Hanwha Defense USA brings in Rear Adm. Tom Anderson to lead shipbuilding operations
A welder at work on a new ship. Gettyimages.com/ GlenJ
By
Nick Wakeman
A former program executive officer for ships, Tom Anderson will lead the company's push to expand its U.S. maritime presence after acquiring the Philly Shipyard.
Hanwha Defense USA has hired a retired rear admiral and program executive officer for ships to be president of its U.S. shipbuilding business.
Tom Anderson will lead the development of a strategy for future shipbuilding programs, as well as work to build the company’s shipbuilding infrastructure and associated workforce to prepare for future growth.
Anderson served in the Navy for 34 years, including roles as PEO Ships and acting commander of the Naval Sea Systems Command. NAVSEA is the Navy's lead organization for acquiring, maintaining and modernizing ships.
“This is a pivotal time for the Navy and U.S. shipbuilding writ large. Tom brings a wealth of experience and unique perspectives that will accelerate the delivery of novel solutions to our customers' most elusive industrial base challenges,” Mike Smith, president and CEO of Hanwha Defense USA, said in a release.
Hanwha Defense USA is a subsidiary of Hanwha Group, a South Korea-headquartered conglomerate.
In December, Hanwha acquired the Philly Shipyard for $100 million. With the acquisition, Hanwha is focused on revitalizing the shipyard as part of its wider goal of increasing U.S. maritime capacity and the related industrial base.