The Marine Spill Response Corporation (MSRC), the nation’s leading oil spill response organization, has announced that Steven T. Benz, the company’s President and CEO, will be retiring on April 30, 2017.
Tim Plummer, Chair of the MSRC Board of Directors, said “We are thankful to Steve for his many years of strong leadership. During his tenure, he has solidified MSRC as the preeminent spill response organization in the nation, as demonstrated by the critical role MSRC played in the “Deepwater Horizon” response. He has been an outstanding CEO, and the Board is grateful for his innumerable contributions."
“My 20 years as Chief Executive with MSRC has been filled with pride and satisfaction because of the opportunity to work with and lead MSRC’s outstanding employees. Together, we have made MSRC the premier spill response organization servicing the oil and transportation industries operating in the United States,” Benz said. “Over such a long period there are always the challenges of oil price cycles, regulatory activity, customer changes and, of course, emergency response. Throughout it all, MSRC, and most especially its employees, has consistently achieved and sustained the reputation for passionate customer service in a safe, efficient manner and demonstrated performance at a time of crisis. It has been a privilege to work with such a dedicated group.”
Mr. Benz joined MSRC as CEO in 1996 after an extensive career working for a major oil company. During his tenure, notable achievements at MSRC have included:
Transforming MSRC into a cost effective, customer service oriented organization.
Expanding MSRC’s footprint in oil spill response services through several mergers and acquisitions.
Leading MSRC in its response to major environmental events, including large-scale responses on hurricanes Katrina and Rita, and the Gulf of Mexico “Deepwater Horizon” incident.
Overseeing the enhancement of spill response capability with major additions to MSRC’s toolkit such as aerial dispersants, advanced technology skimming and other response systems, emergency telecommunication services, and MSRC’s current state-of-the-art oil spill surveillance and remote sensing technology.
The MSRC Board of Directors has launched a search for Mr. Benz’s successor. As stated by Mr. Plummer: “Because Steve has been such an outstanding CEO we want our search for his replacement to be as comprehensive as possible. We have engaged the services of Russell Reynolds Associates, a leading executive search and assessment firm, to assist us in that process as we consider both external and internal candidates for the position. Our plan is to select Steve’s successor by the beginning of next year.”