GD Appoints Welch As Senior VP

General Dynamics (GD) has named John K. Welch as senior vice president of the corporation and head of the marine systems group, which includes all of the company's shipbuilding and marine service operations. Welch will report to Nicholas D. Chabraja, GD chairman and CEO, at the company's Falls Church, Va. headquarters. Welch, who has been a vice president of the corporation and president of the company's Electric Boat business since 1995, will succeed James E. Turner, Jr., president and COO of GD, who has headed up the group for the past five years. The company announced that Turner plans to retire on January 15, and that it does not intend to name a new president. In addition, Michael W. Toner will take over Welch's position as president of Electric Boat, Groton, Ct. Toner, who has been a senior vice president of Electric Boat since 1998 will continue to report to Welch.