Dear HII Team,
I’m delighted to share with you that Steve Powell, HII’s assistant treasurer for banking and capital markets, will become the company’s next corporate vice president and treasurer, effective Jan. 1, 2025. Steve will succeed D.R. “Rick” Wyatt, who will retire at the end of this year.
Rick has been HII’s corporate vice president and treasurer since the company’s inception in 2011, and has provided 42 years of exceptional financial leadership. Rick has led the Treasury & Financial functions at both HII and Newport News Shipbuilding for the last three decades. Rick is the last HII “plank owner,” one of the initial set of corporate officers that stood up the company, and we are extremely thankful for his leadership that helped build and shape the company we know as HII today. Prior to being elected treasurer of HII, he served as director of business management, treasurer and assistant treasurer of Newport News Shipbuilding, and manager of finance. Rick has made an indelible mark on all aspects of the treasury function at HII, and I thank him for his service and wish him well in retirement.
Steve has held his current position within HII’s Treasury Department since the spin from Northrop Grumman, and is uniquely qualified with intimate, extensive experience and knowledge of HII customers, products and services, stakeholders, capital markets, personnel, processes and treasury operations. He has spent his entire 36-year career within the A&D industry, including 26 years within the Treasury Department at HII and Newport News. Prior to his time with our company, Steve worked at Lockheed Martin and Martin Marietta for 11 years in both corporate treasury and operations finance. He holds a bachelor’s degree in chemistry with additional concentrations in finance, business & economics from St. Lawrence University and a Master of Business Administration from Virginia Tech.
Steve’s accomplishments and contributions in both the finance and treasury organizations with the company demonstrate a proven track record of success and a thorough understanding of the organization, its needs and ongoing strategy. This sets the stage for a seamless transition of responsibilities going forward. Steve will be responsible for banking and credit, corporate finance, cash management and forecasting, insurance and risk management, M&A valuation and financing, investments and trusts, capital structure, capital markets, rating agency relationships, short-term investments, and pension trust asset management.
Please join me in congratulating Steve on his new position and thanking Rick for his dedicated service and wishing him the very best in his new adventures!
Tom Stiehle
HII Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
