Dear HII Teammates,

I wanted to take a moment to let you know what I have heard and learned from you, our employees, over the last 100 days as HII’s CEO, and what I will continue to focus on going forward.

In visits and listening sessions with HII teams across multiple states, I’ve been reminded of the dedication, discipline and resiliency of this workforce. Our shared values and mission to serve the national defense remain our foundation. Joined with you in that mission, as I reflect on these past three months here are my top three expectations of what it means to be part of this great company:

1. Our culture of ethics and compliance is our cornerstone. First and foremost will always be our shared values of integrity, safety, respect, engagement, responsibility and performance. We need to compete and be successful, but for wins to count, they need to be consistent with our values. Our work is too essential for anything less, and as we evolve, it is our responsibility to safeguard our ethical culture.
2. Execute on our commitments. This is simply doing what we say we are going to do. It sounds simple, but it’s not always easy given the complexities of our business. My expectation is for our team to work with a sense of responsibility and urgency, always remembering our mission. Our ships, technologies and solutions are needed now more than ever, and it is imperative we deliver on our commitments, while never sacrificing quality or safety. Our customers, shareholders and employees expect continued and consistent execution.
3. Take ownership of our work. Every job we perform matters. From the person responsible for keeping our facilities clean and safe from hazards, to the shipbuilder installing a technical component on a ship, or an instructor teaching a course. I expect every HII employee to understand the details of their work and to own every success, failure, problem and solution. We succeed as one team, and how we take on our collective responsibility defines who we are.

It has been a busy 100 days. I anticipate the pace will not relent. It will take all our focused energy and dedication now to execute as expected, and to grow. Given this team and our track record of commitment to mission, I am more confident than ever in our ability to deliver.

Respectfully,
Chris Kastner
President and CEO