Brandi Smith Named Columbia-Class Program VP at HII’s Newport News Shipbuilding Division

Brandi Smith, a two-decade shipbuilding industry veteran, has been promoted to vice president of the Columbia-class program at HII’s (NYSE: HII) Newport News Shipbuilding division.

Smith, who serves as construction program director for the Columbia-class submarine, will assume her new position on June 1 and succeed Charles Southall, who will retire from HII on July 1 after a more than 35-year career, the company Thursday.

In her next role as VP, Smith will oversee program schedules, costs and technical performance.

She started her career in 2002 as a carrier overhaul program engineer for Northrop Grumman’s (NYSE: NOC) shipbuilding sector, which was spun off into the company now known as HII.

Smith also served as interim director of construction engineering for the Ford class and engineering lead for integrated digital shipbuilding.

The Columbia-class ballistic missile submarine program is the U.S. Navy’s effort to replace its fleet of legacy Ohio-class nuclear-powered underwater vessels.

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