Ron Spano - Section Chairman
Ron Spano is Section
Chairman for the Tidewater
Section and a ASNE member since 1999. A retired Naval Engineering
Limited Duty
Officer with 23 years of service. In 1999 he was hired as a U.S. Navy
Port
Engineer in support of
CAPT Charles Baker,
USN - Vice
ChairmanCaptain Baker holds a BS from VMI and a Mechanical Engineering MS from Naval Postgraduate School. He has 24 years of Naval service, officer and enlisted, with operational experience in shipboard engineering systems. An Engineering Duty Officer since 1991, he has worked waterfront maintenance on auxiliary, amphibious and special warfare ships. Waterfront tours include SUPSHIP and Norfolk Naval Shipyard; staff assignments have been COMNAVSURFLANT, OPNAV and Fleet Forces Command.
Bill Erwin - TreasurerLieutenant Commander William D. Erwin, USN (Ret), a native of Laurel, Delaware entered the Navy in October 1981. He quickly rose through the ranks to Senior Chief Electrician within 12 years. Senior Chief Erwin was promoted to Ensign under the Limited Duty Officer Program (6130) in Oct 1995 by Captain Leroy Brown.
Lieutenant Commander Erwin’s duty stations include 8 shipboard tours to include: USS Vulcan (AR-5), USS Ponce’ (LPD-15), USS Puget Sound (AD-38), NNSY Service Craft YTB-809, USS Iwo Jima (LPH-2), USS America (CV-66), USS Nassau LHA-2 and USS Kearsarge LHD-3. His 3 shore tours include COMNAVSURFLANT N43 Dept Type Desk Assistant, COMPHIBGRU TWO as Engineering Training Officer and Mid-Atlantic Regional Maintenance Center as Assistant Repair Officer.
Lieutenant Commander Erwin has been active in recruiting new members for the Tidewater Section by inviting prospective members to every dinner function, and many have now joined our ranks. He has attended every dinner meeting since July 2005 and joined the Tidewater Section in November 2005.
Upon his retirement on 01 June 2007, he has accepted a position at Blackmer Pumps as Director of Marine and Military Group, were he will continue to provide service to our nation’s military branches and maritime assets
Marty Oard - Secretary
Marty Oard is a native of Van Nuys, CA,
and has been a member of ASNE for approximately 13 years. He
graduated with a Bachelor of Science
Degree in Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering from the U.S. Coast
Guard
Academy in 1984.
Upon graduation form the Coast Guard Academy, Marty served aboard the USCGC BOUTWELL, as a Student Engineer and Assistant Engineering Officer from 1984 to 1987. From 1987 to 1989, he was assigned to the Pre-Commissioning Detachment and served aboard the USCGC CAMPBELL as the Damage Control Assistant and Assistant Engineering Officer. In 1989, Marty Oard began graduate studies at the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, earning Masters Degrees in Naval Architecture & Marine Engineering and Mechanical Engineering in 1991. After graduate school, he served as the Engineering Officer onboard the CGCGC TAMPA, homeported in Portsmouth, Virginia, from 1991 to 1994. In 1994, Marty was transferred to the Maintenance and Logistics Command Atlantic, then located in Governor’s Island, New York, where he served as the Specifications Branch Chief. When Governor’s Island closed in 1996, he moved with MLCLANT to Norfolk, Virginia, and was assigned as Section Chief of Vessel Repairs for high and medium endurance cutters. In 1998, Marty Oard was reassigned to the Coast Guard Training Center Yorktown, Virginia, serving as the Chief of Engineering and Weapons School until 2002. Marty’s final active Coast Guard assignment was at the Coast Guard Yard, where he served as Executive Officer. Marty authored three articles in the Coast Guard Engineering, Electronics and Logistics Quarterly on the theory of constraints, critical chain project management and knowledge management during his tour at the Yard, received an M.B.A. from the University of Maryland-University College in April 2006, and retired from the active duty Coast Guard in June 2006.
In the spring of 2006, Marty accepted a position as the Coast Guard Yard’s Business Manager. In the fall of 2006, Marty moved back to the Tidewater area of Virginia and accepted a position with BMT Designers & Planners as the Post Delivery Trials & Tests coordinator for the Coast Guard National Security Cutter.
Joe
YursoMr. Yurso has been active in ASNE since 1964. Joe has served in several sections over the years. He is a past Chairman of Tidewater and has held almost every position in several ASNE sections including as an elected member of National Council. As a past National President (1997-1999), he is a life member of the National Council.
Joe is employed by Q.E.D. Systems Inc. Virginia Beach, VA. Joe served 30 years in the Navy as an Engineering Duty Officer. His two command tours were Supervisor of Shipbuilding, Groton, Connecticut and Portsmouth Naval Shipyard. He served as Deputy, Supervisor of Shipbuilding Newport News and Production Officer of Norfolk Naval Shipyard.Kathleen Hinton is the senior ASNE National Vice President. A member since 1987, Kathleen received her B.A. with High Distinction from the University of Virginia and her MBA from Florida Institute of Technology. She is currently the Contracts and Procurement Manager for Metro Machine Corp., a ship repair company based in Norfolk, Virginia. Ms. Hinton is very active in the Tidewater Section and has served on National Committees. She is a National Vice President, chair of the National Audit Committee, and a member of the ASNE/SNAME Strategic Alliance Committee. She received the 2000 Frank G. Law award. She has chaired or co-chaired several Fleet Maintenance Symposia and ASNE Day functions and has been elected to serve in nearly all of the executive business office positions for this Section.
Michael J.
D'Amato - National and Section CouncilorMike D’Amato is a native of Staten Island, NY. He graduated from State University of New York Maritime College with a Bachelor of Science in Marine Engineering in 1983 and later earned a Masters in Business Administration from New Hampshire College.
Mike has 25 years of civil service and industry experience proudly supporting the U.S. Navy and U.S. Coast Guard in the areas of ship construction, design, engineering, maintenance, modernization and life-cycle sustainment. Following graduation from NY Maritime in 1983, he began his career at Norfolk Naval Shipyard in various engineering assignments. These included waterfront production support for propulsion and auxiliary systems on several aircraft carrier complex overhauls, development of condition-based maintenance programs, and an off-site position at Supervisor of Shipbuilding Bath, Maine, to help incorporate life-cycle planning considerations into the design of DDG-51 USS Arleigh Burke Class destroyers.
Mike joined Bath Iron Works (BIW) in 1988 and helped establish their first planning yard life-cycle contract for the DDG-51 Class two years prior to lead ship delivery, and later expanded the contract to include support for FFG-7 Class ships. He held several positions of increasing responsibility in engineering, design and engineering management over a nine year span at the shipyard in Bath, during which time he also attained his master’s degree in Business Administration. He continued his professional development with that of BIW’s life-cycle programs through two off-site assignments. The first being four years in Washington DC as principal liaison to the Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) and the PEO-Ships Program Office, followed by six years managing their fleet support operations in Norfolk, Virginia. As Norfolk Operations Manager, Mike was responsible for planning yard and new construction warranty support on 26 ships stationed in the homeport.
In June 2006, Mike made a career change after 18 years at BIW to join AMSEC LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding which specializes in fleet maintenance, modernization and related technical and logistics services. He is a Senior Consulting Manager at AMSEC, with a focus on corporate business development and strategic campaigns.
Mike’s
affiliation with the American Society of Naval Engineers began with his
transition to the Norfolk
area and the waterfront maintenance community in 2000. His
engagement with the Tidewater Section
grew in parallel with, and proved very supportive of, his professional
growth
within the fleet maintenance community. He has served ASNE as Chairman
for
Fleet Maintenance Symposium 2007; Tidewater Section Chairman, Vice
Chair and
Secretary; Papers Committee Chair for FMS-03 and ASNE Day 2005; and
currently
serves as National Councilor, Tidewater Section Councilor, and a member
of the Long-Range
Planning Committee.
RDML
Brooks - Section CouncilorRear Admiral Brooks, USN (Ret) began his military career by enlisting in the United
States Navy in 1970. Key assignments included serving onboard
USS Paul Revere (LPA 248) and as a nuclear plant instructor at the Naval Nuclear Power Training Unit in Idaho Falls, Idaho. In December 1976, he received his commission and a Bachelor of Science Degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Missouri via the Navy Enlisted Scientific Education Program (NESEP), and was designated a Surface Warfare Officer.
Rear Admiral Brooks' first commissioned tour was onboard USS Point Defiance (LSD 31) as Deck
Officer, Engineering Officer, and Regular Overhaul (ROH) Coordinator. After lateral conversion to the
Engineering Duty Officer (EDO) community and graduating from EDO School in January 1980, he was
assigned to Naval Ship Repair Facility, Subic Bay, R.P., as Ship Superintendent and subsequently
Assistant Repair Officer. From June 1982 to December 1983, he attended Pennsylvania State University where he graduated with honors with a Masters of Science Degree in Nuclear Engineering. He was then assigned from December 1983 to December 1985 to Charleston Naval Shipyard as a ship superintendent and type desk officer.
In January 1986, he reported to USS Cape Cod (AD 43) as Repair Officer, performing nuclear and non-
nuclear repairs to Pacific fleet ships. He then served one year (1988-1989) as Force Engineering Officer on the staff of Commander, Naval Surface Force, Pacific. From April 1989 through July 1991, he served as Maintenance Officer at Readiness Support Group, San Diego, Calif. From August 1991 through August 1993, Rear Admiral Brooks served as Commanding Officer, Shore Intermediate Maintenance Activity, Long Beach, Calif. In September 1993, he reported for duty as Repair Officer, Supervisor of Shipbuilding, Conversion and Repair, Portsmouth, VA.
From June 1995 to November 1997, he served as the Deputy, Supervisor of Shipbuilding, Conversion and Repair, Newport News, VA. In November 1997, he reported as Director of the Supervisor of
Shipbuilding Management Group (SEA 04X1), Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C. From May 1999 to August 2001, he served as Supervisor of Shipbuilding, Conversion and Repair, Newport News, VA, responsible for the U.S. Navy's Aircraft Carrier and Submarine ship construction and refueling programs at Newport News Shipbuilding. It was during this tour that he was selected for Rear Admiral.
He reported in September 2001 for duty as Deputy Chief of Staff for Fleet Maintenance on the staff of
Commander in Chief, U.S. Pacific Fleet. In September 2003, he reported to his current assignment as the Director, Fleet Maintenance on the staff of Commander, U.S. Fleet Forces Command. Rear Admiral Brooks was selected for his second star in May 2005.
His awards include the Legion of Merit (three awards), Meritorious Service Medal (five awards), Navy
Commendation Medal (two), Navy Achievement Medal (two awards), Navy Unit Commendation,
Meritorious Unit Commendation (three awards), and the Battle Efficiency Ribbon (two awards) in addition to various campaign and service awards. He is a registered professional engineer.
RADM
Orzali - Section CouncilorRear Admiral John Clarke Orzalli is the son of a retired Navy Captain. He graduated with distinction from the United States Naval Academy and was commissioned and awarded a Bachelor of Science degree in Marine Engineering in June 1978.
Following transfer to the Engineering Duty Officer community, Rear Admiral Orzalli served as the Ocean Engineering Planning Officer, then Deputy Production Resources Officer at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard followed by a tour in the Operations Department, then Engineering and Planning Officer at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard.
Rear Admiral Orzalli served on the Staff of the Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Fleet Readiness and Logistics. He was the 45th Shipyard Commander at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard. During his command tour he assumed additional duties in establishing the Northwest Regional Maintenance Center. Rear Admiral Orzalli previously served as the Deputy Director, Fleet Readiness Division, OPNAV (N43B), in Washington, DC. Rear Admiral Orzalli is currently the Commander, Mid-Atlantic Regional Maintenance Center.
Rear Admiral Orzalli holds Naval Engineer and Masters of Materials Science and Engineering degrees from Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and a Master of Science in Systems Management from Golden Gate University.
Ray
Weber - National Awards CommitteeRay Weber is a retired Naval Officer with 24 years of service, he served extensively in the AEGIS ship program particularly on DDG 51 Class ships. His work in industry includes 15 years with General Dynamics Bath Iron Works where he served as Director of Fleet Service and Manager of all BIW’s Navy Homeport Operational Facilities. In 2004 he joined BAE Systems Ship Repair where he is the Director of AEGIS Programs.
Charles Pfeifer -
National Councilor
Mr. Pfeifer is a 30-year ASNE member and a 1997 recipient of the prestigious Frank G. Law award for dedication and service to the Society. Mr. Pfeifer has chaired or supported numerous conferences and symposia and held nearly every elected position in the chapter. Mr. Pfeifer earned bachelors from the U.S. Naval Academy and a M.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the Naval Postgraduate School. He served as a Fleet Navy Officer with three Chief Engineer tours and later as an Engineering Duty Officer serving at Norfolk Naval Shipyard and COMNAVSURFLANT Staff until his retirement in 1987. Mr. Pfeifer would like to help the society increase its membership especially among public sector uniformed and government service personnel.
Captain Paul F.
Siebeking - Region III Councilor
Captain
Siebeking is the Membership Chairman, Region III Councilor and
a Charter member of the Tidewater Section, having joined ASNE in 1970. A retired Engineering Duty Officer with 24
years of service, he has had tours at Norfolk Naval Shipyard, Naval Sea
Systems Command, CNO Staff and Atlantic Fleet Headquarters. His experiences include engineering
maintenance,
waterfront repair planning and execution and resources and requirements
development. He continued his naval
engineering service for 15 years in the commercial sector as Group
Manager for QED Systems,
Inc. Captain Siebeking achieved his
Professional Engineering Registration for the state of Virginia in 1981.Michael J.
D'Amato - Programs ChairBiography
Captain Paul F.
Siebeking - Membership Chair
Biography
Henry
Connolly - Publicity Chair
Henry Connolly
is the
ASNE section’s Publicity
coordinator. With 46 years of naval
engineering service, Henry served the Navy on active duty, in the
Federal Civil
Service and in industry. He holds an
Electrical Engineering degree from ODU and has over two decades of
continued
education in engineering, management and business.
His career focus has been the US Navy submarine sonar
program. He recently retired from his position as the Director of
Business Development for L-3 Unidyne in
Norfolk, VA.LCDR Andrew P. Johnson was born and raised in Waterloo, NY, a small town in the Finger Lakes region of central NY.
Graduated from SUNY Buffalo with a B.S. in Electrical Engineering (magna cum laude) in 1994. From there, went to OCS under the nuclear power officer candidate program in January 1994. Was commissioned an Ensign in May of 1994.
From OCS, went on to nuclear power school in Orlando, FL, and then to nuclear power prototype in Ballston Spa, NY at MARF. From there, attended Surface Warfare Officer?s School Division Officer Course in July 1995 to December 1995.
In January 1996, reported aboard USS George Washington. There, completed 2 deployments to the Mediterranean Sea and Persian Gulf as well as two shipyard availabilities, one workup cycle, and two ORSE?s. Served as M-1 Division Officer, RC-2 Division Officer, Reactor Training Assistant, and qualified Propulsion Plant Watch Officer, Reactor Duty Officer, Drill Team Leader, Officer of the Deck and Chief Engineer.
In January 1999, reported to COMOPTEVFOR, the Navy?s sole test and evaluation force. Was assigned to the radar and navigation systems division, and completed 4 successful operational tests. Helped to draft the Navy?s ECDIS-N instruction, a tool meant to set the standard for quality electronic charting and navigation in the fleet.
Received Masters degree in Engineering Management from Old Dominion University in May 2000. Attained professional engineering licensure in the Commonwealth of Virginia in January 2001, and attained private pilot licensure in December 2001.
Applied to the October 2001 redesignation board for redesignation as an Engineering Duty Officer and was accepted. Transferred from COMOPTEVFOR to attend MIT where graduate degrees in Naval Engineering and Electrical Engineering were attained in 2005.
His first assignment as an Engineering Duty Officer was as the Nuclear and Propulsion Assistant Project Officer on the USS Carl Vinson Refueling Complex Overhaul (RCOH) where he qualified as a Docking Observer and Engineering Duty Officer at Supervisor of Shipbuilding Newport News from 2005 through 2007. While at the Supervisor?s office, LCDR Johnson volunteered for duty in Iraq as an Electrical Project?s Manager where he served for six months with the US Army Corps of Engineers.
LCDR Johnson currently works at US Fleet Forces Command in the Submarine Maintenance Directorate where he also works as the ASNE Liaison officer for the fleet.