Phoenix International Holdings, Inc. (Phoenix) Senior Leadership
Phoenix’s senior leadership team and board of directors are composed of highly experienced and dedicated executives and owners. As an employee-owned company, our leadership works collaboratively with team members at all levels to harness collective underwater expertise and deliver exceptional value.
This ownership model fosters a strong culture of accountability, innovation, and shared success—benefiting our employee stakeholders, clients, and the communities we serve around the world.
Travis Niederhauser
President, Phoenix International Holdings, Inc.
Travis Niederhauser was appointed President of Phoenix International Holdings, Inc. on August 1, 2026. A proven leader with more than 13 years at Phoenix, he has built his career through progressive leadership roles, advancing from Diver/Tender to General Manager before assuming the company’s top executive position.
Travis holds a Bachelor of Arts in Geography with a concentration in Geographic Information Systems (GIS), Cartography, and Remote Sensing from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa and is a graduate of the Divers Institute of Technology.
Drawing on extensive operational experience and strategic leadership, Travis is focused on driving innovation, strengthening customer partnerships, and positioning Phoenix for continued growth while upholding the company’s commitment to safety, quality, and operational excellence.
Phoenix International Board of Directors
Mike Kutzleb
Chief Executive Officer & Chairman of the Board
Mike Kutzleb is a founding member of Phoenix International Holdings, Inc. and currently serves as Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board of Directors. He brings over 40 years of full-time experience—and an additional 8 years of part-time involvement—in marine field operations and executive management.
Mike has led and participated in a wide range of complex underwater projects, including underwater ship repair and deep ocean search, survey, and recovery operations at depths ranging from 20 to 20,000 feet. His extensive expertise spans the use of advanced subsea technologies such as search sensors, sonars, divers, manned submersibles, and Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs). Under his leadership, Phoenix has become a trusted name in subsea operations worldwide.
John Smith
Vice President & Member, Board of Directors
John Smith brings over four decades of experience in the commercial diving and subsea operations industry. He began his career in 1975 as a diving tender with Oceaneering International, where he spent 22 years steadily advancing through the ranks to become Diving Superintendent of Navy Operations.
In 1997, John co-founded Phoenix Marine—now Phoenix International Holdings, Inc.—alongside Mike Kutzleb and five other partners. Today, he serves as Vice President and sits on the company’s Board of Directors, helping guide Phoenix’s growth and operational excellence.
A native of Fall River, Massachusetts, John is a graduate of the Coastal School of Deep-Sea Diving and holds a welding certification from Laney College. He is also a certified Diving Instructor with the Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI), underscoring his lifelong commitment to safety and technical excellence in the diving profession.
Patrick Keenan
Member, Board of Directors (Retired Immediate Past President)
Patrick Keenan brings more than 40 years of experience in naval engineering, marine salvage, underwater ship repair, and executive leadership to the Phoenix International Holdings, Inc. Board of Directors.
Patrick served 30 years in the U.S. Navy as a diver, salvor, and engineer, culminating his military career as the U.S. Navy Supervisor of Salvage and Diving and Director of Ocean Engineering. Following his Navy service, he served as Global Director of Operations for TITAN Salvage, overseeing major international salvage projects, including the recovery of the Costa Concordia.
Patrick joined Phoenix International Holdings to lead its commercial underwater ship repair operations and served as President for 10 years before joining the Board of Directors in 2026.
A registered Professional Engineer and Certified Marine Surveyor, Patrick holds engineering degrees from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and a bachelor’s degree in Chemistry from the University of Pennsylvania. He is also the recipient of the American Society of Naval Engineers’ Claude A. Jones Award for excellence in naval engineering.