When President John F. Kennedy stood before a joint session of Congress in 1962, he reminded the nation of a fundamental truth: "The Constitution makes us not rivals for power but partners for progress." That annual address was never designed to be a mere dry listing of numbers or legislative achievements. It was a national compass designed to align, inspire, and unite Americans toward their major objectives.
On Aug. 26, Norfolk Naval Shipyard (NNSY) launched its own monthly version of this proud tradition. Called the "State of the Shipyard," this forum provides a direct communication pipeline between shipyard leadership and the workforce. Employees can participate in person or stream the session live via Microsoft Teams. The goal is simple: to promote transparency, celebrate ongoing milestones, and discuss mission goals and the long-term modernization of the shipyard. As a dedicated platform for shipyard dialogue, it helps ensure every team member understands their role in NNSY’s ultimate mission of delivering warships back to the fleet.
NNSY's Chief of Staff Pete Dillon kicked off the inaugural event discussing its benefit for the workforce and leadership.
"This is a state of the shipyard forum meant as a platform for authenticity and dialogue on those big-picture items," Dillon said. "The venue provides an opportunity for leadership to really lean in and address those hot topics as a means of communication for shared success." Dillon highlighted a surge in recent high-level visits from congressional leaders and senior military officials, including Congressional Representative Jen Kiggans, Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine, and Portfolio Acquisition Executive for Industrial Operations Rear Adm. Todd Weeks.
"Everyone wants to be a part of a winning team, and they are starting to see the momentum that we are building and the successes that we are having," Dillon added.
During the State of the Shipyard, Executive Director of Nuclear Operations Jeremy Largey briefed the workforce on NNSY's major Command and Control (C2) reorganization. Under the newly established Executive Steering Committee model, the shipyard has grouped its various codes into five streamlined directorates: Production Operations, overseeing direct shipboard work and project execution on the waterfront; Industrial Support, grouping the logistics, supply, and support functions required for effective waterfront operations; Nuclear Operations, unifying nuclear production, radiological controls, and engineering; Strategic Business, managing financial, business, and resource planning; and Command Support, bundling broad support departments such as information technology, legal, and human resources.
"We are aligning clear lines of authority between accountable individuals, giving them the tools they need to execute what they are responsible for," Largey said. "This is not just a reorganization on a piece of paper. This is about streamlining command and control, improving results, and providing the right structure to accelerate our performance as a team."
The event culminated with Shipyard Commander Rear Adm. Kavon Hakimzadeh providing remarks on culture, quality of life, and the shipyard capabilities. Hakimzadeh praised the workforce's world-class execution on off-yard repairs supporting USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78), USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77) and USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75). He also celebrated major waterfront milestones, including the past two early carrier deliveries and the outstanding progress of the Virginia-class fast-attack submarine USS John Warner (SSN 785) project, which is on track for early delivery.
Hakimzadeh noted that the Navy is investing heavily in NNSY because the team is proving itself to be a dependable partner. He added that a winning culture is the key to securing federal funding for critical shipyard upgrades, including modernized infrastructure and improved dining facilities.
"Over the course of a 30-, 40-, or 50-year career in government service, you are going to spend a full one-third of your life doing this work," Hakimzadeh said. "My job is to empower you and to improve your quality of life while you are here. Your life is better when you are winning, and we are turning the corner to become a winning organization."
"Our processes are designed to deliver exactly the results we set up our systems to achieve," Hakimzadeh added. "If we want to reach new heights and accelerate our progress, we must think differently, modernize our systems, and establish a new way of doing business. Success breeds investment, and the Navy puts its resources where the winners are."
This influx of resources and expressed trust from senior Navy leadership is a direct reflection of NNSY's collective drive to work as a unified team. By taking ownership of the daily grind and embracing structural modernization, the shipyard is building the momentum needed to turn ambitious plans into mission victories.
In 1984, President Ronald Reagan looked toward the nation's future and declared, "We are too great a nation to limit ourselves to small dreams." At NNSY, those big dreams are steadily becoming reality. Through the open dialogue of the State of the Shipyard forum and a relentless commitment to structural excellence, America's Shipyard is proving that its best days are still ahead.