Arctic Directory: Jensen Maritime announces retirement of Sue Williams

Jensen Maritime, a Crowley Maritime company, said Sept. 27 that it was announcing the retirement of former president and part-owner Sue Williams, who spent more than three decades helping to shape the direction of the company.

Williams joined Jensen in 1980, under the leadership of founder and majority owner Ben Jensen, with initial responsibilities for managing the front desk. That year the firm was a partnership, with Ben Jensen as majority owner. In 1981, a majority interest in Jensen was purchased by a Norwegian-owned firm, which then bought Ben Jensen’s stake in the company after his death in 1983. Williams chose to stay on staff, managing the financial affairs of the company, and was given a 5 percent stake in the successful firm. Gradually Williams, along with others in the company, bought out the Norwegian partners, and by 1993, Williams became the president and majority owner of Jensen. She maintained the role until 2005, when Jonathan Parrot assumed the position of president.

In 2008, Jensen was purchased by Crowley and today the two companies share an office on Pier 17 in Seattle. Throughout the changes, Williams remained on staff and in recent years has served the company as the director of finance and a business analyst.