Since May 2003, Rich Pruitt has served as the Associate Vice
President of Environmental Programs at Royal Caribbean
Cruises Ltd. He currently is responsible for evaluating new
technologies, developing corporate vision and strategic
initiatives and setting policy for all environmental
regulatory compliance and continual improvement operations
for the company. Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. is a global
cruise vacation company that operates Azamara Club Cruises,
CDF Croisières de France, Celebrity Cruises, Pullmantur, and
Royal Caribbean International, and is in a joint venture
with TUI Travel to operate TUI Cruises. The company has a
combined total of 40 ships in service and two under
construction. It also offers land- and rail-based cruisetour
vacations in Alaska, Asia, Australia, Canada, Europe, Latin
and South America and New Zealand.
Prior to joining Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd., Rich served
in the United States Air Force and the United States Coast
Guard. From 1980 to 1990, Rich was an Air Force airborne
Russian linguist and Airborne Mission Supervisor, assigned
to various units and the National Security Agency. In 1990,
Rich was accepted to United States Coast Guard (USCG)
Officer Candidate School. After graduating that same year,
he was assigned to the USCG Intelligence Coordination Center
Detachment in Maryland and shortly thereafter to Coast Guard
Headquarters as an Indications and Warning Watch Officer.
Rich's marine safety career began in 1993, when he was
assigned as a resident Marine Inspector at Colonna's,
Norshipco and Newport News shipbuilding yards while assigned
to the USCG’s Marine Safety Office Hampton Roads, in
Norfolk, Virginia. In October 1995, he was selected to
become chief of the port safety and security branch, and he
held that job until 1997, when he was transferred to the
position of Contingency Planner for South Florida (Oil
Pollution Act of 1990) at MSO Miami. In 1999, Rich was
selected to become Chief of the USCG Passenger Vessel
Control Verification Examination (CVE) School, where he
directed the USCG's Center for Excellence for foreign
passenger vessel examinations. As a Senior Marine Inspector,
Rich also served as the port state control program leader
and casualty investigator, responding to serious marine
accidents involving all types of casualties.
Rich was selected to become the inaugural USCG Passenger
Vessel Safety, Prevention and Mass Rescue Operations Program
Manager at USCG Headquarters, where he served until his
retirement in 2003.
He holds a Master of Business Administration degree in
Environmental Studies from Florida Atlantic University. He
also earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Management from
National Louis University and an Associate’s degree in
Russian Interpreting from the Community College of the
United States Air Force.
Rich and his wife Margy live in Plantation, Florida. They
have three children and four grandchildren.
