Jeffrey Stenberg ’82
Major at MMA: Marine Engineering
Extracurricular involvement while at MMA: APO, Summer Sailing
Employer: William Kramer & Associates
Where has your career taken you since graduation?
I have lived in New Orleans, LA; Kobe, Japan; Sydney, Australia; Long Beach, CA; Paramus, NJ; Westbrook, CT; Southwick, MA; Frankfurt, Germany; Granby, MA; Waterville, ME; Edgecomb, ME. However, for the past year I have been living in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Where my education has taken me? Well that is a different question. I have been around the world three times. I have been on ships, drill rigs, planes, helicopters (even crash landed in a helicopter on a drill rig), and pipe sleds. I have ridden a life-ring and net from the deck of a drill rig to an off-shore supply vessel below after making the crane operator very mad during a weight-certification test on the crane (it was the fasted free fall I have ever taken)! I have seen steel, aluminum, glass, semiconductors, micro-chips, natural gas, oil, plastics, paper, chemicals, diesels, steam turbines, combustion turbines, and transformers (both AC and DC) being manufactured, built, and repaired. I have been in a rare earth mine, and seen aluminum foil flying into the air when the press failed.
I have also been scared for myself and for others, but I believe I have responded by standing up for myself and for those less fortunate or victimized (at least I hope I did). I have been asked to take assignments due to my integrity and honesty. I have testified in court actions and been called to provide expert witness opinions.
In addition, I have failed miserably (on a “few” occasions). When this happened, I stood back up, shook the mud and dirt off, and tried again and again. I have taken responsibility for my actions (or lack thereof), and even taken responsibility when others took no notice of an issue. While I had these traits within me, MMA was the place that forged and focused those traits.
What is your current title and what are your responsibilities?
My current title is Executive General Adjuster. I act as the representative for property insurance companies after large and/or high hazard occupancies suffer damages. I adjust losses at energy, power, petrochemical, pharmaceutical, and mining facilities. I am currently focusing on adjusting losses at locations in Puerto Rico which sustained damages from Hurricane Irma and/or Maria.
Prior to this career, I have been a Surveyor for American Bureau of Shipping, as well as a boiler and machinery consultant conducting insurance loss prevention and jurisdictional boiler and pressure vessel inspections. I have held various commissions and licenses for boiler inspections, welding inspector, NDT inspections, ISO 9000 series auditor, and insurance adjuster.
I graduated with a BS in Marine Engineering and a 3rd AE Unlimited Steam and Diesel license. However in 2010, I obtained my Captains license after deciding I was a “deckie” at heart.
What piece of advice would you give to a student going into your field?
Work hard, study, and be prepared. If you don’t know something, admit it, but then go find the answer. Have empathy toward the organizations and people you are working with. Lead the process and deliver your honest, trustworthy self at every opportunity.
How did the MMA experience prepare you for both your prior positions and your current career focus?
MMA provided me with the ability to think critically and act proactively, to see the challenges before they come.
What are your goals for the future?
My goal is to be known as a fair, honest, fun person that worked hard and had a smile for everyone.
Latest Alumni at Work
- Benjamin Moll ’11Benjamin Moll ’11 Major at MMA: SVO Employer: Poling & Cutler Marine Transportation Where has your career taken you since graduation? My career has taken me from the Gulf of Mexico to the Northeast and a few places in between. I’ve been with five companies, and worked on Tugs and OSVs of various sizes. What is […]
- Warren Hamm ’49Warren Hamm ’49 Major at MMA: Engineering Extracurricular involvement while at MMA: Mess Deck Master at Arms, Band, Drill Squad Employer: U.S. Navy Rear Admiral (retired) Where has your career taken you since graduation? Since graduation my career has taken me all over the world including Korea and Portugal where I lived for some time. I […]
- Victoria Cooper ’17Victoria Cooper ’17 Major at MMA: International Business & Logistics Extracurricular involvement while at MMA: Women’s Soccer, Women’s Lacrosse, SBLA Employer: Strategic Maintenance Solutions, Inc. (SMS) Where has your career taken you since graduation? Directly after graduation, I started working for SMS in the Gorham, Maine office. I travel quite a bit in this position. I’ve […]
- Jeff Ivory ’95Jeff Ivory ’95 Major at MMA: Marine Engineering Technology Extracurricular involvement while at MMA: 3rd Class Striker Employer: Transocean Where has your career taken you since graduation? I joined Global Marine drilling in 1995, which through merger became part of Global Santa Fe in 2001, and part of Transocean in 2007. I have worked offshore in […]
- Peter Longley ’71Peter Longley ’71 Major at MMA: Marine Engineering Employer: Self-employed Where has your career taken you since graduation? After graduating in 1971, it took all of one week to get a job as 3rd Engineer on the Great Lakes with Interlake Steamship. There was an impending Steel Strike in August that year, so I went home […]
- Stephen “Jack” Spratt ’93Stephen “Jack” Spratt ’93 Major at MMA: BS Nautical Science (’93), MS Logistics Management (’02), and Graduate Maritime Management (’02) Extracurricular involvement while at MMA: 1993 Class Secretary, Castine Fire Department, Bagaduce Ambulance Corps, Alpha Phi Omega, Sailing Team, Yacht Club Employer: Assistant Fire Chief to the Castine Fire Department Where has your career taken you since […]
