BWX Technologies has appointed Howard Markle, a retired U.S. Navy vice admiral, as vice president and general manager of the company’s Nuclear Operations Group-Lynchburg facility.
BWXT said Friday Markle succeeds Jim Bittner, who transitioned to the role of operations and programs optimization for the company’s technical services group subsidiary.
“Howard’s extensive experience in shipbuilding, program management and continuous improvement will be essential to our largest manufacturing site as we continue to grow and improve our operational capabilities and performance,” said Gary Camper, president of nuclear operations group at BWXT.
Howard Markle
The Penn State nuclear engineering graduate has served as deputy general manager of the site since 2022.
His naval career included time as commander of Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and Norfolk Naval Shipyard and deputy commander of logistics, maintenance and industrial operations for Naval Sea Systems Command, where he led four public naval shipyards and oversaw maintenance, overhaul and construction facilities.
The licensed mechanical engineer has a master’s degree from the Naval Postgraduate School.
Nuclear Operations Group-Lynchburg
The site produces naval nuclear reactor cores for aircraft carriers and submarines and fuel assemblies for research and test reactors. It is a Category 1 nuclear facility licensed by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.