(NORFOLK, Va.) — Colonna’s Shipyard Inc. on Thursday announced that retired U.S. Navy Rear Adm. Kevin Sweeney has joined the company’s board of directors, effective Jan. 31.
“Rear Adm. Sweeney is a highly respected national security expert with decades of leadership experience both in and out of government,” said Randall Crutchfield, Colonna’s chairman and CEO. “His deep understanding of maritime operations, national defense strategy and corporate governance will be an invaluable asset to Colonna’s Shipyard as we continue to strengthen our position in the industry.”
Sweeney, with more than 32 years of Navy service as a surface warfare officer, expressed enthusiasm about his new role. “I’m excited to join the Colonna’s board, particularly during this milestone 150th anniversary year,” he said. “I look forward to sharing my knowledge of the commercial and naval maritime sectors, drawing from my lifetime of military service, executive management and business endeavors.”
Sweeney’s naval career includes serving as commander of Carrier Strike Group TEN and the Harry S. Truman Strike Group, commander of Destroyer Squadron 26, and commanding officer of USS Cole, where he led the ship’s restoration and return to fleet operations following the 2000 terrorist attack in Yemen. He also closely advised senior civilian and military leaders within the Department of the Navy, NATO’s Allied Command for Transformation, and U.S. Central Command.
Following his retirement from active duty in 2014, Sweeney held several leadership roles in the private sector. He served as interim president and CEO of the Hampton Roads Economic Development Alliance, where he guided the organization through a strategic realignment, as well as leading an innovative tech startup focused on medical devices for Alzheimer’s patient safety. Sweeney then served as chief of staff to the 26th secretary of defense, James Mattis, from 2017 to 2019.
He has extensive corporate board experience, serving as an independent board member for Airbus U.S. Space and Defense Inc., Element U.S. Space and Defense (formerly NTS Technical Systems), and the U.S. Partnership for Assured Electronics. He previously served as a board member for Fincantieri Marinette Marine Corp. His board expertise includes work with the Department of Defense’s Foreign Ownership, Control, and Influence (FOCI) program. He also founded KSweeney Consulting LLC, a national security consulting firm, and serves as a senior adviser at McKinsey & Company and The Roosevelt Group.
In addition to his professional achievements, Sweeney serves on several organizational boards in the Hampton Roads community, including the James Barry-Robinson Home for Boys and the St. Patrick Catholic School in Norfolk. He formerly served on the Eastern Virginia Medical School board of visitors and the Old Dominion University Research Foundation board of trustees. He is currently on the advisory board for the William J. Hughes Center for Public Policy at Stockton University in Galloway, N.J.
Sweeney holds a bachelor of science degree in resources management from the U.S. Naval Academy. He also earned a master of science degree in financial management from the Naval Postgraduate School, a master of arts degree in national security and strategic studies from the Naval War College, and completed the Senior Executive Fellows Program at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government.
– Colonna’s Shipyard Inc.
