It would be hard to find a project at International Registries, Inc. (IRI) that does not have Laura Sherman’s fingerprints on it. Since stepping through the door of IRI’s Reston headquarters in 2001, Laura has played a vital role in the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI) Registry’s growth and development. Initially hired as a Marketing Coordinator, Laura now oversees international marketing and advises on operational systems as Director, Marketing and Communications and Operations Technology Officer.
“Back in 2001 we were a lesser-known Registry, and it was a challenge accessing marketing opportunities in the competitive global environment,” observed Laura. “We had a core team of dedicated individuals focused on growing the Registry – in tonnage, personnel, and reputation. Today we are one of the largest registries in the world, surpassing 188 million gross tons at the end of December 2021 and have team members in 28 offices worldwide.”
That incredible growth is made possible thanks to the RMI Registry’s high-quality standards and relationships with a team that Laura calls “remarkable.” “Since I joined the Registry, our team and resources have grown tremendously,” noted Laura. “Bill Gallagher’s vision and implementation of the decentralized Registry structure, which enables local decision-making, works best when the team is unified in its focus; for us that common thread is to maintain the high-quality standards of the Registry, by offering the best client service in the industry and staying ahead of the client’s needs.”
One of the roles Laura has played in the growth of the Registry is as a connector. In a typical year, Laura spends a lot of time on the road, attending events, conferences, and meetings around the world, building relationships with IRI team members and industry stakeholders. She often uses her personal connections to link individuals, projects, and teams.
“Our industry is filled with creative and innovative people,” commented Laura. “Early in my career I recognized that personal relationships are at the heart of our industry, and I keep that in the back of my mind all the time. Anytime people, ideas, and projects are brought together there is usually an effective solution or innovation achieved.”
Supporting expanding departments and offices keeps Laura’s marketing and technology teams engaged in almost every aspect of IRI’s business. Her teams handle all media and press inquiries, issue press releases, manage events and conferences worldwide, strategize global marketing, ensure IRI’s documents, presentations, advertisements, and communications meet IRI’s high-quality service standards, and find effective solutions to day-to-day technology challenges.
“When it comes down to it, all of our business activities revolve around communicating, information sharing, and relationships,” said Laura.
In 2007, Laura was promoted to her role as Director, Marketing and Communications. A few years later she was also named Operations Technology Officer at a time when digitalization, information sharing, and analytics were revolutionizing the industry.
“Technology has completely transformed the maritime industry over the last 20 years,” commented Laura. “It imbues everything we do on a daily basis– from issuing electronic documents and certificates to virtual meetings and video interviews. It is at the core of our ability not only to work as a team, but to serve our clients as a modern, efficient Registry.”
With that transformation in mind, Laura has expanded IRI’s information technology (IT) team over the past several years. Together with senior leadership she has increased the capacity of the IT department, expanding real-time accessibility of decentralized IT resources. This team is now headed up by a recently hired Director, Information Technology.
Laura first came into contact with the maritime industry in 1985. While on a family vacation to Venezuela she had lunch aboard a Panama-flagged, Greek-crewed vessel. It was the first time her eyes would open to the possibilities of a career in the maritime industry.
“The industry is constantly changing, and no day is ever the same. Even after 20 years, every day is a learning opportunity to uncover more about the industry and the remarkable people who chose it for a career,” said Laura.
“I’m not sure that girl eating lunch aboard that ship knew what she was in for, but it sparked an interest in me, and I am grateful it opened my eyes to this incredible industry,” concluded Laura.
