Steamship Authority general manager Wayne Lamson has earned a reputation as a thoughtful, deliberative, and understated leader over the course of a career that included four stints as the interim head of the boatine before he was permanently named to the top post in December 2004.
So his decision to announce his retirement one year prior to his departure, in the context of his annual report to the port council on his proposed goals for the next year, came as no surprise to those who know him. At the meeting on July 6, Mr. Lamson said one of his goals was to work with the SSA board members on developing a selection process and transition plan for the appointment of his successor.
“My last day will be June 30, 2017,” Mr. Lamson said. “This will give the board time to decide how they want to proceed with the appointment of my successor and provide for a smooth transition for whoever they pick.”
Mr. Lamson will discuss those goals and the transition process when the Authority members hold their monthly meeting Tuesday morning at 9:30 am in the Oak Bluffs library meeting room.
The meeting agenda also calls for an update on the $60 million Woods Hole terminal reconstruction project, and a report on public comments in response to the staff’s preliminary report on the feasibility of providing freight service between New Bedford and Martha’s Vineyard.
Mr. Lamson was named general manager following the resignation of chief executive officer Fred Raskin over disagreements with the board, chiefly Nantucket member Grace Grossman, and in the aftermath of a turbulent period during which New Bedford was made a member of the authority. His tenure as general manager has been marked by a period of political, managerial, and financial stability.
Mr. Lamson began working for the Steamship Authority in 1969 as a seasonal ticket seller at the Woods Hole terminal. He graduated from Bentley College in 1972, and went to work in the authority’s accounting department as an auditor, rising through the ranks to treasurer and comptroller.
Between November 1985 and April 2002, he was tapped four times to fill in as interim general manager. Following the departure of Mr. Raskin, he was once again named interim manager, a post he held from July 2004 to December 2004, when he was named general manager.
“We have a lot of dedicated employees who work day in and day out to keep this operation running 365 days per year,” Mr. Lamson said in an email to The Times Monday. “I get letters of complaints, but I also receive many letters and comments of how a certain employee went out of their way or took the time to walk a customer through an issue or help them with a problem. There is always room for improvement in whatever you do, so it has always been about making continuous improvements.”
