Mike Petters

Corporate Vice President and President
Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding

Mike Petters is corporate vice president and president of Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding, the world’s leading military shipbuilder.

In this role, Petters is responsible for the design, construction and overhaul of conventionally-powered surface combatants, amphibious and auxiliary ships and nuclear-powered submarines and aircraft carriers. Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding has approximately $5.5 billion in revenues and nearly 40,000 employees. Petters is also a member of the company’s corporate policy council.

Prior to this appointment, Petters was president of the company’s Newport News sector. His responsibilities included the Virginia-class submarine program; George H. W. Bush (CVN 77) and CVN 21 aircraft carrier programs; aircraft carrier overhaul and refueling; submarine fleet maintenance; commercial and naval ship repair; and business and technology development.

A native of Florida, Petters graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1982 with a bachelor’s degree in physics. After completing nuclear propulsion training, he was assigned to the USS George Bancroft where he held progressively responsible leadership positions, including reactor controls assistant, communications officer and refueling officer. After joining the Naval Reserve in 1988, he participated in three NATO exercises as submarine control officer. In 1993, Petters earned a master’s in business administration from the College of William and Mary.

Petters joined the company’s Newport News sector in 1987 in the Los Angeles-class submarine construction division. He has held a number of increasingly responsible positions throughout the organization. These include production supervisor for submarines, marketing manager for submarines and for carriers, vice president for aircraft carrier programs, and vice president for contracts and pricing.

Petters was appointed by Virginia Governor Tim Kaine to serve on the Advisory Council on Revenue Estimates. He was also appointed by former Virginia Governor Mark Warner to serve on the State Board of Community Colleges. He is chairman for the American Shipbuilding Association and serves on the board of directors for the Naval Submarine League, and the Virginia Chamber of Commerce. He serves on the board of trustees for the Mariners’ Museum and the board of advisors for the Virginia Living Museum. He also serves on the distinguished advisory board for the Dolphin Scholarship Foundation.

Northrop Grumman Corporation is a $32 billion global defense and technology company whose 120,000 employees provide innovative systems, products, and solutions in information and services, electronics, aerospace and shipbuilding to government and commercial customers worldwide.