The Sparrows Group has boosted our senior management team with the appointment of an experienced director to head up our operations across the Americas. Steve Bertone joins us after 33 years with McDermott International. In his new role, Mr Bertone will be based in Houston and will oversee all of our operations in the US, Brazil, Mexico and the Caribbean.
Mr Bertone said: “The Americas is a region that presents a wealth of exciting opportunities for a well-respected business like Sparrows Group. The company has been operating here for many years and the specialist knowledge and excellent reputation for quality and value will provide a good foundation for further growth.
“I am joining a talented team in a region where demand is growing for our services. The Sparrows Group has a wealth of engineering capabilities and this expertise is increasingly being used to support clients to optimise their efficiency by improving the performance, reliability and safety of their critical equipment and people.”
Before joining us, Mr Bertone was McDermott’s vice president of Marine Operations and has held the roles of country manager for Qatar and Saudi Arabia. He has an engineering background and graduated with a Masters from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in the state of New York.
Sparrows Group has had a presence in the US since 1999 and we work across the Gulf of Mexico as the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) for a number of crane brands. We also have a joint venture, SparrowsBSM, in Brazil, and a partnership in Mexico.
In the US, we operate over five sites with office, workshop and fabrication facilities in Houston and at Abbeville, Broussard, Houma and Slidell in Louisanna.
In total, Sparrows Group employs around 440 people in our Americas region and over 2100 globally.
Stewart Mitchell, Sparrows Group CEO, said: “Steve’s experience of working in a variety of operational and leadership roles in the areas of offshore engineering, marine construction and project management made him an ideal fit for the Sparrows Group. His unique mix of technical, operational and financial skills means he brings with him extensive knowledge and expertise which will be invaluable in the growth of our US business”.