Captain Peter J. Bergeron, USCG (ret) has over 33 years of executive level leadership experience at the highest levels of government, military service, and business including the White House, the Chief of Naval Operations, and the Commandant of the Coast Guard. He is a recognized leader in the fields of maritime safety, security, operations, and continuity of government/business operations. He is currently the Senior Director of Safety and Security for the Canaveral Port Authority responsible for all public safety activities at the busiest cruise Port in the world with over 6.78 million passengers. He ensures public safety and security interests and activities are integrated in all aspects of operations including cruise and cargo, construction, recreation, special events, management of Port assets, the Space industry, and the Department of Defense. Captain Bergeron retired from the Coast Guard after 27 years of exceptional service including four tours as a Cutter Commanding Officer, a 3-year assignment to the White House Military Office working for the President, and tours working directly for the Chief of Naval Operations, and the Commandant of the Coast Guard. He was a Fellow at the Chief of Naval Operations Strategic Study Group in 2006. He is a 1983 graduate of the US Coast Guard Academy with a BS in Government. He holds a Master of Science in Strategic Intelligence from the Defense Intelligence College (1992), and an MBA from the MIT Sloan School of Management in 2002. He is the author of two novels: The Black and White Club: Genesis, and The Black and White Club: Illuminology.

In 2017, Arnie Tyler founded MerLion Advisory Group as a security consulting company with expertise in Maritime Domain Awareness and Response. This expertise is rooted in decades of U.S. Navy and energy industry “command and control” and patrol boat operations covering the sea-land “seam” of operations such as found in ports, waterways, and coastal / near shore pipeline construction projects. This complex environment is where risk is multi-dimensional and real solutions are comprehensive. As a result, MerLion continues to adapt with solutions that fuse human capabilities with developing autonomous technologies.

Arnie’s operational experience began as a nuclear engineer and Surface Warfare Officer onboard the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN-68) ad culminated in five Commanding Office tours in coastal security operations in port of the United States, Europe, Africa and the Middle East. Success in world-wide maritime and shore-based anti-terrorism and force protection operations led to selection as a classified programs Facility Security Officer and Vice President, Security and Defense Programs in the vessel recycling industry. These roles, combined with regional security responsibilities in the energy industry, have al fed into his current vision for MerLion, which is to be a leader in human-technology applications to ensure maritime safety, security, and environmental sustainability for his clients.

Tyler’s education includes a Master’s degree in Security Management for Executives, “Navy equivalent” advanced training in Nuclear Engineering, and under-graduate degrees in Physics and Mathematics. He is a Texas licensed “Qualified Security Manager.” And operates a Texas “Security Training School,” primarily supporting critical infrastructure objectives. He holds numerous U.S. Navy Commanding Officer and Security certifications while receiving related awards from the U.S. Navy, U.S. Army, and U.S. Coast Guard, alongside personal and unit commendations from the U.S. Embassy and both British and Australian military leaders.

Rohit Saxena is an award-winning leader recognized for strategy formulation, proactive approach to problem-solving, and delivering results in dynamic, demanding environments. His 25 years of global experience involves guiding sizeable, cross-functional teams and wide range of stakeholders to successfully plan and deliver major capital projects and infrastructure initiatives across various sectors that include ports, urban planning, rail, energy, education, and management of capital works programs.

In his current role as Director, Facility Planning, Rohit oversees the execution of Port Houston’s strategic and long-range planning functions and serves as executive advisor to leadership for the development of infrastructural growth and capital improvements project as well as repurposing of existing assets to support maritime operations, intermodal transportation, and enhance the Port’s market capitalization. He led the development of Port Houston’s 2040 Plan and is also supporting the program management of the Houston Ship Channel Expansion–Project 11.

Rohit is passionate about building high-performing teams and specializes in the delivery of complex long-term programs and projects. His abilities extend across strategic master planning, program and project management, business analytics, procurement advice, stakeholder management, and risk management, and he has been recognized for professional excellence by Port Houston and the Australian Institute of Project Management.

Jean-Paul Rodrigue is Professor at the Department of Maritime Business Administration at Texas A&M University – Galveston. He received a Ph.D. in Transport Geography from the Université de Montréal (1994).

Dr. Rodrigue sits on the international editorial board of the Journal of Transport Geography, Transport Reviews, the Journal of Shipping and Trade, and the Cahiers Scientifiques du Transport. He is a board member of the University Transportation Research Center, Region II of the City University of New York, and is a lead member of the PortEconomics.eu initiative as well as of the International Association of Maritime Economists. Dr. Rodrigue was a member of the World Economic Forum Global Agenda Council on the Future of Manufacturing (2011-2016). In 2013, the US Secretary of Transportation appointed Dr. Rodrigue to sit on the Advisory Board of the US Merchant Marine Academy, a position he held until 2018. He is also the New York team leader for the MetroFreight project about city logistics. He regularly performs advisory and consulting assignments for international organizations and corporations and is interviewed by the media over transportation-related matters.

Dr. Rodrigue has authored 7 books, 32 book chapters, more than 60 peer-reviewed papers, numerous reports, and delivered more than 175 conferences and seminar presentations, mostly at the international level. He ranks among the top 2% most cited scholars in the world and among the top 100 in the field of transport and logistics (67 as of 2023). His paper about port regionalization became one of the world’s most cited works in maritime transportation. His book about the global economic space, has been published by Les Presses de l’Universté du Québec and won the 2001 PricewaterhouseCoopers award (Prix du livre d’affaire) for the best French business-related book published in North America. His high-impact textbook, The Geography of Transport Systems (Online Version), was first published by Routledge in July 2006 and is now in its fifth edition. His co-authored textbook, Port Economics, Management and Policy, was published in January 2022. He is also co-editor of the Sage Handbook of Transport Studies. In 2019, he was the recipient of the Edward L. Ullman Award for outstanding contribution to the field of transport geography by the American Association of Geographers. In 2022, Dr. Rodrigue was appointed a Distinguished Fellow at the Hagler Institute for Advanced Study / Department of Maritime Administration, Texas A&M University.

Born and raised in Sydney, Cape Breton, Kathleen Yurchesyn is a passionate and engaged advocate for the region’s future growth and prosperity. A graduate of the Public Relations Degree program at Mount Saint Vincent University in Halifax, Kathleen is currently the Vice President of Operations and Corporate Development with Novaporte – a 2000+ acre transformational port development that will serve as a hub on North America’s East Coast for offshore wind development and green energy production and export.

Previously, Kathleen was the CEO of the Cape Breton Regional Chamber of Commerce for four years. During her time at the Chamber, she has implemented strategies to help grow the organization and region. She has also contributed to the local business community through her advocacy work – encouraging collaboration and cultivating positivity.

Kathleen’s skills include strategic development and implementation and corporate communications, along with organizational leadership and project management. She has demonstrated her ability throughout her career as a collaborative, self-directed and disciplined leader of projects and initiatives across many disciplines. She is committed to and passionate about the growth and revitalization of Cape Breton and the Province of Nova Scotia.

A 45+ year veteran of the maritime industry, Robert Hawn began his career in Beaumont, Texas, as a fledgling shipping agent, gradually moving upward and outward. During his career he has worked with virtually every kind of ship in existence, arranging port calls through more than 15 ports across the U.S. Gulf as well as in the ports surrounding Norfolk, Virginia.

He has vast experience in commercial shipping operations, including more than 30 years in various management positions with several leading U.S. shipping agencies. Hawn joined West Gulf Maritime Association in 2014, and in that position had daily responsibility for working with its members, such as shipping agents, stevedores, local ports, terminals, associated industry partners and government entities to ensure business continuity across many of the ports leading the nation in growth and overall tonnage. He was promoted to Vice President, Maritime Affairs, in November 2021.

He currently serves on 4 different Harbor Safety Committees of the Western Gulf, is Regional Vice President for the Western US Gulf Region of the International Propeller Club and is heavily involved with many other industry affiliated boards and committees throughout the region.

Robert Dubois is the Director of the Center for Advances in Port Management at Lamar University. Rob hails from Miami Florida and graduated Phi Beta Kappa with a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Florida before joining the United States Coast Guard.

As a young Coast Guard (CG) deck and engineering officer at the Marine Safety Office in Port Arthur Texas, Rob inspected oil tankers, cargo vessels, and offshore drilling units, led an armed foreign vessel boarding team, investigated collisions, allisions, groundings, and oil spills, and prosecuted administrative hearings as the Chief of the Investigation department.

Rob’s next assignment was Navy Flight school where he graduated first in his class in academics, earned his Navy Wings, and then went on to pilot CG Falcon Jets all over the US, Caribbean, Central, and South America doing Search and Rescue (SAR), migrant and drug interdiction, marine environmental protection, and fisheries enforcement.

As a CG falcon jet pilot, Rob earned an MS with distinction in aeronautical science and system safety from Embry Riddle University, and after two Pilot tours, the CG selected him to attend a full-time mid-career graduate program at Harvard University where he earned an MPA in public policy, economics, and leadership.

After graduating from Harvard, Rob transferred to CG Headquarters in Washington DC and became the CG’s lead performance budget analyst. Shortly after September 11th Rob was promoted to Chief of CG Plans and Policy where he briefed the House select committee on Homeland Security and worked with his team to protect our national infrastructure and integrate the CG into the newly forming Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

After a productive tour in Washington DC, Rob’s career circled back to Port Arthur, Texas where he facilitated National energy independence by reviewing and approving Cheniere, Exxon Mobile, and Sempra LNG waterway suitability assessments. Rob and his team also helped our region and waterway recover from devastating hurricanes and partnered with Jefferson County and the Navigation district to fund armed boats to further protect critical infrastructure and ships on the Sabine Neches waterway.

When Rob retired as a CG Commander with 21 years of service, Royal Dutch Shell asked him to build a best-in-class security program during the construction of our Nation’s largest refinery at Motiva in Port Arthur. For the next 12+ years, Rob and his team improved CG facility plans, Shell and Saudi Aramco Security policy, and built, and re-designed smart, cost effective infrastructure to protect Motiva refinery and its marine terminals. Rob also serves on Maritime Boards and Industry Committees in our region and taught Exxon Mobile risk management and OSHA courses at ISTC.

Mr. Thigpen currently serves as General Manager, Marine New Build Sales, leading the US Sales team in capturing new build opportunities with vessel owners, ship design companies, and shipyards. Joel joined Wärtsilä in June 2015 as the US Sales Manager for Oil & Gas, and later was named General Manager of Segment Sales – Offshore Drilling, where he focused his attention on leading the industry transformation towards a Smart Offshore Ecosystem.

Just prior to taking on his current role, Joel served as the General Manager of Wärtsilä’s Global New Build Sales Program, leading global multi-functional teams on complex strategic new build projects in various marine applications. Including his time at Wärtsilä, Joel has served for over fifteen years in various Sales and Business Development capacities, focused on the global offshore Oil & Gas market, which have included expat assignments in Aberdeen Scotland and Dubai, while working for National Oilwell Varco.

Prior to his time in the oilfield, Mr. Thigpen served as a personnel officer in the United States Air Force.

Mr. Thigpen earned his Bachelor of Science in Social Sciences with a concentration in Management from the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Marco Poisler is a member of UTC’s Global Executive Management Team and Board of Directors. Poisler has played an integral role in UTC’s establishment of strategic Global Energy & Capital Project offices around the world supporting a global supply chain. UTC Overseas specializes in designing tailored transport strategies for over-dimensional, over-weight, and specialized equipment.

Born and raised in Jersey City and in a family passionate about transportation, Poisler went on to study economics at Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service, and complete a Masters in Transportation at SUNY Maritime. Fluent in Portuguese, Spanish and a working knowledge of Ukrainian, his background has informed and inspired his passion for global logistics and the exciting challenges the job brings him every day.

Vesa Koivumaa is Head of Growth, Americas for Voyage, division of Wärtsilä a global leader in smart technologies and complete lifecycle solutions for the marine and energy markets. Vesa’s areas of focus and responsibility are the exploration of strategic maritime solutions and technological growth opportunities.

Over 20 years in a variety of senior executive and management positions including at Wärtsilä, Vesa’s primary areas of impact include: Integration and Harmonization of European Companies into the Americas Network Security, OEM, Complex Project Management, and Customer Experience Management (CX).

Prior to Wartsila, Vesa worked as VP, Channel Management in San Francisco for Stonesoft, Americas, an IT security company acquired by Intel’s subsidiary McAfee.

Member of the Board, Maritime Blue, State of Washington and The Finnish American Chamber of Commerce, Greater Houston where he serves as President.

A native of Finland, Vesa holds an MBA in International Business with a focus in Finance & Banking from the George Washington University.