Fincantieri Marinette Marine adds more brass to its board

As the competition to build the Navy’s new FFG (X) frigate heats up, Fincantieri Marinette Marine, Marinette, Wisc., is bringing more retired After announcing that its board had named retired Navy three-star admiral Richard W. Hunt as the president of the shipyard, the shipbuilder, which is part of Fincantieri Marine Group, reports that former Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Gary Roughead has been elected as the chairman of its board of directors.

Also joining the shipbuilder’s board is Rear Adm. Kevin M. Sweeney, who retired from the Navy in 2014, and was most recently the chief of staff for Jim Mattis during his tenure as the Secretary of Defense.

“Fincantieri is both honored and pleased to have Admiral Roughead join this board in a leadership role”, said Dario Deste, Fincantieri Marine Group’s CEO. “His naval and defense expertise is unquestioned and few can bring his depth of leadership and management skills to an organization.”

Roughead was the 29th Chief of Naval Operations from 2007 – 2011, after holding six operational commands. He is one of only two officers in the history of the Navy to have commanded both the U.S. Atlantic and Pacific Fleets.

“I am pleased to join the Fincantieri Marinette Marine team,” said Roughead. We have one of the most modern U.S. shipyards, the commitment and drive to innovate in building ships to meet tomorrow’s defense needs, and, above all a top-notch Midwestern workforce that epitomizes the industriousness of the American heartland.”

Roughead served in several key positions aside from his sea duties, most notably as the commandant of the U.S. Naval Academy, and as the Navy’s chief of legislative affairs, responsible for the Department of the Navy’s interaction with Congress. He also was the deputy commander of U.S. Pacific Command.