Dear Shipbuilders,

As announced last week, Susan Jacobs, NNS vice president of Human Resources and Administration is returning home to Ingalls to serve as their new vice president of Human Resources, effective April 1. As part of our transition plan, and because our 2022 priorities include hiring and retention, continuous learning and development, and training, we have an opportunity to better align and centralize the “people organizations” of our business.

To support this effort, I am combining our Human Resources and Administration and Trades divisions, which will be led by Xavier Beale. Xavier has served as vice president of Trades since 2018 and before that, held positions of increasing responsibility within Human Resources over the past 18 years. As vice president of Human Resources and Trades, he will continue to report directly to me.

Given the complexity of our large backlog of work and the demographics of our current workforce, a dedicated leader of our production trades and trades management remains critical within this new organization. I am pleased to announce that Dave Horne has been promoted to senior director of Trades, reporting to Xavier. Dave brings first-hand knowledge, perspective and experience to this position, having started his career in the trades. He also brings extensive knowledge of the nuclear standards and principles that we are working to strengthen across the entire organization.

Dave joined NNS as a welder in 1983. He graduated from The Apprentice School in 1989 as a pipefitter, served as a nuclear quality inspector and shift refueling engineer (SRE) before being promoted to leadership positions including production department refueling manager, refueling trade superintendent, trade director and program trade director. Dave earned a bachelor’s degree in computer science from Christopher Newport University and a master’s degree in engineering management from Florida Institute of Technology.

Please join me in congratulating and supporting Susan, Xavier and Dave in their new roles.

Respectfully,
Jennifer Boykin
President
Newport News Shipbuilding