NNS Hosts 27th Annual Master Shipbuilders Dinner 4| 25 | 2016
Newport News Shipbuilding held the 27th annual Master Shipbuilders Dinner at the Hampton Roads Convention Center in Hampton on April 21. During the evening event, 832 men and women who have been employed by Newport News Shipbuilding for 40 or more years with a combined total of 35,672 years of service were honored. One hundred and seventy three of those employees were recognized as new Master Shipbuilders.
A weekly publication of Newport News Shipbuilding
Bill Bell, vice president of Human Resources and Administration, welcomed Master Shipbuilders and their guest to the ceremony, and NNS President Matt Mulherin served as the keynote speaker. “Tonight, we aren’t just celebrating longevity in your careers,” he said. “We are also celebrating your ability to adapt, to change and to grow. In 40 plus years, you have seen more change – in our shipyard and indeed the world – than any other group of shipbuilders. I am asking you to think about this as you work with our younger generation of employees. Because in 40 years from now, they’ll be the ones sitting here. They are our future, and with your guidance, your inspiration, and your open minds to their new ways of thinking, they will continue the legacy you have created, and lead Newport News Shipbuilding into another century of greatness.”
April 21, 2016
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“Top Gun” Welders Honored for Outstanding Achievements Thirty-seven welders from the Pipe Shop and Machine Shop were recognized for achieving “Top Gun” status for outstanding quality on welds requiring Radiographic Testing (RT) inspection. The welders were honored during a luncheon on April 22. Component Fabrication and Assembly (CFA) Director Aylin Robertson gave words of encouragement to the welders. “What I see across this room are leaders for our future generation of welders,” she said. “We all have a great expectation to bring them up under our wings and engage them through communication and teamwork… they are our future.” Of the 37 “Top Gun” welders, six were new inductees and two received plaques for being recognized as “Top Guns” for five consecutive years. Together, these craftsmen welded a total of 2,566 RT joints in 2015 with a 98.8 percent first-time quality rate. “The Top Gun recognition luncheon is a great opportunity for the CFA program to recognize its top welders,” said Gary Fuller, X18 trades director. “These craftsmen and craftswomen are true artisans of the craft.”
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Special hat given out during the “Top Gun” welders recognition luncheon. Photo by John Whalen
The Community Congratulates NNS on 130 Years Visit the 130th Anniversary website to watch new congratulatory video messages from Virginia Living Museums’ Page Hayhurst, Hugh Montgomery with Jefferson Lab and Virginia House of Delegates Monty Mason. New videos are added to the website each week.