Freeman School of Business.
Dave Allen
Dave Allen was appointed to Vice President, Cutter Suction Dredge Fleet Manager in January 2021. Dave’s career progression with Great Lakes includes General Superintendent of Dredging Operations, Hopper Division Dredge Manager, and Project Manager for various large scale projects on the East, West, and Gulf U.S. Coasts. Dave began his career with Great Lakes Dredge and Dock Company as a Field Engineer in 1998 and holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Civil Engineering from The Ohio State University.
STEVEN W. BECKER was named Senior Vice President, Fleet Engineering in 2020 after serving as Senior Vice President of the Plant & Equipment Division since 2013, and Vice President from 2006. Since 1995, he has managed the Equipment Maintenance and Mechanical Engineering Departments. Prior to serving as a Vice President, Mr. Becker held the positions of Chief Mechanical Engineer Manager and Manager of Production Engineering. He joined Great Lakes in 1984 as a Field Engineer after interning with the company during college as a Design Engineer/Draftsman. Mr. Becker earned a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Illinois.
LASSE PETTERSON has served as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) since May 2017, and was named Chief Executive Officer & President in 2020. Most recently, Mr. Petterson served as a private consultant to clients in the Oil and Gas sector and served as Chief Operating Officer (COO) and Executive Vice President at Chicago Bridge and Iron (CB&I) from 2009 to 2013. Reporting directly to the CEO, he was responsible for all of CB&I’s engineering, procurement and construction project operations and sales. Prior to CB&I, Mr. Petterson was CEO of Gearbulk, Ltd., a privately held company that owns and operates one of the largest fleets of gantry craned open hatch bulk vessels in the world. He was also President and COO of AMEC Inc. Americas, a subsidiary of AMEC plc, a British multi-national consulting, engineering and project management company. Prior to joining AMEC, Mr. Petterson served in various executive and operational positions for Aker Maritime, Inc., the deepwater division of Aker Maritime ASA of Norway, over the course of 20 years. He spent the first nine years of his career in various positions at Norwegian Contractors, an offshore oil and gas platform contractor.
Mr. Petterson holds both Master’s and bachelor’s degrees from the Norwegian University of Technology, and currently serves as Chief Executive Officer & President of Great Lakes Corporation.
WILLIAM H. HANSON is the Senior Vice President - Government Relations & Business Development. A 40 year veteran of the dredging and maritime construction industry, Bill Hanson has been with GLDD for 29 years and a Vice President since 2004. In 2013, he opened GLDD’s first office in Washington DC. Mr. Hanson began his career with the US Army Corps of Engineers in Galveston and Los Angeles, and then worked for Connolly Pacific of Long Beach, California before joining GLDD in 1988. At GLDD, he served in management roles in the North Atlantic and Southern Divisions as well as managing Latin America for 12 years. Mr. Hanson serves on several Federal Advisory committees as well as on boards of groups with national and regional interest to GLDD, and several academic advisory boards related to ocean and coastal engineering. Mr. Hanson is a 1979 Ocean Engineering graduate of Texas A&M, where he was named a distinguished alumni in 2013.
CHRISTOPHER GILLESPIE is Senior Vice President, Cutter Suction Dredge Fleet Manager. Prior to this, he had been GLDD's Vice President and Special Projects Manager since 1997. He joined the Company in 1987 as a Project Engineer and previously served as a Commissioned Officer in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Mr. Gillespie earned a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and a graduate degree in Environmental Engineering from the University of Tulane. He is a member of the Society of American Military Engineers.
STEVEN R. AEURNHAMER was named Vice President, Commercial Clients in 2020 and was previously GLDD's VP and Area Manager, Gulf Coast since 2012. He started with Great Lakes in 1990 as a Field Engineer after graduating with a bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering from Michigan Technological University. He was promoted to Hydraulic Division Engineer in 1999, and a Project Sponsor in 2006 and Area Manager, Gulf Coast in 2011.
MARK MARINKO has served as Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer since 2014. Prior to joining Great Lakes, Mr. Marinko was President of the Consumer Services Division at TransUnion, where he led the company’s business-to-business and business-to-consumer sales, customer service, consumer compliance, and corporate marketing. Mr. Marinko held accounting and financial roles as Controller and Vice President of Finance at TransUnion, from 1996-2004. Previously, he served as Controller of Official Airline Guides.
Mr. Marinko has over 30 years of financial leadership practice, specializing in accounting, finance, sales, systems and business operations. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Accounting and Business Administration from Augustana College.
DAVID JOHANSON serves as Senior Vice President, Project and Area Operations - Gulf at Great Lakes Dredge and Dock with overall responsibility for processes, policies and controls for ensuring that dredging operations are executed safely, efficiently, profitably and consistent with Corporate operating and site procedures. Mr. Johanson graduated from Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University with a BS in Ocean Engineering. He has been with the Company for over 25 years.
JOHN F. KARAS is the Senior Vice President of Estimating and has been a Senior Vice President of the GLDD since 2009. Previously, he served as a Vice President since 2002, and was named Chief Estimator in 1992. He joined the Company in 1983 as Project Engineer in the Hopper Division. Mr. Karas earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance from the University of Notre Dame. He is a member of the Western Dredging Association and the Association for the Advancement of Cost Engineering.
Vivienne Schiffer
Vivienne “Lie” Schiffer joined Great Lakes Dredge & Dock in December 2020 as SVP, Chief Legal Officer, Chief Compliance Officer, General Counsel + Corporate Secretary, and leads the Company's legal and compliance organization, providing legal counsel to Executive Management and the Board of Directors. Lie’s specific responsibilities include the oversight of corporate governance, policy and regulatory strategy development, litigation, environmental matters, intellectual property, global corporate compliance, and labor and employment laws.
Prior to joining Great Lakes, Lie was a senior corporate and securities partner in the global firm of Thompson & Knight, LLP. She has over 35 years of experience and has held significant legal, business and operational leadership roles in the industrials sector including advising clients on a range of corporate governance, capital markets and M&A matters. Lie is part of Great Lakes’ Executive Team and reports directly to the CEO.
DAVID E. SIMONELLI is GLDD's Chief Operating Officer and served as President—Dredging Division since April 2010. He has overall responsibility for the Dredging Division including safety, estimating, engineering, domestic and foreign operations, and plant and equipment. He was named a Vice President of the Company in 2002 and Special Projects Manager in 1996. He joined the Company in 1978 as a Civil Engineer and has since held positions of increasing responsibility in domestic and international operations and project management.
Mr. Simonelli earned a Bachelor of Science in Civil and Environmental Engineering from the University of Rhode Island. He is a member of the Hydrographic Society, the American Society of Civil Engineers, and The Western Dredging Association.
RUSSELL F. ZIMMERMAN is the Senior Vice President, Project and Area Operations - Southeast. Before that Mr. Zimmerman had been Vice President and Area Manager, South Atlantic since 2013. He was promoted to Vice President for Special Project in 2009 and served as Vice President, Chief Estimator from 2011 – 2013. He joined the Company in 1982 as a Field Engineer and has held positions of increasing responsibility in project management. Mr. Zimmerman earned a Bachelor of Science in Construction Management Technology from Purdue University. He is a member of the Society of American Military Engineers and the Western Dredging Association.
JAMES TASTARD, PhD joined Great Lakes as Senior Vice President & Chief Human Resources and Administrative Officer in October 2020. As a member of the Executive Team, he is responsible for leading GLDD’s HR organization, Talent Management, Leadership Development, and Learning, Compensation, and Benefits, Employee Relations, Payroll, Risk Management, Marketing and Communications, and Environment, Social, and Governance (ESG).
James has been a leader in Human Resources for three decades, focused on driving business results through the unique intersection of strategy, leadership, and culture. With a distinct focus on leadership, his areas of expertise include developing top talent, succession planning for critical roles, helping organizations thrive in dynamic conditions, and leading large-scale complex change.
Before joining GLDD, James served as a strategic talent and leadership consultant. Previously, he worked as Chief Human Resource Officer at Geokinetics, VPHR at Freeport LNG, VPHR at Statoil (now Equinor), and SVP HR & HSE at Aker Solutions. James spent ten years working and living globally to deliver significant oil and gas capital projects in Saudi Arabia, the United Kingdom, Russia, and Norway. Earlier in his career, he held positions leading people and organization change strategy, M&A, health, safety and environment, and global human resources.
James holds a bachelor’s degree from California State University, Long Beach, an MBA from the University of Phoenix, and received a Ph.D. in Business, Organization, and Management from Capella University.
LAWRENCE DICKERSON spent 34 years at Diamond Offshore Drilling, Inc. (NYSE:DO), a deepwater oil and gas drilling contractor, where he served as President and Chief Executive Officer from 2008 until his retirement in 2014. Prior to his service as President and Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Dickerson served as Chief Financial Officer, during which he helped take the company public, and Chief Operating Officer, during which he gained substantial operating and commercial experience.
In addition to being a seasoned executive, Mr. Dickerson has significant board experience including posts as Member of the Board of Directors of Murphy Oil Corporation (MUR), a gas exploration and production company, and Oil States International (NYSE:OIS), an oilfield equipment services company, since 2014. Mr. Dickerson is on the Audit and Nominating and Governance Committees at Murphy Oil Corporation and is Chairman of the Compensation Committee at Oil States International. From 2015-2016, he was Chairman of the Board of Directors of Hercules Offshore, Inc., an offshore drilling company, and from 2008-2012 he served on the Board of Directors of Global Industries, Ltd. (NASDAQ:GLBL), a subsea construction company that was sold to Technip in 2011.
ELAINE DORWARD-KING, PhD most recently was the Executive Vice President, Sustainability and External Relations at Newmont Mining Corporation (“Newmont”) (NYSE:NEM), the world’s leading gold mining company. Dr. Dorward-King has spent the majority of her career in mining and joined Newmont in 2013. Prior to joining Newmont, Dr. Dorward-King spent 21 years with Rio Tinto, one of the world’s largest diversified producers of metals and minerals, in general management and Environmental Health and Safety leadership roles. Dr. Dorward-King has over 25 years of leadership experience in creating and implementing sustainable development, safety, health and environmental strategy, and programs in mining, chemical, and engineering consulting sectors. Currently Dr. Dorward-King serves on the Board of Directors of Kenmare Resources plc (LSE:KMR, ISE:KMR), one of the world’s largest producers of mineral sands products.
Dr. Dorward-King holds a Bachelor’s Degree from Maryville College and received a PhD in Analytical Chemistry from Colorado State University.
RYAN LEVENSON is Principal and Portfolio Manager of Privet Fund Management, LLC. Mr. Levenson currently serves on the Board of Directors of Frequency Electronics, Inc (NASDAQ:FEIM), Hardinge, Inc. (NASDAQ:HDNG), Agjunction, Inc. (TSX:AJX) and Cicero, Inc. (OTC:CICN). Previously, Mr. Levenson served as a director of RELM Wireless, Inc., where he served as a member of the Audit Committee, and as a director and member of the Compensation, Organization and Corporate Governance Committee of Material Sciences Corp. from May 2013 until its sale in March 2014. Mr. Levenson also served as a member of the Board of Directors and Compensation and Audit Committees of The Middleby Corporation from May 2006 until November 2012. Prior to founding Privet Fund Management LLC in February 2007, Mr. Levenson served as Vice President of Business Development at MSI, a privately held building products distributor and construction services company, from 2003 until 2006. Prior to his service with MSI, Mr. Levenson served as a financial analyst for Cramer Rosenthal McGlynn’s long/short equity hedge fund after working at SAC Capital Advisors LLC in a similar capacity.
LASSE PETTERSON has served as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) since May 2017. Most recently, Mr. Petterson served as a private consultant to clients in the Oil and Gas sector and served as Chief Operating Officer (COO) and Executive Vice President at Chicago Bridge and Iron (CB&I) from 2009 to 2013. Reporting directly to the CEO, he was responsible for all of CB&I’s engineering, procurement and construction project operations and sales. Prior to CB&I, Mr. Petterson was CEO of Gearbulk, Ltd., a privately held company that owns and operates one of the largest fleets of gantry craned open hatch bulk vessels in the world. He was also President and COO of AMEC Inc. Americas, a subsidiary of AMEC plc, a British multi-national consulting, engineering and project management company. Prior to joining AMEC, Mr. Petterson served in various executive and operational positions for Aker Maritime, Inc., the deepwater division of Aker Maritime ASA of Norway, over the course of 20 years. He spent the first nine years of his career in various positions at Norwegian Contractors, an offshore oil and gas platform contractor.
Mr. Petterson holds both Master’s and bachelor’s degrees from the Norwegian University of Technology, and currently serves as Chief Executive Officer of Great Lakes Corporation.
STEVEN L. LANE has been serving as Vice President, Rivers and Lakes Division Manager since 2015. He is responsible and oversees the R&L division’s performance, business development, project operations, and equipment requirements to better suit the targeted market. He joined GLDD in 2013 as a Project Director until he was promoted to his present position in 2015. He has over 30 years of managerial experience in engineering, special marine vessel construction, and hopper/hydraulic dredging operations.
Mr. Lane attended the University of Minnesota for Mechanical Engineering before starting his career in the shipbuilding business.
Mr. Lightfoot was named Vice President, Finance in May 2019. He joined Great Lakes in 2011 as Senior Manager of Financial Reporting responsible for public company (SEC) reporting. In 2013, he was appointed to the role of Director and assumed financial planning and analysis and tax responsibilities. Prior to Great Lakes, he was a financial consultant to large publicly traded clients and was a divisional Director of Strategy for Equity Office Properties. Mr. Lightfoot has dual bachelor’s degrees in accounting and international business from Taylor University, and is a CPA.
KATHLEEN M. SHANAHAN is a prominent Florida businesswoman with a long and distinguished background in business, politics and public service. Ms. Shanahan has recently been named co-CEO of Turtle & Hughes, an electrical and industrial distribution company headquartered in Linden, New Jersey. Prior, she was the Chairman of Ground Works Solutions, previously known as URETEK Holdings, Inc. Ground Works Solutions is a Florida based company focused on soil stabilization and densification for infrastructure rehabilitation. From 2011 until 2016, Ms. Shanahan served as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the company.
Ms. Shanahan currently serves as a Vice Chair of the Florida Council of 100, pro bono advisor to the Florida Coalition Against Domestic Violence, board member of BioIQ, board member of the Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority (HART), board member of Tampa General Hospital, board member & Executive Vice President of Marketing for Turtle & Hughes, and is a member of Women Corporate Directors and the International Women’s Forum.
Previously, Ms. Shanahan was Chairman and CEO of WRScompass, a civil and environmental construction company that experienced significant growth under her leadership from 2005 through 2011. Prior to her executive management posts, Ms. Shanahan was a senior consultant to former New York Stock Exchange CEO John Thain, and a senior executive in charge of public and community affairs at PaineWebber.
Her positions in federal and state public policy include serving as Chief of Staff for Florida Governor Jeb Bush, Chief of Staff to Vice President-elect Dick Cheney, Deputy Secretary of the California Trade and Commerce Agency, Special Assistant to then Vice President George Bush, and Staff Assistant on President Reagan’s National Security Council.
Ms. Shanahan previously served as a member and Chair of Florida’s State Board of Education, the Eckerd Board, the Lincoln Center Institute Board, member of the National Parks Foundation Board – a Presidential appointment, executive cabinet member of the American Heart Association’s Tampa Bay Heart Ball, executive committee member of the Republican National Convention 2012 Tampa Bay Host Committee, member of the Terra Sea board, a Great Lakes Dock & Dredge company with Belgian based DEME/DEC, a board member of TRC (NYSE:TRR), which was later taken private after being acquired by a private equity firm, and as Chair of the Florida Supreme Court Judicial Nominating Commission.
In recent years, Ms. Shanahan has been honored with the Tampa Bay Business Journal’s Inaugural Community Leader Award at the 2012 Business Woman of the Year Gala. In 2011 she received the Governor’s Business Leader Award, and in 2010 she was awarded the Foundation for Excellence in Education’s Arts for Life! Guardian of the Arts Award.
Ms. Shanahan received her undergraduate degree in biochemistry from the University of California, San Diego and a Master’s of Business Administration from the New York University Stern School of Management.
RONALD STEGER serves on the Board of Directors of Great Lakes Dredge and Dock Corporation (since May of 2018) as a member of the Audit Committee; Global Eagle Entertainment, Inc. (since April 2017) as Chairman of the Audit Committee. Since September 2015, Mr. Steger has served as the Senior Technical Advisor to the Effectus Group, an accounting advisory firm based in Silicon Valley. He has also served on the Advisory Board of ATREG, a global advisory firm specializing in the semiconductor and related advanced technology verticals, since February 2014; Overseas Shipholding Group, Inc. from August 2014 to June 2018 as its Audit Committee Chairman and member of the Corporate Governance and Risk Assessment Committee; and International Seaways, Inc. (from November 2016 to June 2017) as a member of the Audit Committee and Chairman of the Corporate Governance and Risk Assessment Committee.
Mr. Steger began his career with KPMG in 1976 and was admitted into its partnership in 1986. Ron served as an SEC Reviewing Partner from 2003 to 2013, and retired from the firm in December 2013.
Mr. Steger holds a BS in Accounting from Villanova University.
KATHERINE HAYES O’HALLORAN was appointed to her position of Vice President, Corporate Controller in 2013. She served as Company Treasurer since 2011 and previously held the role of Director of Investor Relations and Financial Reporting since joining the Company in 2006. Prior to Great Lakes, Mrs. O’Halloran was Director of Corporate Accounting at TransUnion, LLC. She is a CPA and has a Bachelor of Science degree in Accountancy from Northern Illinois University and a Master of Business Administration in Finance from St. Xavier University in Chicago.
MICHAEL STEUERT served as Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Fluor Corporation (NYSE:FLR), one of the world’s largest publicly traded engineering, procurement, construction, maintenance, and project management companies, from 2001 until his retirement in 2012. Prior to his service at Fluor, Mr. Steuert served as Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Litton Industries Inc., a defense contractor acquired by Northrop Grumman Corporation in 2001, and as Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of GenCorp Inc., now Aerojet Rocketdyne, a technology-based aerospace and defense company (NASDAQ:AJRD), from 1990 to 1999. Mr. Steuert started his career at TRW, Inc.
In addition to his extensive executive leadership experience, Mr. Steuert has substantial board experience including posts as Member of the Board of Directors of LNG Ltd. (ASX: LNG) since 2015 and where he serves as a member of the Board’s Audit Committee and Chairman of its Risk Committee. He has been a Member of the Board of Directors of Weyerhaeuser Co. (NYSE:WY) since 2004 where he is Chairman and Financial Expert of the Audit Committee and a member of the Corporate Responsibility and Governance Committee.
CHRISTOPHER G. GUNSTEN, P.E. serves as Vice President, International Operations with responsibility for acquiring projects, providing estimation data, and leading field supervision of work in progress. Chris began his career with Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Company as a Field Engineer in1992. Career highlights include serving as Deputy Project Manager for Chevron’s Wheatstone LNG Project’s Engineering, Procure and Construct dredging subcontract in Onslow, WA, Australia valued at $1.2 billion AUD, as Project Manager executing a series of capital projects for the USACE New York District’s 45 and 50 Foot Harbor Deepening Programs, and as Operations Manager for GLDD’s Øresund Fixed Link Project in Copenhagen, Denmark. He received his Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from Rutgers University.
T. CHRISTOPHER ROBERTS was named Vice President in 2011 having developed and managed the Field Engineering Department from 1996. He joined the Company in 1989 as a Field Engineer Intern and within Engineering roles worked on Company projects throughout the US and Middle East. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering Technology from Murray State University and a Master of Business Administration from Lewis University