Jonathan Kabak | CEO, Oliver Hazard Perry Rhode Island Inc.
1. How has the Oliver Hazard Perry mission changed since it launched in 2015? Our mission has not changed. We continue to offer empowering programs that provide personal and professional growth aboard the SSV Oliver Hazard Perry, Rhode Island’s flagship. The best way to offer these experiences is in new and innovative ways that increase access and opportunity to more-diverse audiences through a variety of program models ranging from dockside to multiday and weeklong voyages. It is sail training and sea education for the 21st century.
2. What is the workforce-development initiative that will take place on board? The Perry Corps is our flagship program, which provides career exposure and skills training to three distinct populations: high school students, underemployed adults and veterans. The goal is to prepare them to succeed in the marine trades, maritime industry and defense sector, or more broadly in STEAM-related fields [science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics]. The program is designed to take place over the course of a year.
3. What is your leadership background in the marine trades? I grew up in the world of sail-training ships since my childhood in New York City. Those early experiences in onboard leadership led to a career at sea, sailing in command of vessels ranging from historic tall ships to modern, high-performance race boats, yachts and academy-training ships. My real passion is in the area of maritime education and training, with a focus on leadership. I have had the honor of creating specialized programming for the U.S. Navy, [National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Officer Corps], U.S. Merchant Marine Academy and the U.S. Maritime Resource Center in Middletown.
4. The nonprofit had to lay off many workers in the past. Is there now sufficient capital to keep the ship in operation? We are committed to operating with a better eye toward sound business practice, especially when it comes to managing ... expenses. This demands more diversity in our revenue sources and a more pragmatic approach to spending. We scale our operations to our anticipated revenue stream and work aggressively to ensure that we are not reliant on a last-minute miracle.
5. What is the greatest challenge you face as the new CEO? Even if the ship sits idle, there are significant costs. Unlike many restarts, we don’t have the luxury of pressing pause, drastically reducing overhead and spending years revamping our business model. We have to hit the ground running and get it right the first time.
Mary MacDonald is a PBN staff writer. Contact her at Macdonald@PBN.com.
