Huntington Ingalls Industries’ board of directors has elected Chief Operating Officer Chris Kastner as president and CEO, effective March 1.
The board also elected current President and CEO Mike Petters to become executive vice chairman of the board for a transition period.
Together, Petters and Kastner nurtured the company’s current $48 billion shipbuilding backlog. They also steered its recent technology-oriented acquisitions to strengthen and broaden the capabilities HII delivers to customers.
“We’ve spent the past 11 years building a company for the 21st century,” Petters said. “HII is now that company, with a leadership team and portfolio to serve our nation’s critical national security needs. I am proud of the work we have done together and excited to watch the company fulfill its promise. I have complete confidence in Chris and the senior leadership team in this next chapter.”
Petters took helm of HII when Northrop Grumman spun off its shipbuilding business in 2011. Before that, he led in various capacities for 24 years within HII’s shipbuilding divisions.
“Given HII’s support for national security, the company takes business continuity extremely seriously,” said Kirk Donald, chairman of the board of HII. “We are grateful to Mike for his immeasurable contribution to the nation, and for what is now a supremely responsible leadership hand-off. The entire board joins me in congratulating Chris as he takes the helm of HII.”
Starting March 1, Petters will support the leadership transition as executive vice chairman and will remain an employee through 2022.