California State University Maritime Academy

James R. Callahan is a leader in the maritime industry and has spent his professional career advocating for the advancement of both maritime education and the profession.

Mr. Callahan has more than 40 years of maritime operations and management experience, with most of his career spent growing the Nautilus International Holdings Corporation. At Nautilus, he served as chairman, president and chief executive officer overseeing Metro Ports, Metro Cruise Services LLC, Metro Shore Services LLC, Pacific Warehouse Company and Metro Risk Management LLC. Mr. Callahan's leadership throughout the evolution of Nautilus has been integral to its success and expansion beyond California.

Prior to joining Nautilus, Mr. Callahan investigated workers' compensation claims with the State Compensation Insurance Fund. In 1990, he successfully brought a workers' compensation case before the U.S. Supreme Court and succeeded in overturning 60 years of precedent. Mr. Callahan has a bachelor of arts degree in English literature from California State University, Long Beach and later earned the Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter designation. He provides volunteer leadership for many organizations including the Memorial Medical Center Foundation and the Long Beach Symphony.

Mr. Callahan has been an outspoken advocate of maritime education and supporter of students embarking on maritime careers. He has provided extensive personal support for EXP, a Southern California nonprofit organization focused on expanding career opportunities for students from underserved communities. Mr. Callahan played a key role in establishing the Banning High School EXP Program at Cal Maritime, which brings a cohort of nearly 30 students to campus each summer to receive comprehensive training in personal safety, first aid, CPR, water survival skills and marine fire-fighting safety. For many of the program participants, this is their first experience on a college campus, and often their first experience away from home. Additionally, Mr. Callahan helped create the Banning EXP scholarship that provides monetary support to students who were active in the EXP program during high school and choose to attend Cal Maritime. Because of these programs, more than 40 students from Banning High School have matriculated to Cal Maritime furthering their maritime career and education.

In recognition of his distinguished career, his contributions to and advocacy for the maritime industry and his support of Cal Maritime and its educational mission, the Board of Trustees of the California State University and California State University Maritime Academy are proud to confer upon James R. Callahan the honorary degree of Doctor of Humane Letters.