Foss Maritime Welcomes New Chief Operating Officer

Industry veteran John Parrott to oversee operating divisions, strategic planning and best practices

SEATTLE – Dec. 7, 2015 – Foss Maritime is pleased to announce that John Parrott will be joining the Foss executive team as Chief Operating Officer (COO).

Parrott comes to Foss from sister company, TOTE Maritime Alaska, where he has served as President for sixteen years. In his new role as Foss’ COO, Parrott will be responsible for overseeing key operating divisions, developing and delivering on strategic plans, and optimizing day-to-day operations through implementation of best practices throughout the organization.

“We are thrilled to have John join us in our corporate office after the first of the year,” said Paul Stevens, President and CEO of Foss Maritime. “John is a maritime industry veteran who is well known to us at Foss. We look forward to having his expertise and experience on board.”

John Parrott

After ten years sailing aboard a wide range of vessels in trade routes around the world, Parrott began at TOTE Maritime in 1992 as the Chief Mate of the SS Northern Lights. In 1994 he came ashore, and later became the General Manager for Sea Star Stevedore, which manages the loading, discharge and terminal operations for TOTE Maritime. In 2002, Parrott returned to TOTE Maritime as the Alaska General Manager, where he was soon promoted to Vice President/GM, then VP of Commercial before being named President of TOTE Maritime Alaska in 2009.

In 2011 U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood named Parrott a member of the Marine Transportation System National Advisory Council. MTSNAC is a chartered, non-federal body whose purpose is to advise the Secretary of Transportation on MTS issues including the effective use and expansion of America’s Marine Highway, port development and development challenges.

Parrott sits on the Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber of Commerce board of directors and travels to Washington D.C. each year with the WA-to-WA delegation. He serves on the Seaman’s Services board of directors and is the treasurer for the Annie Wright Schools Board of Trustees. A strong believer in communities and education, Parrott is also active with The Boys & Girls Clubs of South Puget Sound’s Great Futures scholarship program.

Born in Seattle, Parrott has a BS degree in Marine Transportation from the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy; Kings Point, New York, and an MBA from Seattle University. He is a licensed master in the U.S. Merchant Marines and holds a commission in the United States Naval Reserve. Parrott, his wife and three children live in Tacoma.