Thomas 'Tom' Crowley Jr. is an American billionaire and the third-generation leader of Crowley Maritime Corporation. Born in San Francisco in 1967, he was literally raised in shipyards, frequently visiting tugboats and docks with his father as a child.

Crowley worked for the family firm as a high schooler, beginning as a ticket collector for the Red and White Fleet passenger ferries. He holds a Business Finance degree from the University of Washington’s Foster School of Business, where he participated in an intensive maritime training program across Seattle, Alaska, and Florida.

• Core Company: Crowley Maritime Corporation (Marine solutions and logistics).
• Family Legacy: Grandson of founder Tom Crowley, who started the firm with one 18-foot rowboat in 1892.
• Sudden Accession: Took over as Chairman and CEO at age 27 in 1994 after his father’s sudden death.

Tom Crowley Jr.’s career is defined by his successful modernization of a century-old shipping legacy. When he assumed leadership in 1994, the company was a $1 billion enterprise; he has since grown it into a $3.5 billion-a-year global powerhouse.

His structural achievement was transforming the group from a 'hardware company' into a diversified provider of energy, logistics, and government solutions. He navigated the company through its 2000 IPO and later executed the rare move of taking it private again. Under his tenure, the fleet has grown to 125 vessels, including pioneering LNG-powered ships and all-electric tugboats.

• Role: Chairman and CEO of Crowley Maritime.
• Strategic Milestone: Awarded a $2.3 billion Defense Freight Transportation Services contract by the U.S. military.