James E. Caponiti

Mr. Caponiti began his Federal career in 1973 at the Cost of Living Council. He joined the Maritime Administration, at that time under the Department of Commerce, in 1974 as an Economist in the Office of Subsidy Administration.

Mr. Caponiti currently serves as the Assistant Administrator where, as the senior Civil Servant and senior career SES Officer in the Agency, he assists the Maritime Administrator and Deputy Maritime Administrator in the daily management and oversight of the entire range of complex programs administered by the Maritime Administration. In this capacity, he is also principally responsible for the development of Agency strategic planning and policy analysis processes, and he serves as the Agency lead for international relations.

Mr. Caponiti also serves as the Chairman of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization’s (NATO) Planning Board for Ocean Shipping (PBOS), a position he has held since his election in October 1997. The NATO PBOS is responsible for developing and maintaining plans for civil shipping support to deploy NATO military forces during times of crisis and war.

Mr. Caponiti was appointed to the Senior Executive Service (SES) in March 1996 as the Maritime Administration's Associate Administrator for National Security where he served until May 2008. In that capacity, he was responsible for promoting and maintaining a U.S. merchant fleet to meet national security requirements. He was also responsible for the acquisition, maintenance, and management of a reserve fleet of vessels to support Department of Defense sealift operations. Prior to his SES appointment, Mr. Caponiti was named Director, Office of Sealift Support, under the new Associate Administrator for National Security, as part of a major reorganization of the Maritime Administration in October 1994. In that capacity, he was responsible for developing and executing programs to maintain and utilize U.S. commercial sealift capability and seafaring personnel.

Earlier during his tenure at the Maritime Administration, Mr. Caponiti held a number of key positions administering promotional support programs to enhance the viability of U.S.-flag vessel operators. In 1982, he was appointed to the position of Chief, Division of Subsidy Analysis, and subsequently served as Chief, Division of Subsidy Rates, and Chief, Division of Ship Operating Costs. In 1993, he was named Director, Office of Ship Operating Assistance. Also, in 1993, Mr. Caponiti was asked to serve on a detail to the Merchant Marine Subcommittee in the U.S. House of Representatives, where he worked closely with the Chairman, Congressman William Lipinski, in developing legislation to revitalize the U.S. Merchant Marine.

In 1984, Mr. Caponiti received the Maritime Administration's Bronze Medal Award for his outstanding contributions to the Operating-Differential Subsidy Program. In 1996, he received the Department of Transportation’s Silver Medal Award for outstanding dedication and performance in advancing the Administration's merchant marine assistance programs and the Voluntarily Intermodal Sealift Agreement Program. In 2000, Mr. Caponiti received the Presidential Rank Award of Meritorious Executive. In 2004, Mr. Caponiti received the Secretary of Transportation’s War on Terrorism Award. In 2005, Mr. Caponiti received the Presidential Rank Award of Distinguished Executive.

During the period from January 2001 to October 2002, Mr. Caponiti served as the Acting Deputy Maritime Administrator for Inland Waterways and Great Lakes.

Mr. Caponiti holds a B.S. degree from the University of Maryland in Business Administration. He and his wife, Arlene, have a daughter and two sons. They reside in Rockville, Maryland.