Leadership Lecture Series - 10/15/2006
Gordon England
Secretary of the Navy Gordon England was nominated by President
George W. Bush as Deputy Secretary of Defense and was confirmed by the Senate
on April 6, 2006 as the 29th Deputy Secretary of Defense. Secretary England served as the 73rd
Secretary of the Navy. He is only the
second person in history to serve twice as the leader of the Navy-Marine Corps
Team and the first to serve in back-to-back terms. Prior to his return to the Navy Department,
he was the first Deputy Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security. Prior to joining the administration of
President George W. Bush, Mr. England
served as executive vice president of General Dynamics Corporation.
Kevin O'Flaherty
Captain Kevin O’Flaherty was commissioned through the United States Naval Academy
and was designated a Naval Aviator in April 1983. After completing training in the A-6E Intruder,
he served in two A-6E Intruder squadrons including tours with the Eagles of
VA-115, and Milestones of VA-196. He
transitioned to the FA-18 Hornet and served as the executive officer and
subsequently commanding officer of VFA-94 Mighty Shrikes. Subsequent sea tours include a tour as
executive officer of USS Abraham Lincoln and Commanding Officer of USS
Juneau. Ashore, Captain O’Flaherty
served on staff of the Naval Strike Warfare
Center in Fallon,
Nevada, as well as on the staff of
headquarters of U.S. Air Forces in Europe. He completed Navy Nuclear Power training in
May 2001.
C. Michael Petters
Mike Petters is corporate vice president and president of
Northrop Grumman Newport News. Named to
this position in 2004, Petters has responsibilities for the design,
construction and maintenance of the most sophisticated ships in the world –
nuclear-powered aircraft carriers and submarines. Petters’ responsibilities include the
Virginia-class submarine program; George H. W. Bush (CVN 77) and CVN 21
aircraft carrier programs; aircraft carrier overhaul and refueling; submarine
fleet maintenance; commercial and naval ship repair; and business and
technology development. Petters,
commissioned upon graduation from the United States Naval
Academy, served as an
active duty naval officer and was assigned to USS George Bancroft. Petters joined Newport News in 1987 in the Los Angeles-class
submarine construction division.
