Garrett Sheahan, 31

Garrett Sheahan has never lost his love of learning. 

Growing up, he always thought his innate curiosity would lead him to a career in the classroom. Instead, it's become a defining characteristic of his career as a corporate lawyer, navigating complex legal landscapes. 

Photo by Mark Wemple

It's what caught the attention of his longtime mentor turned boss Susan Allan, vice president and general counsel at Tampa-based energy transportation services company Overseas Shipholding Group Inc. 

Sheahan first came to Allan nearly a decade ago as a law school intern. Right away, she noticed he always asked the right questions. 

"He's always had this great curiosity that told me he was paying attention to what he's learning and going in depth with it," Allan says. "He's got a really great ability to listen to people that have more experience than him and absorb what they have to say and then incorporate it into what he does. He's always actively, eagerly and interestingly doing that."

With Allan's guidance, Sheahan quickly evolved from just another intern at OSG to one of its key drivers for success, working his way up to a law clerk and legal counsel before being promoted to senior counsel.

As senior counsel, Sheahan works directly under OSG's general counsel and corporate secretary. Despite the demands of his job description, Sheahan has never lost his desire to grow in his abilities and expertise. At OSG, Sheahan has become the go-to lead for sustainability reporting and spearheads the company’s efforts to integrate sustainable practices into its operations while shipping crude oil, petroleum products and renewable fuels across the globe.

His initiative to take on environmental stewardship and corporate social responsibility has enhanced OSG's reputation industrywide, his coworkers say. It's also catapulted Sheahan into playing a vital role in OSG’s Carbon Capture study, which is funded by a $400,000 grant from the United States Department of Energy.

How did he learn to manage it all? By being a good student and embodying the lessons Allan taught him over the years, he says. 

"Susan's greatest attribute is her ability to guide us with the big picture," Sheahan says. "Often, when we get working, it's easy to get lost in the forest. Susan taught me to always step back and see the big picture."