VCNO, Adm. Howard visits top supplier of valves for Navy ships

Photo By Petty Officer 1st Class Timothy Godbee | 151120-N-SK590-231 PRAIRIE DU SAC, Wisc. (Nov. 20, 2015) -- Adm. Michelle Howard, vice chief of Naval Operations, takes a photo with an employee during a tour of the Milwaukee Valve Company manufacturing plant in Prairie du Sac, Wis., Nov. 20. Milwaukee Valve Company is the largest supplier of shipboard valves for the Navy. (U.S. Navy Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Tim D. Godbee /Released)  

PRAIRIE DU SAC, WI, UNITED STATES

11.20.2015

Story by Petty Officer 2nd Class Tyrell Morris 

Navy Production Division - Defense Media Activity

PRARIE DU SAC, Wisc. – Adm. Michelle Howard, vice chief of naval operations, toured the Milwaukee Valve plant in Prairie du Sac, Wisconsin, Nov. 20.

Milwaukee Valve Company is the Navy’s largest supplier of shipboard valves.

“I was reading an article on all the great work that’s done up here and said ‘If I’m ever in Wisconsin, I want to see where these valves are made,’” said Howard. “You wouldn’t believe that a land locked state in the middle of the country would have such a strong tie to the Navy.”

Milwaukee Valve Company has been in partnership with the Navy since the 1960s and provides close to 12,000 valves for each individual aircraft carrier.

Howard said that she wanted to emphasize to the employees how important their job was to keeping ships at sea so they can continue to defend the nation.

“We’re extremely proud to have Adm. Howard visit us today,” said Rick Giannini, CEO of the Milwaukee Valve Company. “The Marine and Navy business is an extremely important part of what we do so we are pleased that she wanted to come see what we do.”

Giannini is also the chairman of the Aircraft Carrier Industrial Base Coalition (ACIBC). The coalition represents approximately 400 businesses that supply components and services for U.S. Navy aircraft carriers.
ACIBC seeks to preserve the strength of the aircraft carrier force and promote the value of the Aircraft Carrier Industrial Base as a vital part of the nation’s overall defense structure.

“The shipbuilding industry is alive and well and we need support from our congressional members to keep building ships to support the defense of this great country,” said Giannini.

• Date Taken: 11.20.2015
• Date Posted: 11.20.2015 17:10
• Story ID: 182506
• Location: PRAIRIE DU SAC, WI, US