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Propeller Club Names Rear Adm. Joel Whitehead as EVP

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Published Jun 30, 2021 12:32 PM by The Maritime Executive

The board of the International Propeller Club of the United States has selected Rear Admiral Joel Whitehead (USCG, ret'd.), as its new executive vice president. As EVP, Whitehead will be responsible for the day-to-day operations of the organization, and he will serve as the primary liaison to the Club’s 70 port chapters worldwide.

Admiral Whitehead will relieve Mr. John Cullather, a public policy expert and veteran of the maritime committees of the U.S. House of Representatives. Cullather has served as the EVP of the Propeller Club since 2019.

Admiral Whitehead is the president of J. Whitehead & Associates, Inc., a maritime consulting firm in metro New Orleans, LA. He served from 2017 – 2019 as the elected International President of the International Propeller Club. During his 38-year Coast Guard career, he served in various operational assignments, including Commander of the 8th Coast Guard District in New Orleans, where he was responsible for Coast Guard operations and oversight of the maritime and offshore oil industry in 26 states and the Gulf of Mexico. 

His other prominent assignments included Captain of the Port of Boston, Deputy Group Commander of Group Woods Hole, and marine safety advisor to the Federal On-Scene Coordinator in Valdez, AK, during the Exxon Valdez oil spill. In Washington, DC, Rear Adm. Whitehead served as Assistant Commandant for Governmental and Public Affairs, Chief of Congressional Affairs, and Chief of Strategic Planning.

Admiral Whitehead is a graduate of the U.S. Coast Guard Academy and the State University of N.Y., where he completed a master’s degree in public administration. He also completed fellowships in National Security and International Affairs at Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

“The International Propeller Club is indeed most fortunate to have Admiral Whitehead at the helm. Bringing him on board as Executive Vice President is an exceptional opportunity to harness Joel’s outstanding leadership skills, strong management background, and proven track record with strategic planning. This will be a real game-changer, and I look for great things to come for the Propeller Club," said Niels Aalund, International President of the Propeller Club.