Executive Management

Matthew J. Cox was appointed chairman of the board of Matson, Inc. in April 2017. Having served as chief executive officer since 2012, Cox oversees the entire Matson organization, which includes Matson Navigation Company, Inc. (ocean transportation), Matson Logistics, Inc. (logistics and supply chain services), and Matson Terminals, Inc. (terminal operations in Hawaii). He has served on the board of directors of Matson, Inc. since 2012.

Cox joined Matson in June 2001 as senior vice president and chief financial officer. In 2005, he became executive vice president and chief operating officer and had a key role in the start up of Matson’s China – Long Beach Express in 2006. In 2008, he became president.

Prior to Matson, Cox had 15 years of experience in the transportation industry. From 1999 to 2001, he held executive posts at Distribution Dynamics, Inc., a provider of outsourced logistics, inventory management and integrated information systems based in Danville, Calif. Cox held positions of increasing responsibility at American President Lines, Ltd. (APL), from 1987 to 1999, covering financial and operational aspects of the company.

Cox serves on the boards of Move Oahu Forward, Catholic Charites Hawaii, Foodland Super Market LTD, and World Shipping Council. He is also a member of the Hawaii Business Roundtable and the Shidler College of Business Advisory Council at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. Cox has a bachelor’s degree in accounting and finance from the University of California, Berkeley, and is a Harvard Business School Advanced Management Program graduate.

Peter T. Heilmann was named executive vice president, chief administrative officer and general counsel of Matson in February 2021. He oversees all of Matson’s legal, legislative and human resources activities. His accomplishments include handling the separation from Alexander and Baldwin and Matson’s transition to a publicly-traded company, the acquisitions of Horizon Lines’ Alaska and Span Alaska, and the resolution of significant litigation matters favorable to the company.

Heilmann joined Matson in 2012 as vice president and deputy general counsel and advanced to senior vice president and chief legal officer of Matson in 2014. In April 2017, his role was expanded to include the chief administrative officer function which oversees the company’s legislative and human resources departments. 

Prior to Matson, Heilmann had 20 years of legal experience in private practice, including over 10 years as a partner of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP in San Francisco. At Gibson Dunn, he had extensive experience representing public and private companies in mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, and strategic investments, as well as counseling boards of directors and senior management on corporate and business law matters, including SEC public reporting requirements and corporate governance.

He has a bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of California, Davis, and a law degree from the University of California, Berkeley School of Law.

John P. Lauer was named executive vice president and chief commercial officer of Matson in February 2021 and has served as an officer of Matson since March 2012. In this post, Lauer is responsible for sales, marketing, customer service, pricing, government services, and the China office network for the ocean transportation division of Matson. Lauer has more than 35 years of experience in the maritime industry.

He started his career with Matson in 2007 as director, transpacific services, and had a leadership role in establishing the company as the premier service-oriented carrier in the Pacific. Lauer was promoted to vice president, transpacific services, in 2012 and appointed to senior vice president, ocean services, in 2015.

Prior to Matson, Lauer worked for APL for 19 years in a succession of positions with increasing responsibility in Chicago, Houston, Denver, Hong Kong, Los Angeles, and New Jersey. Some of his key roles at APL included vice president, eastern region; managing director, western region sales; and director of sales, Hong Kong/S PRC.

Lauer has a bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Notre Dame and is a Harvard Business School’s Advanced Management Program graduate.

Rusty K. Rolfe was named president of Matson Logistics, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Matson, and an officer of Matson in July 2012. Rolfe oversees all facets of the company's logistics services, including domestic and international rail intermodal service, long haul and regional highway brokerage, supply chain services, LTL transportation services, and third-party logistics services that include warehousing, distribution, and international freight forwarding.

Rolfe joined Matson Logistics in December 2001 as executive vice president.

Before Matson Logistics, Rolfe held operations and sales management positions and had 19 years of experience in the transportation industry, including the LTL and rail business with Milne Truck Lines, Viking Freight, and Consolidation Rail Corporation. He spent 11 years at American President Lines, Ltd. (APL) and was president of RISS/USSI, a division of Worldpoint Logistics, from 2000 to 2001.

Joel M. Wine was appointed executive vice president and chief financial officer of Matson Navigation and Matson in February 2021, and has served as Matson’s chief financial officer since 2012. He oversees all financial matters, including accounting, financial reporting, treasury, and investor relations, as well as corporate development, mergers and acquisitions, and information technology. His accomplishments include the separation of Matson from its parent company in 2012, the acquisitions of Span Alaska and Horizon Lines, Inc., and financing the modernization of Matson’s fleet and terminals.

Wine joined Alexander & Baldwin in September 2011 as senior vice president, chief financial officer and treasurer after 14 years at Goldman Sachs, where he was a managing director in investment banking. At Goldman Sachs, Wine provided strategic and financial advice to a broad spectrum of companies across the nation, including companies in the transportation and real estate sectors. Alexander & Baldwin was among Wine’s portfolio of clients for nine years.

Wine holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Notre Dame and a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Chicago.

Vic Angoco was named senior vice president, Alaska at Matson Navigation in July 2022 and senior vice president of  Matson in 2010. In his Alaska role, Angoco manages all aspects of Matson’s business operations, including terminal operations, customer service, sales, and financial performance, and serves as Chairman of the Matson Giving Alaska Committee.

Angoco, who is originally from Guam, has been in the maritime industry since 1990 and has held a wide range of operations and sales management positions. He joined Matson in 1996 as Guam operations manager and soon after was promoted to sales/customer service manager. As part of a management development program, Angoco transferred to San Francisco in 2001, took on the role of national accounts and eastern area sales manager, and moved to Honolulu in 2002 as container operations manager.

In 2004, he joined Young Brothers, Ltd./Hawaiian Tug & Barge where he served in various senior-level executive roles. Angoco came back to Matson in 2006 as Guam country manager. He then returned to Hawaii as vice president, Pacific, in 2008 and was promoted to senior vice president of the Matson’s Pacific division in January 2011.

Prior to Matson, he worked for American President Lines (APL) as manager, operations, Guam, and Sea-Land Services in Guam as operations manager.

Angoco has a bachelor’s degree in business management from Oregon State University.

Grazyna “Grace” M. Cerocke was promoted to senior vice president, finance at Matson Logistics and named senior vice president of Matson in February 2021. She is responsible for all finance activities and plays a crucial role in acquisitions, organic expansion, and growth strategy for Matson Logistics and its subsidiary Span Alaska.

Cerocke has been instrumental in developing and improving many of Matson Logistics’ financial accounting processes and ensuring company compliance with Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX) finance regulations. She played a key role in designing and implementing the company’s proprietary operating system for transportation brokerage and has been integral to all of Matson Logistics’ business acquisitions, leading due diligence and business integration efforts.

Her career with Matson Logistics started in 1997 as a part-time operations clerk while in college. After graduation, Cerocke began working full-time as a senior accountant in 2000. She served as accounting manager, assistant controller, and accounting director. In 2012 Cerocke was named vice president, finance for Matson Logistics.

She serves as a member of the Business Advisory Council for the Northwestern University Transportation Center. Cerocke earned a bachelor of science degree in accounting from DePaul University and is a certified public accountant.

Qiang Gao was promoted to senior vice president, Asia at Matson Navigation, and named senior vice president of Matson in February 2021. He spends half his time in Matson’s Oakland office and the other half in Asia, where he is responsible for all business operations and development in China and Asia, except for Matson’s Okinawa operation.

Gao joined Matson’s market planning team in 2003. He was named director, Asia, and opened Matson’s China offices in Shanghai and Ningbo as it initiated China service beginning in 2005. Gao was promoted to vice president, Asia in 2012 and oversaw Matson’s growth from its two small start-up offices to a workforce of more than 120 employees in five offices – the original two, plus offices in Xiamen, Shenzhen, and Hong Kong. Gao’s leadership has proven to be a major factor in Matson’s success as the service leader in the Transpacific trade. He was a critical member of the leadership team that developed and launched two new services, CLX+ and AAX, in 2020.

Prior to Matson, Gao had 15 years of experience in international shipping, logistics, and cross-border trade in China and the U.S., including roles with MeetChina.com, Booz Allen, Bechtel, and Tianjin Marine.

Gao obtained a bachelor’s degree in computer science from Nanking University, a master’s degree in economics from Acadia University, and a Ph.D. in transportation from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Leonard P. Isotoff was promoted to senior vice president of the Pacific division of Matson and executive vice president of Matson Terminals and named senior vice president of Matson in April 2022. He oversees all aspects of Matson’s operations in our core market, Hawaii, plus the Guam/Micronesia, Okinawa, and South Pacific trades. In addition, he represents Matson in leadership roles related to port modernization and infrastructure projects involving Matson in Hawaii and Guam.

Since joining the company in 1999 as a project manager for Matson Logistics Solutions in Guam, Isotoff has risen through the ranks to leadership positions at Matson, including Guam logistics manager for Matson Logistics, Guam sales and customer service manager, sales manager for the Pacific Northwest region, container operations manager in Hawaii, general manager for Guam/Micronesia, and Pacific sales director, responsible for Hawaii and South Pacific business development. In 2016 he was promoted to vice president, sales, Hawaii, responsible for all marketing and sales activities in Hawaii.

Isotoff has a bachelor of science degree in business administration from Oregon State University.

Rich S. Kinney was promoted to senior vice president, network operations at Matson Navigation in January 2020, and named senior vice president of Matson in April 2020. He oversees Matson’s deployment of terminal, fleet, and equipment assets and finance, purchasing, and administration for the company’s operations division.

Since joining Matson in 1998, Kinney has held various management positions in industrial engineering, vehicle operations, equipment operations, and terminal operations. As equipment and inland operations director, he was a key leader in the acquisition and integration of the Alaska trade, including due diligence, integration of equipment, overseeing transition activities, and office consolidation efforts. Kinney served as the Pasha Transition Services Agreement administrator and led the business team in evaluating a suitable terminal operating system (TOS) replacement for our Alaska ports. He also contributed to systems development, business process development, user training, data migration, and go-live efforts. He was promoted to vice president, equipment and inland operations in 2016 and vice president, West Coast terminal operations in 2017.

Prior to Matson, he spent seven years in the aerospace industry at Boeing and Northrop Grumman, and three years at San Francisco-based investment bank Volpe Brown Whelan & Co.

Kinney serves on the boards of directors of the Pacific Maritime Association, the Pacific Merchant Shipping Association, and the Board of Managers of SSA Terminals.

Kinney earned a bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo.

Ku‘uhaku T. Park was appointed senior vice president, government and community relations of Matson Navigation and senior vice president of Matson in February 2022. Park directs Matson’s government relations and Hawaii community service activities. He also leads the company’s philanthropy efforts in promoting and developing Matson Giving. His extensive background working with state, county, and federal government officials on transportation matters and his strong record of community involvement have been integral to Matson’s success over the years.

He began his career with Matson in 2012 as vice president, government and community relations.

Prior to joining Matson, Park was managing principal of Oni Malie, LLC, a Honolulu consulting firm offering government relations, business development, and project management services. He has also held positions at Watanabe Ing, LLP and Sea-Land Services/Horizon Lines, Inc.

Park serves on the boards of directors of the Hawaii Chamber of Commerce, the Institute for Human Services, St. Francis Healthcare System of Hawaii, the Blood Bank of Hawaii, PBS Hawaii, the Tax Foundation of Hawaii, Ka Leo Hawaii Media, and the YMCA of Honolulu. He is a founding member of the Hawaii Harbor Users Group and the Hawaii Law Enforcement Memorial Foundation. By gubernatorial appointment, Park was named to the State Commission on Transportation and completed two terms as its chair. Previously, Park served on the boards of the Hawaii Foodbank, the Girl Scouts of Hawaii, the Makaha Sons Foundation, the Hawaii Home Ownership Center, the Hawaii Transportation Association, the Na Koa Football Club, and as a member of the Bishop Museum Association Council. He is a graduate of Kamehameha Schools and earned a bachelor’s of arts degree in communications from Lewis & Clark College.

Laura L. Rascon was promoted to senior vice president, customer experience at Matson Navigation and named senior vice president of Matson in February 2021. She oversees one of Matson’s strongest competitive advantages: the end-to-end personal attention we pay to every facet of every customer move. In her role, Rascon leads all efforts focusing on our strategy, initiatives, and the people that engage with external customers to differentiate Matson in every trade lane that we serve.

Rascon began her Matson career in 1983 as a clerk for Matson Agencies in Long Beach and began working her way up through the organization, ultimately becoming export freight coordinator. When Matson centralized West Coast customer service in 1989, she was one of a core group that relocated to the new customer service center in Phoenix. Rascon took on the customer service supervisor position, which she had until 1995. She’s held various positions at Matson, including freight billing manager, customer service manager, and customer support director. In 2008, Rascon was promoted to vice president, customer support at Matson Navigation. She has led our customer service team through Matson’s substantial growth over the years, with the addition of our services in China, Okinawa, South Pacific, Alaska, and, more recently, the 2020 launches of Matson’s CLX+ and AAX services.

Rascon holds a bachelor’s degree in business management from University of Phoenix.

Chris Scott was promoted to senior vice president, transpacific services at Matson Navigation and named senior vice president of Matson, in February 2021. He is responsible for all sales and marketing activities tied to Matson’s China service, based in Oakland.

Scott joined Matson in 1995 in what was then Matson’s new, centralized Customer Support Center in Phoenix. After becoming a supervisor in Phoenix, Scott moved to Jacksonville, FL as manager, depot operations for Matson Logistics. He rejoined Matson Navigation Company in 2001 as sales manager in the Pacific Northwest, and was later promoted to manager, national accounts and eastern area sales, based in San Francisco. In 2006, Scott joined the China team as our company’s first expat based in Shanghai and was responsible for all sales activities. He returned to the U.S. in 2008 as Matson’s manager, container operations in Honolulu. In 2010, he returned to the international team as director, Asia, supervising sales activities once again and working in Hong Kong and Shanghai until returning to the U.S. as vice president, transpacific services in 2015.

Scott started his career in transportation logistics in 1992, working for Sankyu, USA in trucking and warehousing operations.

He holds a bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management from Arizona State University.

Capt. John “Jack” Sullivan was promoted to senior vice president, vessel operations and engineering at Matson Navigation in January 2020 and named senior vice president of Matson, in April 2020. He is responsible for overseeing the evolution and management of Matson’s fleet, vessel operations and engineering, and offshore labor relations. In addition, oversees the activities of Matson’s Safety, Quality, Environment and Security department.

Sullivan joined Matson in 1993 as a vessel master. He transferred shoreside as vessel manager in 1997 and was promoted to director, vessel operations and offshore labor relations in 1998. In 2003, he was promoted to vice president, vessel operations and engineering. Prior to joining Matson, Sullivan sailed as a licensed deck officer aboard a wide variety of large deep draft U.S. flag ocean vessels.

Sullivan holds a bachelor’s degree in Marine Transportation from the United States Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point, NY. He also holds a Master’s license for Steam & Motor Vessels of unlimited tonnage, as well as First Class Harbor Pilot licenses for the Hawaii ports of Kawaihae and Kahului. He is a former chairman of the board and current director of the National Cargo Bureau and a member of the Council of American Master Mariners and the American Bureau of Shipping. In 2018, Sullivan was appointed to the Marine Transportation System National Advisory Council (MTSNAC) by U.S. Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao.

Jason L. Taylor was named senior vice president, human resources of Matson Navigation and senior vice president of Matson in February 2022. Taylor leads all Matson’s human resources efforts, including talent acquisition, total rewards, learning and development, HRIS, HR compliance, and office services. In addition to his core HR responsibilities, he serves on the Matson Giving team for the Mainland, is chair of the benefits administrative committee, and is on the corporate compliance committee.

He joined Matson in 2012 as the director of compensation and benefits, tasked with building a total rewards program and function in preparation for the separation from Alexander & Baldwin. He transitioned to HR operations director in 2015 and was a key member of the Horizon Lines acquisition team. In January 2018, Taylor was promoted to vice president, human resources.

Prior to joining Matson, he worked with Ross Stores as head of executive compensation and held senior consultant roles with Watson Wyatt, Compensation Design Group, and Mercer Consulting.

Taylor earned a bachelor’s of arts degree in sociology and business administration from the University of California, Los Angeles.