Newport News Shipbuilding makes leadership team promotions

Dave Bolcar (L) and Bill Smith

OCTOBER 19, 2017 — Huntington Ingalls Industries (NYSE:HII) reports two promotions to the leadership team at its Newport News Shipbuilding division.

Dave Bolcar is promoted to vice president of submarine construction, which now encompasses both the Virginia- and Columbia-class submarine programs. Bolcar most recently served as director of the Columbia-class program. He joined the shipyard in 1988 as an engineer in the Los Angeles-class submarine engineering division. Since then, he has held several positions of increasing responsibility, including manager in Ford-class component engineering and Columbia-class propulsion engineering, and director of submarine engineering. Bolcar earned a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Pennsylvania State University. He will continue to report to Ken Mahler, Newport News’ vice president of Navy programs.

Bill Smith is promoted to vice president, fleet support programs, effective immediately. He will have responsibility for both submarine and aircraft carrier fleet support, including Gerald R. Ford-class fleet support work. Smith most recently served as program director for aircraft carrier fleet support. He began his shipbuilding career in 1984 as a sheet metal apprentice. Since then, he has held a number of positions with increasing responsibility, including piping supervisor for Nimitz-class aircraft carriers and engineering manager for Ford-class aircraft carriers. He also served as director of aircraft carrier engineering and director of the reactor plant planning yard, propulsion plant engineering activity and standard Navy valve yard. Smith graduated from The Apprentice School in 1988 and earned his bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Old Dominion University. He will report to Mahler.

Matt Needy, who most recently served as vice president of the Virginia-class submarine program and fleet services, is transferring to vice president of operations, effective immediately. He will be responsible for all trade, manufacturing, material logistics and facilities operations and will report to Newport News Shipbuilding President Jennifer Boykin.

“The entire Newport News Shipbuilding team is working hard to put the right leaders in the right positions as we work toward transforming our business in support of the Navy,” Boykin said. “This integration of the Virginia- and Columbia-class programs, and the fleet support programs, directly reflects our customer’s priorities and better positions us for success.”