Mass Maritime honors Liz Burdock as its Maritime Person of the Year

L to R: Rear Admiral Francis X. McDonald USMS, president of Massachusetts Maritime Academy and Liz Burdock.

Massachusetts Maritime Academy honored Liz Burdock, president and CEO of Oceantic Network, with the Emery Rice Medal as the 2024 Maritime Person of the Year at a recent event held on the academy’s campus.The academy has an established tradition of honoring a civilian or military leader with a distinguished career of excellence, innovation, and service to the maritime industries and other related industries with the Emery Rice Medal, named for an 1897 academy graduate and WWI hero who was twice recognized by President Theodore Roosevelt for his maritime skill and bravery.

Burdock cofounded the Baltimore, Md.-based Oceantic Network (then called the Business Network for Offshore Wind) in 2013. The member-based organization is dedicated to growing offshore wind and other ocean renewable industries and their supply chains.

“We are thrilled to present the 2024 Maritime Person of the Year award to Liz Burdock,” said Rear Admiral Francis X. McDonald, USMS, president of the Massachusetts Maritime Academy. “Her outstanding contributions to the maritime industry and unwavering commitment to advancing the sector make her a most deserving recipient of the Emery Rice Medal. Liz’s dedication to promoting innovation and sustainability within the maritime field has set a benchmark for excellence. We are proud to honor her exemplary leadership.

“It’s an honor to receive the 2024 Maritime Person of the Year Award in recognition of Oceantic Network’s work to advance the U.S. offshore wind industry,” Burdock said. “More than a decade ago, we had the idea to create an organization that would accelerate the offshore wind market and build a supply chain. Today, we proudly celebrate our first completed offshore wind project, with nine more ready to break ground. This achievement is a testament to the dedication and expertise of our skilled maritime workforce, who have stepped up to secure our nation’s energy future. These large-scale projects are not just about energy; they’re also transforming coastal communities by creating stable, well-paying jobs. The increase in man hours has provided local residents with the means to achieve life-changing milestones—like purchasing their first homes—demonstrating the profound and positive impact of offshore wind on our communities. Thank you to Massachusetts Maritime Academy for recognizing the importance of this offshore wind industry and its contributions to train and educate domestic maritime trades.”

With a background in policy, Burdock has led Oceantic staff in launching the International Partnering Forum, the largest offshore wind and ocean renewables conference in the Americas. Under her leadership, Oceantic has created critical offshore wind industry products, including Supply Chain Connect, the OSW Market Dashboard, and Foundation 2 Blade training.

With extensive experience in running public/private partnerships, Burdock has focused her career on convening and coordinating diverse stakeholders, including businesses, academics, government agencies, policy makers, community leaders, workforce organizations and strategic investors to develop sound solutions that facilitate the implementation of clean energy in the U.S.

Prior to the Oceantic Network, Burdock managed Partnership for Advancing Technology in Housing, a White House initiative that focused on the adoption of sustainable technologies in the home building industry. In addition, she has managed the Chesapeake Crescent, a regional initiative aimed at growing a green economy in the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia.