The Houston-based international classification society American Bureau of Shipping (ABS), which maintains offices at all the major West Coast ports, has announced that the firm's President and COO Christopher Wiernicki will assume the additional role of CEO starting in April.
Robert Sommerville, current Chairman and CEO of ABS, will step down as CEO while maintaining his role as Chairman of both ABS and the ABS Group of Companies.
Classification firms such as ABS develop and verify standards for the design, construction and operational maintenance of marine-related facilities.
Wiernicki, also a member of the Board of Directors of ABS, is a 17 year veteran of ABS and has worked closely with Somerville for the last four years in his position as President and COO.
In addition to his current roles, Wiernicki has also held a number of senior positions during his tenure at ABS, including President and COO of ABS Europe Ltd, Chief Technology Officer and President and COO of ABS Group. He joined ABS in 1993 as Vice President of Engineering within the ABS Americas Division. Prior to ABS, Wiernicki was President and Chief Executive of naval architecture firm Designers and Planners Inc.
According to ABS, the new management structure mirrors that of the ABS Group of Companies, which provides independent risk management services to the energy, government, insurance and industrial sectors. Tony Nassif serves as CEO and President of the ABS Group of Companies, which is also based in Houston.
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
