Military shipbuilding company Huntington Ingalls Industries’ board of directors has chosen Kari Wilkinson to serve as executive vice president of HII and president of HII’s Ingalls Shipbuilding division, effective April 1.
Wilkinson succeeds Brian Cuccias, who will retire April 1. Under Cuccias’ leadership, Ingalls Shipbuilding optimized production, enhanced performance and continued meeting or exceeding customer commitments in spite of unexpected hurdles, said HII Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Chris Kastner.
“His shipbuilding expertise brought immeasurable value, and his contributions to this business have positioned Ingalls for lasting success,” Kastner added.
Wilkinson, who will report to Kastner, currently serves as Ingalls’ vice president of program management. She’s “a respected leader with an impressive 25-year record of success managing programs and overseeing major shipbuilding initiatives at Ingalls,” Kastner said.
“Her focus on operational excellence, exemplary leadership skills and ability to build effective customer relationships well positions her for this new role, and I look forward to working with her to continue the Ingalls Shipbuilding legacy of success,” Kastner added.