JULY 23, 2013 — Jon Holvik has taken over as President of the Houston headquartered Kongsberg Maritime Inc.; the U.S. subsidiary of the Norwegian headquartered supplier of dynamic positioning (DP) and automation/control systems for offshore vessels, rigs and merchant shipping.

Norwegian-born Mr. Holvik is an electronics graduate of the Technical College in Kongsberg, Norway. He has been a Kongsberg Maritime employee since the late eighties. Starting his career as a service engineer he became part of Kongsberg Maritime when it acquired his then employer, Shipmate Norway. He became a DP hardware and software engineer in 1990, and in 1993 through 1995 served as service manager for Kongsberg in Singapore, responsible for service of all Kongsberg products in Southeast Asia.

He moved into sales in 1996, on returning to Norway. As Sales Manager for Kongsberg Maritime his responsibility was for Scandinavia,  Middle East and Brazil from 1996 to 1998.

In 1998, Mr. Holvik moved to Houston to become, Vice President of Sales for Kongsberg Maritime Inc.. After 10 years, he had an 18 month guest appearance as VP Rig Broker for RS Platou in Houston from July 2008 until February 2010 but returned to Kongsberg Maritime Inc. as Vice President of Sales in February 2010. As of June 24, 2013, he became President of Kongsberg Maritime Inc. in Houston.

"I'm delighted to takes the reigns at Kongsberg Maritime Inc. during an exciting period of industry growth," says Mr. Holvik. "Kongsberg Maritime's Integrated DP and automation/control systems, safety systems and navigation systems feature on over 90 percent of all deepwater MODUs ordered over the past three years and are a mainstay of critical exploration and production operations throughout the Gulf of Mexico. We are a key partner to a large number of operators in the region and I am keen to strengthen and expand on our existing customer relationships."

In addition to managing sales of the diverse and highly regarded Kongsberg portfolio of technology for offshore applications, the Kongsberg Maritime Inc. Houston HQ is also home to the largest dynamic positioning and automation training center in the U.S. Over 1.400 students took courses in 2012, and with new instructors on board, this number is expected to increase in 2013.

"Through our position as a leading dynamic positioning training organization in North America, Kongsberg Maritime Inc. in Houston is providing a vital service to the offshore industry, where demand for skilled DP operators is higher than it has ever been," says Mr. Holvik.

As company President, Jon also takes responsibility for the U.S. customer support and project office, located in the Kongsberg Maritime Inc. New Orleans office, which celebrates its 10 year anniversary in August 2013.

The office is positioned to support Kongsberg Maritime customers in the burgeoning offshore industry in the  GoM and Mexico and has recently become part of a world-wide Customer Support revamp that has made it a major point in a new Kongsberg Maritime follow-the-sun approach to global support.

Follow-the-sun means that whilst supporting customers in the region, support staff at the Kongsberg Maritime Inc. New Orleans office also handle global customer requests, ensuring they have a human to deal with even if it is out of office hours in their location.