HHI names Kari Wilkinson next NNS president

L to R: Kari Wilkinson, Jennifer Boykin [Photos: HII]

Kari Wilkinson is to become president of Huntington Ingalls Industries’ Newport News Shipbuilding (NNS) division, effective Jan. 1, 2025. She will succeed Jennifer Boykin, who is retiring at year’s end after 37 years with the company.

Wilkinson, who has served as president of HII’s Ingalls Shipbuilding division since 2021, becomes the 21st president of NNS, which was founded in 1886.

“I have asked Jennifer to stay on in an advisory capacity through March to support a seamless transition to Kari,” HII CEO and president Chris Kastner said. “You will not find a more loyal advocate than Jennifer for her shipbuilders and the Hampton Roads community. Kari’s leadership has steered Ingalls Shipbuilding into its next phase of growth, having secured serial production contracts for both the destroyer and amphibious ship programs. She is a tremendous leader and now brings her great energy and expertise to Newport News.”

“Leading shipbuilders in the critical work we do for the nation has been and will continue to be the greatest honor of my life,” Wilkinson said. “I join the Newport News team with deep respect for its nuclear culture, commitment to safety, and an exceptional legacy further strengthened by Jennifer and the NNS team. I am fully committed to advancing our mission in support of our sailors, their families, and for all of us who depend on them for freedom and security.”Kari Wilkinson is to become president of Huntington Ingalls Industries’ Newport News Shipbuilding (NNS) division, effective Jan. 1, 2025. She will succeed Jennifer Boykin, who is retiring at year’s end after 37 years with the company.

Wilkinson, who has served as president of HII’s Ingalls Shipbuilding division since 2021, becomes the 21st president of NNS, which was founded in 1886.

“I have asked Jennifer to stay on in an advisory capacity through March to support a seamless transition to Kari,” HII CEO and president Chris Kastner said. “You will not find a more loyal advocate than Jennifer for her shipbuilders and the Hampton Roads community. Kari’s leadership has steered Ingalls Shipbuilding into its next phase of growth, having secured serial production contracts for both the destroyer and amphibious ship programs. She is a tremendous leader and now brings her great energy and expertise to Newport News.”

“Leading shipbuilders in the critical work we do for the nation has been and will continue to be the greatest honor of my life,” Wilkinson said. “I join the Newport News team with deep respect for its nuclear culture, commitment to safety, and an exceptional legacy further strengthened by Jennifer and the NNS team. I am fully committed to advancing our mission in support of our sailors, their families, and for all of us who depend on them for freedom and security.”

BLANCHETTE TO BE NEXT INGALLS PRESIDENT

Elected to succeed Wilkinson as executive vice president of HII and president of Ingalls Shipbuilding, overseeing all programs and operations, is Brian Blanchette, who has served as vice president of quality and engineering at Ingalls since May 2021.

Blanchette joined Ingalls in 1996 and has served in a range of roles including in technical and design engineering, program management and business development.

“I am honored and humbled by the opportunity to lead Ingalls Shipbuilding and its dedicated shipbuilders,” Blanchette said. “Throughout my 28-year career at Ingalls, I’ve had the privilege of working with and learning from remarkable people at every level. My focus will be to build on my predecessors’ success, particularly Kari’s, and to carry forward our strong shipbuilding legacy and honor our commitment to our nation by delivering the quality ships our service members depend on.”