Marine Systems Group News

The board of directors of General Dynamics has elected S. Daniel Johnson to be executive vice president, Information Systems and Technology, effective January 1, 2015, to succeed David K. Heebner, who has informed the company of his intention to retire on December 31, 2014. Johnson will also continue in his role as president of General Dynamics Information Technology, a business unit of General Dynamics. In announcing the board's action, Phebe N. Novakovic, chairman and chief executive officer, said, "David Heebner has had an exemplary career at General Dynamics, having served in leadership positions in all of our defense businesses and at corporate headquarters. He has been an invaluable resource for the entire General Dynamics team and he will be greatly missed.

Last month U.S. ship owner Tote Inc. shocked the maritime community in ordering the world’s first LNG-powered containerships; in one fell swoop energizing the U.S. shipbuilding sector. On the occasion of this historic contract, top executives from TOTE, NASSCO and MAN spoke to Maritime Reporter & Engineering News to weigh in on the deal’s significance. In recent decades, particularly in the large commercial ship niche, it is fair to say that the U.S. has not been a world force.

General Dynamics Board Elects Novakovic to Be President and Chief Operating Officer. General Dynamics announced that its board of directors has elected Phebe N. Novakovic, 54, to be the corporation's president and chief operating officer reporting to Jay L. Johnson, chairman and chief executive officer. The appointment is effective May 2, 2012. In announcing the board's action Johnson said, "The board and I are pleased to promote Phebe to fulfill these new responsibilities. She has performed well in her role as executive vice president of Marine Systems and previously as senior vice president of planning and development, and is more than ready to assume a larger role in the corporation. Novakovic became an executive vice president of General Dynamics in May 2010.

General Dynamics announced that David K. Heebner, president of General Dynamics Land Systems, will succeed Michael W. Toner as executive vice president and group executive for the corporation's Marine Systems group when Toner retires on December 31, 2008. Mark C. Roualet, senior vice president and chief operating officer of General Dynamics Land Systems, will succeed Heebner on October 15, at which time Heebner will transfer to the corporation's headquarters for a transitional period. Heebner, 63, has been president of General Dynamics Land Systems since July 1, 2005. Previously he had been senior vice president - planning and development for General Dynamics, since March 2002. He had been vice president of strategic planning for General Dynamics since January 2000.

The U.S. Navy has awarded General Dynamics Electric Boat an $8.7 billion block-buy contract for the construction of six Virginia-class submarines, the largest submarine order in U.S. history. Electric Boat is a wholly owned subsidiary of General Dynamics (NYSE:GD). The contract authorizes Electric Boat, the lead shipyard, and its teammate, Northrop Grumman Newport News, to proceed with the construction of one ship per year from FY 03 through FY 06, and two ships in FY 07. "This is an extremely significant contract award," said Michael W. Toner, president of Electric Boat and executive vice president of General Dynamics Marine Systems group.

CAE USA marine systems has named Capt. William H. Luebke to the newly created position of director of technology, effective Jan. Luebke, who just retired from the U.S. Navy, will work with the division's existing management team to set, monitor and evaluate technical standards, as well as develop new engineering approaches to bring the best marine control solutions to market. Luebke is expected to work with technology leads in CAE's Tampa, Montreal and Norway facilities. He will report directly to Joe Lee Frank, president of CAE USA marine systems. According to Frank, "Capt.

General Dynamics reported 2001 fourth quarter net earnings of $246 million, $1.21 per share on a fully diluted basis, on sales of $3.5 billion. This represents an 11 percent earnings per share increase over the fourth quarter of 2000, when net earnings were $219 million, $1.09 per share, on sales of $2.7 billion. The quarter ended on December 31, 2001. Full year 2001 net earnings on a recurring basis were $915 million, $4.51 per fully diluted share, on sales of $12.2 billion. This is a 12 percent per share increase over 2000 earnings of $811 million on a recurring basis, $4.03 per fully diluted share, on sales of $10.4 billion. Including favorable…

The National Steel and Shipbuilding Company (NASSCO), has signed a five-year agreement to continue their use of the Tribon Shipbuilding System at the San Diego shipyard in California. NASSCO will use the Tribon system for the design and production of all of their naval and commercial ships. NASSCO implemented the Tribon Hull system in 1995 on the Sealift New Construction program for the U.S. Navy. In 1997 NASSCO implemented the entire Tribon system including, all hull and outfitting applications. The agreement includes a provision that a Tribon system will be installed at Bath Iron Works, which is also a member of the General Dynamics Corporation Marine Systems Group. Bath Iron Works is working with NASSCO on creating the detailed design of the U.S. Navy’s new T-AKE logistic ships.

Left to right: Mrs. Diane Ryan; Honorees Captain Brian A. McAllister ’56; Captain Anthony J. McAllister III ’80 and Vice Admiral John Ryan at the 2005 Admiral’s Scholarship Dinner at SUNY Maritime College. SUNY Maritime College hosted a record crowd of over 400 during the 2005 Admiral’s Scholarship Dinner, held in Vander Clute Hall on Friday, May 6 at Maritime’s scenic waterfront campus. A record $200,000 was also raised in support of cadet scholarships for incoming freshmen. Dinner Honorees included the Reverend Michael Robert Moynihan, Maritime College chaplain and pastor of St. Michael the Archangel Church and St. Timothy Chapel in Greenwich…

General Dynamics announced the appointment of Michael W. Toner, 59, as executive vice president of the Marine Systems group, reporting to the chairman and CEO. He succeeds John K. Welch, who has announced his retirement; Welch had led the Marine Systems group since January 2000. Toner will also continue in his present position as president of General Dynamics Electric Boat. "John Welch served General Dynamics with energy and skill, and we wish him well in his retirement," said Nicholas D. Chabraja, General Dynamics chairman and CEO. "Mike Toner has the operational experience to ensure that Marine Systems delivers value to our shareholders, and ships of the superb capability and quality that our customers expect," Chabraja said.

General Dynamics announced the appointment of John F. "Dugan" Shipway, 60, as president of Bath Iron Works, reporting to Michael W. Toner, executive vice president of General Dynamics Marine Systems group. Shipway succeeds Allan C. Cameron, 57, who has announced his retirement. Cameron had been president of Bath Iron Works since 1996. "Allan Cameron carried on the long shipbuilding tradition of 'Bath-built is best-built,'" said Nicholas D. Chabraja, General Dynamics chairman and CEO. "He recognized that great shipbuilders need modern tools. Through the development and construction of the new land-level facility, he brought Bath Iron Works into shipbuilding's 21st century," said Chabraja. "Bath Iron Works makes the best surface combatants in the world," said Cameron.

James E. Turner will retire as president and COO of General Dynamics on January 15 - a position he has held since June 1997. Turner, who also led the company's Marine Systems Group since October 1995, joined the company in 1988 as vice president and general manager of Electric Boat - the company's nuclear submarine division. The company expects to elect a leader of the Marine Systems Group in January 2000; it does not plan to name a president.

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.

Michael Carthew, President, Chevron Texaco Shipping and Dean Taylor, President and CEO, Tidewater Marine were elected to the ABS Board of Directors, by the ABS Council, following yesterday's Annual Members Meeting of the classification society in New York. General Dynamics announced the appointment of John F. "Dugan" Shipway, 60, as president of Bath Iron Works, reporting to Michael W. Toner, executive vice president of General Dynamics Marine Systems group. Shipway succeeds Allan C. Cameron, 57, who has announced his retirement. Cameron had been president of Bath Iron Works since 1996. Edwin W. Stephan, a founder and former longtime president and vice chairman of Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd., will retire from the Board of Directors following the company's May 20 annual meeting in Miami.