b'Not one for the formality of the stage, Lee strode the floor, walking among MariTrends attendees as he shared stories from his nearly 36-year career. U .S. Coast Guard Vice Admiral (Ret.) William Dean Lee was this years keynote speaker at the PVA Annual Convention at MariTrends 2025, speaking to attendees over two sessionsduringtheweek.Leeservednearly36yearsasacommissionedofficerin various assignments along the Atlantic, Pacific, and Gulf Coasts. Throughout his distinguished career and in the years since his retirement in 2016 he has made note of stories that perfectly capture important life lessons. He drew from these stories to discuss what it means to be leader, thepowerofhonestcommunication,andtheimportanceofaccountability.Followingare highlights from his sessions. PHOTO: SARAH FERRETTI19 MARCH 2025'