U.S. Navy veteran Sharon Smoot has been named president of the nuclear operations group at defense manufacturing and engineering company BWX Technologies. Her appointment is effective August 1.
As head of the nuclear operations group, Smoot will leverage her three-decade career with the Navy to oversee BWXT’s delivery of products such as nuclear reactor components to the service branch, the Lynchburg, Virginia-headquartered organization said Wednesday.
Kevin McCoy, president of the government operations wing of BWXT, emphasized that Smoot’s expertise is not just founded in “large, complex industrial and naval operations” but also in attentive customer service and comprehensive team-building.
McCoy additionally stated that Smoot’s track record in the upper echelon of U.S. Navy leadership managing fiscal and policy efforts as well as nuclear industrial operations and technical initiatives will be a value-add for ensuring the viability of BWXT’s own nuclear manufacturing plants.
At BWXT, Smoot will be in charge of leading the company’s completion of orders for nuclear reactor parts to be used for Navy submarines and aircraft carriers, in addition to occupying responsibility for other nuclear and non-nuclear research and development and manufacturing endeavors.
Smoot culminated her time with the Navy as executive director for logistics, maintenance and industrial operations at the Naval Sea Systems Command after holding a number of senior-level positions with the service branch over the years. The executive served in various high-ranking roles in the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, U.S. Fleet Forces Command and Norfolk Naval Shipyard.
In recognition of her achievements, Smoot has received various awards and distinctions, such as the Department of the Navy Civilian Distinguished Service Award, the NAVSEA Meritorious Unit Commendation and the Presidential Rank Award.
Succeeding the retiring Joel Duling in her new role, Smoot’s appointment follows a number of executive shifts occurring at BWXT this year. In May, Ryan Colvert joined the company as its senior director for government relations and in February, McCoy was added to lead the government operations segment.
McCoy’s instatement came as part of a reorganization of BWXT’s structure.