 After
more than three decades at Carnival Cruise Lines, Brendan Corrigan has
internally announced his plans to retire in 2011.As svp
marine operations, Corrigan leads technical purchasing, technical operations,
special projects, environmental, safety and quality assurance, deck and engine
manning, port operations and maritime legal and medical affairs.
Getting his start on the ships in the 1970s, he was brought shoreside by
Carnival’s long-time operations boss, the late Mike Zonis, and served as his
right hand for many years. When Zonis retired, Corrigan moved up to lead the
newly created cruise operations position, becoming svp in 2000.
‘I have had a wonderful career at Carnival and have been blessed to have worked
with so many talented and dedicated people over the years both ashore and
afloat,’ Corrigan told Seatrade Insider. ‘I am fortunate enough to be in the
enviable position of having the option of choosing to retire.
‘It was a difficult decision after 32 years,’ he continued, ‘but in addition to
my wife, son and two daughters, I have a grandson now and my aging mother is
still living in my native Scotland.’ Corrigan said he wants to spend more time
with his family and travel with his wife Margaret.
‘I leave with many fond memories and with all best wishes to my colleagues at
Carnival for their continued success,’ he added.
In a company memo, Corrigan’s boss, evp ship operations Ruben Rodriguez, called
him ‘a great colleague and a trusted adviser’ who remains very engaged in day to
day operations and will assist in recruiting a successor.
Carnival spokesman Tim Gallagher said that after Corrigan told senior management
of his plans, he was asked to stay for several more years but indicated he
wished to retire sooner than that. In addition to helping find his successor, he
will remain with the company through a transition period.
‘Over the years Brendan has made invaluable contributions to the success of
Carnival Cruise Lines,’ Gallagher said. ‘We thank him for his dedication and
service to the company and wish him all the best in his retirement.’
Former Carnival president and ceo Bob Dickinson called Corrigan ‘a pillar of
Carnival for many, many years’ and ‘an extraordinary individual.’
He has strong with relationships with ‘virtually everyone who touches the cruise
industry: vendors, port directors, regulators and all the officials in the
islands, ports and countries where Carnival operates,’ Dickinson said. ‘He not
only knows the business but knows very well the people who truly make the
business.’
With all the captains, chief engineers and senior officers reporting to Corrigan
he’s the ‘capo di tutti capi,’ Dickinson quipped. ‘He knew them all, knew their
families. These deep personal relationships are so important in this people
business.’
In being mentored by Zonis, Corrigan ‘learned at the foot of the master’ about
relationships and how they can sustain a company through thick and thin,
Dickinson added.
Corrigan joined Carnival in 1978, working aboard several ships as a sanitation
officer until 1982, when he became shoreside ship supervisor for the now-retired
Festivale. He then served as operations manager and director, and was promoted
to vp in 1992, then moved up again in 2000 to svp cruise operations and took his
current role in 2006.
Off the job, Corrigan is known for another talent.
‘For the hard worker he is, he plays a surprisingly good game of golf,’
Dickinson said. |
|
 |
