John Parrott, President of Totem Ocean Trailer Express, Inc. (TOTE), was honored earlier this month by his alma mater, the US Merchant Maritime Academy, with the 2011 Outstanding Professional Achievement Award.
The Outstanding Professional Achievement Award is given to the USMMA graduate “who best exemplifies the finest tradition of the Corps “Acta Non Verba” (meaning Act, don’t talk) by attaining personal achievement in their chosen field and thus lending honor and prestige to the USMMA.” Parrott graduated from the USMMA, located in Kings Point, New York in 1986 with a BS degree in Marine Transportation, continuing on to earn an MBA from Seattle University. He holds a commission in the United States Naval Reserve and is a licensed master in the U.S. Merchant Marine, having sailed for ten years aboard a wide range of vessel types and trade routes.
The USMMA was formed in 1938 to provide quality education and training for the US maritime trade. Today, approximately 300 students are accepted to the program each year. Graduates received bachelors of science degrees and are specifically trained for careers in the maritime industry. Approximately one-third of graduates go on to serve as Merchant Marine officers, another third seek careers in private industry, with the remaining third choosing to be Commissioned Officers in the US Military.