In today's episode, Chad and I sit down with Will Fediw to talk mentorship. We offer our armchair theories on both sides of the equation: the mentor and the mentee. We discuss the various roles of a mentor and potential benefits to providing mentorship. And we also focus in on the expectations of the mentee and how to go about asking for a mentor.
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Will Fediw is the Vice President of Industry & Government Affairs at Virginia Maritime Association (VMA).
As Vice President of Industry & Government Affairs, Will Fediw plays a leading role in creating and implementing business development and legislative strategies to improve the economic and political climates for VMA member companies and Virginia’s port. Furthermore, he keeps VMA’s membership and leadership advised of industry, regulatory, and legislative developments within Virginia’s maritime supply chain sector, ensuring open and timely communication and representation.
For over a decade, Will has been involved in maritime operations, marine terminal development, external affairs, and stakeholder advocacy. While working closely with federal, state, and local governments in several ports around the country, he led marine infrastructure permitting for deepwater terminals, maritime transportation initiatives & legislation, and maritime economic development solutions.
Growing up in Hampton Roads, Will graduated from Old Dominion University in 2008 with a degree in Maritime Supply Chain Management, during which he was an intern at Norfolk International Terminals. Following graduation, he served as a Commissioned Officer in the U.S. Coast Guard specializing in maritime safety & security regulatory compliance. Additionally, he managed the regulatory oversight and maritime risk analysis for $47B of regional energy projects under development.
Afterwards, he worked as the Director for Marine Development and Regulatory Compliance for Venture Global LNG, a private natural gas firm currently developing marine export terminals in the Gulf Coast. During that period, he also served as the Vice-Chair of the Louisiana Energy Export Association, a regional advocacy coalition of energy exporters.
Additionally, Will holds a Master of Business Administration through the University of North Carolina’s Kenan-Flagler Business School.
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You can find Brené Brown's Dare to Lead Podcast episode with Jim Collins on Curiosity, Generosity, and the Hedgehog here: https://brenebrown.com/podcast/brene-with-jim-collins-on-curiosity-generosity-and-the-hedgehog/ (December 14, 2020).
You may also consider checking out Jim Collins' books, "Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap and Others Don't" and "BE 2.0 (Beyond Entrepreneurship 2.0): Turning Your Business into an Enduring Great Company" which honors his coauthor and mentor, the late Bill Lazier.
