Huntington Ingalls Industries announced the promotion of Xavier Beale to vice president of trades at the company’s Newport News Shipbuilding division. He will succeed Ray Bagley, a master shipbuilder who retired in July after more than 43 years of service.
In this role, Beale, who most recently served as director of human resources operations, will be responsible for production trades, trades management, trades administration and The Apprentice School. He will report directly to Matt Needy, Newport News’ vice president of operations.
“Xavier brings knowledge and experience as well as a unique personal and professional perspective,” said Newport News Shipbuilding President Jennifer Boykin. “He is a second-generation shipbuilder with a close connection to our workforce. I am confident that Xavier’s proven leadership, diverse experiences and commitment to people will continue to advance our trades organization by supporting our talented craft professionals and craft leadership.”
Huntington Ingalls Industries is America’s largest military shipbuilding company and a provider of professional services to partners in government and industry. For more than a century, HII’s Newport News and Ingalls shipbuilding divisions in Virginia and Mississippi have built more ships in more ship classes than any other U.S. naval shipbuilder.