WASHINGTON – Dr. Brett Seidle has been selected as the executive director of Naval Sea Systems Command’s (NAVSEA’s) Naval Surface and Undersea Warfare Centers. Seidle will succeed Donald McCormack, who retires April 30.
Seidle most recently served as the technical director of the Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC), Crane Division, in Indiana, where he provided technical leadership and supervision for an organization of 3,700 employees. He previously served in several leadership positions at NSWC Crane across both business and technical domains. Prior to joining NSWC Crane, he served as a plant manager for Alcoa - Kentucky Casting Center, and as the chief engineer and superintendent of manufacturing at General Motors Powertrain Division - Bedford Plant.
Seidle was awarded a full scholarship through the General Motors Fellowship program to attend Stanford University, where he received his Master of Science in Electrical Engineering. He later received his PhD in Public Policy from Indiana University.
Rear Adm. Kevin Byrne, the commander of the NAVSEA Warfare Centers, and McCormack said Seidle brings exceptional technical and managerial experience to the position and will be a great addition to the NAVSEA team.
“For me I cannot think of a better leader to be my replacement,” McCormack said.
With more than 27,000 employees, the NAVSEA Warfare Centers represent approximately 30 percent of the Navy’s engineering and scientific expertise. NSWC is comprised of eight echelon-four Divisions: Carderock, Corona, Crane, Dahlgren, Indian Head Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technology, Panama City, Philadelphia, and Port Hueneme, as well as two echelon-five commands: Dam Neck Activity (part of Dahlgren) and Expeditionary Exploitation Unit One (part of Indian Head). NUWC has two echelon-four divisions: Newport and Keyport, as well as one echelon-five command, Naval Sea Logistics Center (part of Keyport).
The NAVSEA Warfare Centers supply the technical operations, people, technology, engineering services and products needed to equip and support the fleet and meet the warfighters' needs. The NAVSEA Warfare Centers are the Navy's principal research, development, test and evaluation assessment activity for surface ship and submarine systems and subsystems.