What it Means to Be a Shipbuilder

Published September 1, 2022

Dear Shipbuilders,

As we approach the Labor Day holiday weekend, I want to take a moment and reflect on what it means to be a shipbuilder. As many of you know, we laid the keel for Enterprise (CVN 80) last weekend. We were fortunate to have Ship’s Sponsor and Olympic gold medalist Katie Ledecky with us. Her speech was especially inspiring – praising those who build and create as the real heroes. She also talked about her training and the importance of endurance, fortitude, consistency and no shortcuts, and she compared those attributes to our role as shipbuilders.

Her words resonated with me, and I believe they are important for all shipbuilders to hear, or to hear again for those who attended the ceremony. Please take a moment to watch this short video, and listen and reflect on how you contribute each day to our company, our community and to our nation.

Have a happy and safe Labor Day weekend!

All the best,
Jennifer Boykin
President
Newport News Shipbuilding

Watch full remarks (5 minutes).