BAE Systems names new president of ship repair business

NORFOLK

BAE Systems, a global defense company that runs the largest private shipyard in South Hampton Roads, has named a new president to head its U.S. ship repair business.

Bill Clifford, current president and general manager of the company's Berkley yard in Norfolk, will take over the position April 1 from Al Krekich, who plans to retire in March, BAE Systems announced Wednesday.

Besides its Norfolk operation, which counts the Navy as its biggest customer, the company's ship repair sector offers maintenance and modernization services to Navy, government and commercial customers from shipyards in San Diego, San Francisco and Hawaii.

The sector, which is based in Norfolk, also includes a maritime engineering and services section in San Diego.

Clifford, 61, who spent 20 years in the Navy as a salvage and diving officer, was tapped to run the Norfolk shipyard in 2005 after the former Norshipco yard was purchased by the British-based BAE Systems. Before that, Clifford was president of the company's Hawaii shipyard. He also is a former ship superintendent at Norfolk Naval Shipyard in Portsmouth.

During the past three years, Clifford "has demonstrated extensive industry knowledge, a high level of customer focus and superior leadership skills," Marshall Banker, president of BAE Systems Customer Solutions, said in a statement.

Krekich, a retired Navy vice admiral who turns 65 in March, took over as president and general manager of Norshipco in 1998, after the yard was acquired by Southwest Marine, later restructured into U.S. Marine Repair.

After U.S. Marine was bought by United Defense Industries in 2002, Krekich served as president of the UDI subsidiary.

Krekich became president of BAE Systems' ship repair business in 2005 after the company purchased United Defense in a $3.9 billion deal.

On Wednesday, Clifford and Krekich were attending a strategy session in the Washington area with BAE Systems executives from across the country and were unavailable for comment.

A search has begun to fill Clifford's job as head of the Norfolk shipyard, said John Kowalczyk, a BAE Systems spokesman. T he yard holds three key Navy contracts to maintain amphibious assault ships and guided missile destroyers and cruisers.

"It's a busy yard, it has a strong customer base, and it does some critical work for the Navy," he said, "so ensuring that we get the right person will be critical."

Jon W. Glass, (757) 446-2318, jon.glass@pilotonline.com