Meet our Heritage Society Members

John A. Malone ’71

John A. Malone ’71 has been a member of the Heritage Society since 2008 when he notified the Webb Development Office that he and his wife Amy had named Webb as a beneficiary of the family trust that they created in 2001. John is highlighted here because of his long history of “giving back” to Webb in both time and financial support – most recently taking leadership of Webb’s initiative to increase membership in the Heritage Society, i.e., those who have made a provision for Webb in their estate plans.

Like many Webbies, John’s coming to Webb was a story of serendipity. He had decided to study engineering in college, was introduced to the field of naval architecture and marine engineering by a next-door neighbor who ran a company that provided babbitt metal to the marine industry, and then found Webb through a high school guidance counselor. He also applied and was accepted by Cooper Union and the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, but Webb was always his first choice because of Webb’s preeminent reputation in the field and the academic challenge that it presented. His parents were of modest means, and he knew from the get-go that without a full-tuition scholarship he’d be facing a mountain of college loan debt upon graduation. The thought of making such a unique opportunity available for future generations of deserving students has been a life-long inspiration.

John’s appreciation for his Webb education has grown throughout his 42-year career in the marine field—a career that has included achievements in ship design, shipbuilding, and research and development. During that time, Webbies have always been at the top of John’s “go to” list for career guidance, mentoring, and technical expertise in specialty disciplines. He has never been disappointed hiring Webb interns or graduates, most of whom have gone on to great career accomplishments. His wife, Amy, often says she’s never met a Webbie she didn’t like, and over their 37 year marriage John has introduced her to a lot of Webbies! John’s employers have included two major U.S. shipyards and four engineering firms, and he’s been working for the past 13 years as an independent consultant.

As he approaches retirement, he’s been consulting less and volunteering more, serving on Webb’s Board and its Executive, Development and Nominating Committees, the Webb Alumni Association Executive Committee, ASNE Scholarship Committee, Chair of SNAME’s Fellows Committee, and Vice Chair of the NSRP’s Ship Design & Material Technologies Panel. He has held every office of the Webb Alumni Association, serving as President from 1992–94, and Webb Alumni Fund (WAF) Chairman from 1997 to the present. He was presented the W. Selkirk Owen Award in 2003. Squeezed into an always busy schedule, John and Amy manage to spend a few weeks in Hawaii each spring, and try to travel to “someplace different” each year, such as their recent tour of Turkey and a Greek island cruise. They also enjoy the performing arts, their cat Noodle, and entertaining Webb students on internships in the San Diego area.

Of his new role in promoting planned gifts to Webb, John says he’s been the Alumni Fund Chairman for so long that alums think he’ll be “picking their pockets” until the day they die… but now that’s no longer a limiting event! Seriously, John and Amy are leading, by example, by arranging to endow their annual contribution in perpetuity through an estate gift. John looks forward to sharing this and other planned giving ideas with many alums over the coming years.

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