Courtesy / Bath Iron Works
Charles Krugh, a Gulfstream Aerospace executive, was named the new president of Bath Iron Works.
May 5, 2022
BIW names Gulfstream Aerospace exec as new president
Photo / Courtesy BIW
General Dynamics Bath Iron Works on Thursday announced the appointment of a new president. The Maine shipyard builds Navy destroyers, including the USS Daniel Inouye, shown here in 2019 heading out to sea trials.
By Jessica Hall
Bath Iron Works on Thursday named Charles Krugh as its new president, following the sudden departure of predecessor Dirk Lesko last month.
General Dynamics Corp. (NYSE: GD), which owns Bath Iron Works, also owns the company where Krugh currently serves as a vice president, Gulfstream Aerospace.
“Chuck’s leadership, proven track record in manufacturing and expertise in managing complex supply chains will be an enabler to Bath Iron Works as it expands and increases the pace of shipbuilding for the U.S. Navy,” said Robert Smith, executive vice president for General Dynamics Marine Systems.
A U.S. Army veteran, Krugh served in a variety of aerospace manufacturing roles before joining General Dynamics in 2011 as a senior vice president and general manager for jet aviation. He was appointed Gulfstream’s vice president for supplier operational support in 2018.
Lesko, who had helmed BIW since November 2016 and began work there in 1990, resigned abruptly in April. His departure followed a change of command by the Navy, which on March 25 installed Capt. David Hart as its supervisor of shipbuilding at BIW. Hart is part of a Naval Sea Systems Command branch that oversees design and construction of Navy ships at commercial yards in Bath, San Diego and Marinette, Wis.
A federal watchdog report recently criticized the Navy’s oversight of shipbuilders including BIW.
After Lesko's departure, Smith temporarily assumed direct responsibility for BIW, pending appointment of a permanent replacement.
In 2020, Lesko steered BIW through a contentious, 62-day strike by its largest union, the International Association of Machinists & Aerospace Workers Local S6. It represents about two-thirds of the company's 7,400 employees.
BIW, founded in 1884, was acquired in 1995 by Reston, Va.-based General Dynamics, one of the largest defense contractors in the world. In 2021, the company reported $38.5 billion in revenue.
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