Message from President, Dean C. Klevan

Dear Fellow Ocean Lover,

I am pleased to introduce myself as the new President and CEO of The International SeaKeepers Society. I thank the board for their support in giving me the opportunity to serve.

My background is not in science, but rather in banking and wealth management. This is probably a good footing to take on the challenges of a philanthropic organization following the economic turmoil of the past years. My first goal is to insure that the Society is fiscally sound, enabling it to deliver - and expand - upon its mission.

It is with both concern for the sea and with a passionate belief in the importance of our fact-based philosophy and work that I accepted the position of Chairman of the International SeaKeepers Society. As an attorney, I value data and unadorned truth above conjecture and speculation. As a conservative businessman, I value efficiency and productivity, which SeaKeepers and its tiny, dedicated staff delivers in vast quantities.

SeaKeepers, borne of yachtsman, truly is The Yachting Industry’s Charity. As a group, the industry shares a fundamental concern for the health and future of the oceans and their ecosystems. The Society’s supporters are unique in their ability to provide the platform for the collection and dissemination of critical data with respect to the condition of the seas.

In my first weeks as President one of the most frequently asked questions concerned the value of the scientific data we provide. Let me try to give you an analogy that may be helpful: Today we had a series of violent storms in Miami. On  television and on my iphone, I was able to get extremely accurate radar information concerning the weather. This information was provided to me free through the collaboration of private and government radar facilities. Picture a world where instead of thousands of radars providing information, there were ten for the entire United States. Timely, accurate weather information would be diffcult, if not impossible, unless you were fortunate enough to be in one of the ten locations.

This is the state of ocean research. The oceanic community is data-starved, particularly in the more remote regions of the world.  More “feet on the street” are needed to provide the data for vital studies on ocean issues. The government and scientific community is resource-starved, making the data the Society provides, for free, all the more important. The SeaKeepers fleet is, in effect, the additional “radars” so critically needed.

SeaKeepers motto is “to protect and restore the world’s oceans.” As a group, the Society understands that we are the stewards of the ocean environment for the next generations. The contribution of data through the generosity of its members is of critical importance as the scientific community seeks to find answers to the troubling issues facing our planet. As the year progresses, it is my intention to have the Society members better informed and more aware of the importance of its mission.

Undoubtedly, the year ahead will be extremely challenging.  In my initial days, however, it is clear to me that SeaKeepers has vital role that can not be assumed by other organizations.  I look forward to working with you.

My best personal regards,

Dean C. Klevan
President & CEO

[Message from Chairman Michael T. Moore]
[Message from Don Tomlin, Chairman Emeritus]