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10Maritime Reporter & Engineering News How did you come to your current position?Clifford I currently serve as the presi- dent of BAE Systems Ship Repair and have been in this position since 2008. In this role, I lead our six full service ship-yards and our 5,000 highly skilled em-ployees. Prior to assuming my current role, I was the vice president and general manager of BAE Systems Norfolk Ship Repair. Before joining BAE Systems, I spent more than 20 years in the private sector serving in senior management po-sitions at several shipyards. From 2001 to 2005, I was a managing partner of Pa- cific Shipyards International, LLC, a Hawaii consortium of Honolulu Ship- yard, Inc. and Honolulu Marine, Inc. Iwas also the vice president of new con- struction at Atlantic Marine in Jack- sonville, Florida and Director of Ship Completion at Bath Iron Works. Before I joined the private sector, I served on active duty in the U.S. Navy for 20 years, including tours on the USSWallace L. Lind, the USS Ault, the USS Fairfax County and the USS Papago, where I was the commanding officer. My final tour on active duty was Command- ing Officer of a 700 person Shore Inter- mediate Facility in Hawaii. I am a 1969 graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy and earned my master?s degree in mechani- cal engineering from the Navy?s Post- graduate School in Monterey, California. Give to me the ?Executive Overview? of BAE Systems? ship repair capabilities? Clifford Headquartered in Norfolk, Vir- ginia, BAE Systems Ship Repair is a leading non-nuclear ship repair, mod- ernization, overhaul and new construc- tion company in the United States. BAE Systems Ship Repair services the U.S.Navy and other defense agencies, such as Military Sealift Command, the Mar- itime Administration, the U.S Army and the U.S. Coast Guard. Ship Repair'scommercial market includes tankers, cargo ships and cruise ships representing Disney, Carnival, Holland-America and Royal Caribbean cruise lines and highly capable small ship construction facilities in Jacksonville, Florida and Mobile, Al- abama.Our strategic acquisition, in 2008, of the Mobile and Jacksonville shipyards was the fulfillment of our plan to expand into the commercial maintenance and repairbusiness. Additionally, this acquisition gives us significant new construction ca- pabilities for the offshore oil and gas and Jones Act transportation markets, which help balance our business portfolio. We have more than 5,000 highly-skilled em- ployees working at our full-service ship- yards and worksites strategically located in Norfolk, VA; Jacksonville/Mayport, FL; Mobile, AL; San Diego and San Francisco, CA; and Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. When you look at the expanse of your op- erations, what do you count as the pri- mary strength of your company? Clifford The primary strength of BAE Systems Ship Repair is without questionour highly skilled workforce. Our em- ployees and their commitment, energy and ?can do? attitude are what make us successful. In addition to our expert workforce, the ?main batteries? of our business are the capital investment in piers, drydocks and cranes of our ship-yards. You have to have these facilities, well maintained and safe to work on ships!Please provide some insights on your business mix, specifically how much is commercial vs. military/government? Also, is the current ratios, in your mind, the optimal or desired mix, and how do you see this changing? Clifford Our business mix is heavily weighted to the military/government sector but, as we move forward we want to continue to grow our commercial maintenance and repair, module fabrica- tion and new construction portfolio. INTERVIEWFIVE MINUTES WITH BILL CLIFFORD, PRESIDENT, BAE SYSTEMS SHIP REPAIR Building BlocksBill Clifford has BAE Systems U.S. Ship Repair armada firing on all cylindersBy Greg Trauthwein, editor QHow would you describe your management style? My team would probably use one of my favorite quotes to describe my management style, ?It?s Friday and you know what that means; only two more work days!? I am a firm believer that hard work pays off. Shipyards are a 24/7 hands-on operation so it is definitely a come in early and stay late type of job; it is a full contact team sport! MR May 12 # 2 (9-16):MR Template 4/24/2012 4:43 PM Page 10