24 Facts About Sean Connaughton

Sean Thomas Connaughton was born on February 25,1961 and is an American attorney who was the Secretary of Transportation for the Commonwealth of Virginia from 2010 until 2014.

Sean Connaughton served as the Administrator of the United States Maritime Administration, an agency of the United States Department of Transportation, from 2006 until early 2009.

Sean Connaughton is a lawyer, unsuccessful 2005 Republican candidate for Lieutenant Governor of Virginia, former United States Coast Guard officer, and a retired officer of the United States Naval Reserve.

Sean Connaughton was confirmed as Maritime Administrator by the Senate on August 3,2006.

President George W Bush nominated Connaughton to serve as Commissioner of the Federal Maritime Commission.

Sean Connaughton left federal service to work as the Corporate Vice President of Government Affairs for the American Bureau of Shipping.

Sean Connaughton became the Secretary of Transportation in the Cabinet of Governor Bob McDonnell in January 2010.

Sean Connaughton is a 1979 graduate of Chaminade High School in Mineola, New York.

Sean Connaughton has a Masters in Public Administration from Georgetown University and is a graduate of the Naval War College.

Immediately upon graduation from the United States Merchant Marine Academy, Sean Connaughton accepted a Commission as an Officer in the United States Coast Guard, remaining on Active Duty until 1986 when he joined the United States Naval Reserve.

Sean Connaughton became a civilian employee of the Coast Guard in the marine safety and environmental protection area.

Sean Connaughton then worked at the American Petroleum Institute during the Exxon Valdez calamity and went to law school at night.

Sean Connaughton was re-elected to a second four-year term, beginning January 1,2004.

Sean Connaughton successfully campaigned to bring AOL, General Dynamics, Comcast, Eli Lilly and other major employers to Prince William.

In September 2006, Sean Connaughton assumed the helm of the Maritime Administration.

Sean Connaughton focused on laying the foundation for a marine highways system, greater opportunities for American mariners, and a reorganization of the agency to make it more effective are significant steps he's taken during his watch.

Sean Connaughton's service was recognized by the Massachusetts Maritime Academy in 2007 through the awarding of an Honorary Doctorate in Public Administration.

Sean Connaughton was sworn into office on January 16,2010.

Sean Connaughton led efforts to grow private investment in the Commonwealth's aging infrastructure system by establishing a new P3 Office, streamlining the Public-Private Transportation Act process and recognizing innovative financing opportunities.

Sean Connaughton has overseen the creation of the Virginia Transportation Infrastructure Bank, providing a resource that public-and private-sector entities can use to finance projects and accelerate construction.

Sean Connaughton's efforts secured a historic bipartisan compromise in the Virginia General Assembly, resulting in a tax reform package that boosted projected transportation revenues $7B over the next 6 years by diversifying the revenue base away from declining gas tax to greater reliance on sales tax funding.

Since leaving government in 2014, Sean Connaughton has been President and CEO of the Virginia Hospital and Healthcare Association in Richmond, Virginia.

Sean Connaughton was instrumental in Virginia's passage of Medicaid expansion in 2018 and was a leader in Virginia's response and recovery to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Sean Connaughton is Lifeguard Member at George Washington's Mount Vernon.