SEABECK, WA, November 05, 2025 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Commander Steve A. McLaughlin, USN (Ret.), BS PSC, MA, has been selected for inclusion in Marquis Who's Who. As in all Marquis Who's Who biographical volumes, individuals profiled are selected on the basis of current reference value. Factors such as position, noteworthy accomplishments, visibility, and prominence in a field are all taken into account during the selection process.

Mr. McLaughlin's distinguished career spans more than four decades, marked by leadership in military service, ocean engineering, homeland security and emergency management. Since 2019, he has served as manager of operations at Sound & Sea Systems LLC, where he conducts field operations, prepares and assesses sites to determine solutions for complex ocean engineering challenges and assists in scheduling divers, boats and ships for their tasks. His responsibilities also include gathering intelligence globally to track developments related to undersea and seafloor systems and adversarial challenges, as well as verifying the proper deployment of equipment in the field. In this capacity, Mr. McLaughlin has worked closely with tribal departments across Washington State to develop an interoperable communications assistance program, upgrading tribal emergency management and policing communication systems to modern standards.

Since 2017, Mr. McLaughlin is also a master training specialist in emergency management and firearms training with the same organization. His work has included developing training curricula and instructing senior-level personnel in operations, planning, logistics and finance.

Mr. McLaughlin's commitment to public safety is further demonstrated by his tenure with Sound & Sea Technology and Sound & Sea Systems LLC from 2006 to 2025, where he managed homeland security programs and served as a security systems engineer focusing on security systems engineering and maritime operations.

Mr. McLaughlin was an instructor for the State of Washington Emergency Management Department, delivering specialized training in emergency response for senior first responders from 2006 to 2019.

Earlier in his career, Mr. McLaughlin served as an Associate Professor of Naval Science at the University of Colorado Boulder for three years, imparting knowledge to future leaders in naval operations.

Mr. McLaughlin's military service is foundational to his professional journey. From 1980 to 2006, he served as a commander in the United States Navy. During this period, he was deployed to Bosnia, Kosovo and the Middle East and played a pivotal role in the Balkans Peace Process. Assigned to the United States European Command's Plans and Policy Department, he monitored activities aimed at ending the conflict in Bosnia and the Balkans, which encompassed Slovenia, Croatia, Macedonia, Bosnia, Montenegro, and Serbia. He kept the Pentagon informed while coordinating with personnel on the ground. He visited the region several times for various purposes, including escorting high-level officials such as the chief of staff for the speaker of the house and a retired four-star general. Mr. McLaughlin assisted in writing an article for Foreign Policy during these visits. He served as European Command representative for a congressional delegation that included current Senator Roger Wicker and former Governor John Kasich, among others. He collaborated with Ambassador Joseph Wilson to establish transit agreements for sending troops into Bosnia.

Among his most significant achievements is his work on the Balkans Peace Process, an effort instrumental in establishing stability in Europe and orienting countries away from the former Soviet Union toward Western alliances; today, all those countries except Serbia are members of NATO.

At Naval Station Everett, north of Seattle, Mr. McLaughlin initiated a Terrorism Early Warning Group with colleagues that developed a homeland security strategy for Snohomish County. The group's success led to its expansion along Interstate 5 up to the Canadian border, with input from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. This expansion eventually encompassed 48 agencies, including law enforcement, fire departments, and businesses throughout Washington State, and culminated in its transition into the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force in Seattle. Additionally, he collaborated with Washington State through the governor's office to develop a terrorism intelligence program, which remains partially operational.

In 2016, Mr. McLaughlin ran for commissioner of public lands statewide.

For thirteen years, he taught senior-level courses through California's Incident Command System Program, training over three thousand first responders and preparing them for high-level incident management positions.

Mr. McLaughlin is fluent in English and German.

He maintains active involvement with several professional organizations, including serving as lead consultant for physical security program management and Manager of Operations at Sound & Sea Systems LLC, as master training specialist in emergency management. He is a former member of the Kiwanis Club of Boulder CO, and the Wenatchee Rotary Club, a patrol director with the National Ski Patrol. He is a member of the American Alpine Club, the Marine Technology Society and the Pacific Northwest Defense Coalition.

Mr. McLaughlin's academic background includes a Master of Arts in national security and strategy from the U.S. Naval War College, where he graduated as a distinguished graduate in 2003, a Master of Science in international affairs from the Royal Naval College, completed in 1991, and a Bachelor of Science in biology and health from the University of Oregon, earned in 1980. His education provided him with critical analytical skills, strategic insight, and scientific knowledge that have been integral throughout his military service, engineering roles, and leadership positions.

He attributes his success to his belief that effective leadership requires listening, trusting one's team, knowing when to direct others or follow, and establishing genuine connections with people. This philosophy has guided him through complex assignments both domestically and abroad. His initial interest in joining the Navy began after he engaged with recruiters on campus, which led to over 26 years of rewarding service at sea and ashore.

Beyond his professional commitments, Mr. McLaughlin is dedicated to civic engagement as a founding member of Liberty Disaster Relief Services since 2015, an instructor at Rotary Youth Leadership Academy, a hospital volunteer, and a recipient of several governor's awards recognizing his contributions through Liberty Disaster Relief Services.

He has authored multiple papers, including works on Al Qaeda command and control, financing, harbor defense, melting sea ice, and contributions to the Oceans Program through the Marine Technical Society.

Born in Vancouver, Mr. McLaughlin values family life alongside his spouse, Julia, whom he married in 2014, and their children Kate, James, Joe, and Ashley.

Looking ahead, Mr. McLaughlin intends to continue working while pursuing new adventures, guided by his passion for meaningful work —a principle that has defined his career trajectory thus far.

About Marquis Who's Who®:
Since 1899, when A. N. Marquis printed the First Edition of Who's Who in America®, Marquis Who's Who® has chronicled the lives of the most accomplished individuals and innovators from every significant field of endeavor, including politics, business, medicine, law, education, art, religion and entertainment. Who's Who in America® remains an essential biographical source for thousands of researchers, journalists, librarians and executive search firms around the world. The suite of Marquis® publications can be viewed at the official Marquis Who's Who® website, www.marquiswhoswho.com.

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