I am a Nuclear Engineer and retired Naval Officer. I am married to the only girl I dated in high school and have two sons.
I graduated from the US Naval Academy with Distinction in May 1982, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering. After serving aboard ships for seven years, I attended the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, earning Master of Science degrees in Nuclear Engineering and Electrical Engineering in 1991.
My sea tours were: USS KIRK (FF 1087) as Electronic Material’s Officer, USS VANDEGRIFT (FFG 48) as Electronic Readiness and Combat Information Center Officer, USS MISSISSIPPI (CGN 40) as Main Propulsion Assistant, USS ENTERPRISE (CVN 65), as Station Officer, and USS DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER (CVN 69) as Reactor Officer.
My shore tours were: Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, Deputy Ship Material Officer on the staff of Commander, Naval Air Force, U.S. Atlantic Fleet, Carrier Overhaul Project Officer at Supervisor of Shipbuilding, Conversion and Repair, Newport News, Virginia, Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard and Regional Maintenance Center, Ship Materiel Officer (N43) at Commander Naval Air Forces, San Diego, CA, Supervisor of Shipbuilding at Newport News, Virginia, and Assistant Chief of Staff for Ship Materiel, COMNAVAIRLANT, Norfolk, Virginia. This was my last assignment before retiring 1 Nov 2011.
I am retired from the US Navy and continue working in the defense industry, currently with Spatial Integrated Systems, Inc., a small business that provides customized 2/3D scanning for ship alterations and shop product line management as well as customized engineering solutions for complex problems.
On active duty, I specialized in the repair and operation of nuclear powered aircraft carriers and now I have become cross-trained in building/testing/repairing nuclear submarines (Virginia and Los Angeles class). I am interested in teaching and learning about safety culture, high reliability organizations, and avoiding organizational accidents-they can ruin your whole day.
In my spare time, I provide as much mentoring as junior and senior officers can stand (okay, most of the time too much), play in an adult soccer league on Sundays, and read a lot of books.