American shipbuilding leader HII has announced that Kari Wilkinson will take over as president of the Newport News shipyard next year, following the retirement of long-time executive Jennifer Boykin after an impressive 37-year career in the industry.
Currently, Wilkinson serves as the president of HII’s Ingalls Shipbuilding in Mississippi, recognized for its production of the US Navy’s destroyers and amphibious vessels since she took on the role in 2021. Brian Blanchette, the vice president of quality and engineering at Ingalls, will succeed her in that position.
Boykin has led HII’s Newport News Shipbuilding since 2017, where the facility is notably the sole prime contractor for the Navy’s aircraft carriers and collaborates with General Dynamics on the Virginia- and Columbia-class submarines.
HII CEO Chris Kastner expressed gratitude for Boykin’s dedication, stating, “I have asked Jennifer to stay on in an advisory capacity through March to support a seamless transition to Kari. You will not find a more loyal advocate than Jennifer for her shipbuilders and the Hampton Roads community.” He praised Wilkinson’s leadership at Ingalls, highlighting her role in securing contracts that will propel growth in destroyer and amphibious ship production.
This leadership announcement comes shortly after HII provided a disappointing financial outlook to Wall Street, significantly lowering its free cash flow projections for 2024, primarily due to supply chain challenges and the ongoing impacts of the coronavirus pandemic.
When questioned about the timing of this transition, an HII spokesperson remarked that it aligns with Boykin’s retirement plans and emphasized the company’s dedication to thoughtful succession planning in collaboration with its board of directors. The spokesperson added that Boykin had notified the company of her retirement intentions earlier this year, marking the end of an era at Newport News Shipbuilding.
