SUNY President, Vice Admiral John W. Craine Jr., USN (Ret.) Announces Retirement

SUNY Maritime College president Vice Admiral John W. Craine, Jr., USN (Ret.) today announced his plans to retire at the end of this academic year, after graduation in May, 2011. The announcement was made at the annual fall faculty meeting.

During Admiral Craine’s tenure as president, the Maritime College has received significant national and international recognition, including a nationally ranked engineering program, and its student enrollment has increased more than 100%. Student job placement at the College is 100% with one of the highest average starting salaries in the nation. Numerous academic enhancements have been made, including a new academic department in Professional Education and Training, three new Bachelor of Science degree programs in International Transportation and Trade, Maritime Studies, Marine Operations/Engine and several new certificate programs. Campus infrastructure has been upgraded and renovated, including laboratories, classrooms, a new IT database management system, athletic complex enhancements, and improved roads, sidewalks, street lighting, and new electrical and heating systems. In March of 2011, construction will begin on a new state-of-the-art academic building.

“It is gratifying to work with such terrific and dedicated faculty and staff members,” Admiral Craine said of those with whom he has worked at the college. “They are the ones responsible for the facility enhancements, the record student enrollment that the college is enjoying, who have made possible the first rate education leading to the outstanding successes at sea and ashore that our graduates enjoy following graduation.”

Admiral Craine noted that he and his wife, Wendy, greatly enjoy living on the Throggs Neck campus and being part of the Maritime College community. At the faculty meeting, he said that the decision to retire was not reached overnight. “Wendy and I have talked about it for some time.” He commented that with the numerous enhancements to campus infrastructure completed and with a new five-year strategic and campus master plans in place, “this is an excellent time for a new president to come in to execute these new plans.”

In addition to his current assignment as president at SUNY Maritime College, Admiral Craine is also chairman of the State Maritime Academy Consortium of the six state maritime academies. He serves on the International Executive Board of the International Association of Maritime Universities, is chairman of its International Maritime Organization (IMO) liaison committee and is a delegate to the IMO.

Prior to joining The State University of New York, Admiral Craine served for thirty-three years in the U.S. Navy, where he held several senior leadership positions, including command of a fighter squadron and a naval air station. Upon selection as an admiral, he was assigned as Commander, Naval Shore Activities, U.S. Atlantic Fleet, overseeing 26 naval bases and air stations in the Atlantic Fleet, and later served as Director of Assessment, Office of the Chief of Naval Operations. He culminated his naval service in the grade of Vice Admiral as Director, Naval Training, Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, and Chief of Naval Education and Training, overseeing 168 training activities that provided training for 440,000 officers, soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines each year, in programs ranging from enlisted and officer basic and technical training to naval flight training.

SUNY Chancellor Nancy Zimpher said, “For the past nine years, Vice Admiral John Craine has served the State University of New York and the Maritime College with outstanding leadership and dedication. He brought to SUNY skills, experiences and values earned through a life of service to our country and shared them with the next generation of young men and women. As a result, the Maritime College is at one of the strongest points in its distinguished history. I have had the opportunity to sail with Admiral Craine aboard the Empire State VI and know the high regard in which he is held by the cadets, faculty, officers and staff of the College. I look forward to working with him to make this academic year another successful one for the College.

“As Admiral Craine has provided advance notice of his plans, we will undertake the appropriate steps with the Maritime College Council to begin a presidential search so as to insure a smooth transition next summer. I am pleased that Admiral Craine has agreed to serve until his successor is chosen and is in office so as to continue Maritime’s strong momentum.”

http://www.sunymaritime.edu/