Board Members
Charles B. Anderson comes from a family with long maritime traditions. His father, Commodore John W. Anderson, was for many years master of the Blue Riband superliner United States, and his grandfather, Capt. Charles R. Beard, was a steamboat pilot operating on the Tennessee and Ohio Rivers in the early 1900’s. Mr. Anderson served on destroyers in the U.S. Navy and currently holds the rank of Commander in the US Naval Reserve. He was educated at Columbia College and graduated in law from Columbia Law School. He received a master’s degree from Princeton University and was a George C. Marshall fellow at the University of Copenhagen under a grant from the American Scandinavian Foundation. In 1998 he took up appointment as President of Anchor Marine Claims Services, general US correspondents for Assuranceforeningen Skuld, a leading marine mutual underwriting association based in Oslo, Norway. Previously he was a partner in Haight, Gardner, Holland & Knight, an internationally recognized maritime and transportation law firm which he joined in 1980, and where he specialized in admiralty and environmental law. In 1998 he was elected a Titulary Member of the Comité Maritime International in recognition of his work in the area of international shipping and environmental law. He is also the co-author of Shipping and the Environment, published by Lloyd’s of London Press in November, 1998.
Bill DiBenedetto has a BS in Business Administration and currently works as a Manager for the IBM Corporation in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina. His department works the technical side of the America’s Fulfillment Customer Operations for both PC’s and X-Series Servers. He has extensive experience with helping to run a small non-profit business, in Northern Virginia, holding positions such as President, Operations Chairman, and Construction Committee Chairman. Bill’s interest in the SS United States began as a child while visiting the Passenger Terminals along the Hudson River in lower Manhattan. He was instrumental in the formation of the SS United States Preservation Society in 1992. The Society worked with other Ship Preservation Groups, such as the USS NORTH CAROLINA, PATRIOTS POINT, the SS JOHN BROWN and several others, on proposed operational budgets, and general operations. The Society also worked with several Municipalities trying to get support to use the United States in some form, as an east coast Queen Mary. The Society also provided the former owners the latest information on the current US Navy techniques on asbestos removal, which were used in the Ukraine to remove all asbestos from the ship. Bill and the SS United States Preservation Society were also responsible for the completion, submission and successful nomination of the United States to the National Register of Historic Places with the National Park Service in 1999. Bill continues to work with others in efforts to find a suitable future for this great ship.
Susan Gibbs is the granddaughter of William Francis Gibbs, the naval architect and marine engineer who designed the SS United States. By the end of World War II, the Gibbs firm had procured materials totaling over $2 billion and had directed the preparation of plans for more than 60 percent of the Navy's ships. He received a Presidential Certificate of Merit in 1947. Over the span of his career, he designed some 6,000 ships as well as several unique firefighting vehicles. Susan has been actively involved in efforts to promote her grandfather's legacy since 2001 and currently serves as President of the SS United States Conservancy. She is also working on a book manuscript about the SS United States and her grandfather's role in the ship's creation. Susan serves as an independent consultant advising foundations on global population, health and environmental funding issues and strategies. Some of her recent clients have included the David and Lucile Packard Foundation, the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation and the Garfield Foundation. She spent over a decade as a foundation grant maker, holding positions as a program officer for The Pew Charitable Trusts and senior program officer for the Summit Charitable Foundation. She previously worked overseas with the International Rescue Committee in Peshawar Pakistan, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies in Geneva, Switzerland, and the American University of Cairo, Egypt. She holds a Masters Degree from Columbia University and a Bachelor's degree from Brown University. She and her husband Theodore Piccone live with their three children in Washington, D.C.
Jeff Henry is Chief Engineer of the Glenside Fire Department outside of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. An active firefighter for over twelve years, Jeff oversees operator training and maintains the department's frontline fire apparatus. A ship enthusiast since childhood, Jeff got involved with the SS United States when it arrived in Philadelphia in 1996. Since then he has hosted six annual meetings in Philadelphia and has spoken about the SS United States at over fourteen ship related events and meetings. Jeff formerly served as Vice President and Acting President of the SS United States Foundation and founded and chaired that organization's only 501(c)3 chapter in Philadelphia. Jeff lives in Glenside, Pennsylvania with his wife Jodie, and daughter Aviana.
Captain Dan McSweeney is currently completing graduate studies in International Affairs at Columbia University in New York. He left Active Duty in the Marine Corps in 2005 as a captain, having served at Headquarters, Marine Corps (the Pentagon) and with the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit. He has deployed in support of operations and exercises in Africa, Europe, Asia, the Former Soviet Union, and the Middle East, including Kosovo and Iraq.
Dan is a graduate of Valley Forge Military Academy (Wayne, PA) and Eugene Lang College (New York). He participated in the Coro Foundation's graduate fellowship in public affairs and was a program director at Third Millennium, a leading "Generation X" think tank prior to joining the Marines. Dan spent a year backpacking, working, and conducting historical and genealogical research throughout Europe after college. During school, one of his summer jobs was working as a crew member aboard the Highlander, the Forbes family yacht.
Dan was born in New York City. His father emigrated to the U.S. from Scotland to work aboard the SS United States, the main reason for Dan's deep personal interest in the great American ocean liner. His mother is a native of San Juan, Puerto Rico. He currently serves on the board of governors for Eugene Lang College and his awards include the David Woods Award for Humanitarianism and the Navy-Marine Corps Commendation Medal with Gold Star.
Greg Norris’s association with the SS United States began at a very early age. He made his first crossing on the SS United States when he was only one year old and, over the next sixteen years, an additional seven. Intrigued early on by memorabilia saved from his many voyages in many different ships including the America, Liberte, Ile de France, and Queens Elizabeth and Mary, Greg became infatuated with ocean liners; the SS United States was always his favorite. In 1980 Greg wrote a history of the “Big U” for the Steamship Historical Society Journal, Steamboat Bill, in which he revealed numerous previously unreleased details about the ship. In 1982 Greg and a friend formed a partnership called the Maritime Preservation Group and persuaded then owner Richard Hadley to sell the organization numerous artifacts from the ship. These were sold at auction in February and November of the following year by Sotheby’s, New York. Over the years Greg has amassed a formidable storehouse of personal, historical, and technical information about the vessel, and he is a frequent lecturer about the SS United States and ocean liners in general. He has an extensive collection of SSUS artifacts, which includes furniture, china, and ship’s hardware, including many one of a kind items. Greg is an investment banker located in Florida with over thirty years experience in the industry.
Mark B. Perry is an Emmy and Golden Globe Award winning television writer-producer who lists amongst his credits such series as The Wonder Years, Picket Fences, Law & Order, and Party of Five. Most recently, after helping to successfully launch the second season of ABC’s hit series Brother & Sisters, Mark is now a writer-producer on CBS’ Ghost Whisperer. Born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia, Mark earned his bachelor's degree in broadcast journalism at the University of Georgia. Mark has been an ocean liner fan since a chance viewing of The Last Voyage as a child introduced him to the aesthetics of 20th century nautical interior design. A moderator of the Yahoo Ocean Liner Collectibles Group, Mark’s passion for the SS United States began in the early 1990s when he started amassing a large collection of table service ware, furniture, ephemera, signage, as well as vintage home movies, photos, and slides taken aboard the ship in her heyday. Mark has also produced several video presentations about the SS United States, and shares the dream of seeing the vessel return to sea or as a permanently moored landmark.
Richard Rabbett has worked as a professional in higher education in the greater Boston area for over 18 years. Currently serving as the Assistant Director for a $50 million non-profit, he has been involved at all levels of organizational planning and development including budget and facilities design, personnel recruitment, retention & management, structured giving campaigns, donor relations and corporate communications. He has significant experience leading and participating in collaborative team environments to affect positive organizational growth and change for multiple stakeholder groups. Richard has an educational background in English literature and a broad knowledge of ocean liner history and technology. He has been active in advocacy efforts on behalf of the SS United States, and formerly served as Boston Chapter Chair and Secretary of the SS United States Foundation. He has presented information about SS United States preservation efforts to the annual meeting of the U.S. Power Squadrons, the largest non-profit boating organization in the United States and to cruise passengers on Norwegian Cruise Line. Richard founded and co-moderates the SS United States Group on Yahoo with over 1000 members. He is an avid collector of SS United States and ocean liner original art and memorabilia.
Joe Rota joined the crew of the SS United States in 1955, serving in various capacities including First Class Elevator Operator, Cabin Class Bellboy, Radio Bellboy, First Class Bellboy, First Class Waiter, and finally served as the ship’s photographer. During his time with the United States Line, Joe also served aboard the America, and the American Export Line’s Constitution and Independence. In 1964, Joe went to work for the Bergen County Police Highway Patrol in New Jersey and was later elected Town Supervisor of Dresden, New York in 1980 and served on the Washington County Board of Supervisors. He was also the Chairman and Executive Director of the Adirondack Park Government Review Board until his retirement. Since that time, Joe has turned his love for our nation’s flagship toward the cause of saving her, and was appointed to the Executive Board of the Conservancy in 2005.
All material on this site copyright the SS United States Conservancy and the SS United States Preservation Society, Inc.
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John Milligan – John was born in Scotland. He entered the shipbuilding industry at age 18 where he graduated after four years of study and direct involvement in a famous Scottish shipyard. Moving to Canada, he worked for over 25 years in shipbuilding and marine consultancy. Relocating to Annapolis, Maryland then Houston, Texas, he is now supervising engineering design for a large oil drilling company. John describes the SS United States as the most significant ship ever built and has no comparison. To him, she is the most beautiful expression of shipbuilding design, power and grace. His respect for W.F. Gibbs knows no bounds having an appreciation of what he produced, the most subtly perfect form of a ship in its elegant hull, ever produced. If the hull shape is perfect it follows the interior will be close, if not actually the same, in all respects.
