Biography

Admiral John Richardson brings to the Board decades of executive and operational leadership overseeing large, complex organizations in high- consequence environments. As the 31st Chief of Naval Operations from 2015 to 2019, he led an organization of 600,000 people, managed a $160 billion budget, and was responsible for more than 70 installations, 290 warships and 2,000 aircraft worldwide — experience that directly informs his contributions to enterprise risk management, safety, security and operational oversight.

Adm. Richardson’s nuclear expertise spans his entire career, from serving on four nuclear submarines to commanding USS Honolulu, to serving as Director of the Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program from 2012 to 2015 — one of the most rigorous nuclear safety and regulatory programs in the world. This background gives him deep fluency in nuclear technology, safety culture and the oversight of complex, high-risk systems.

His government experience — including service as naval aide to the president and as the Navy’s senior uniformed leader — provides unique insight into U.S. federal policy, regulation and the priorities of BWXT’s single largest customer. He also brings an international perspective drawn from leading global naval operations and engagements across allied and partner nations.

Adm. Richardson earned a B.S. in physics from the U.S. Naval Academy, an M.S. in electrical engineering from MIT and the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and an M.S. in national security strategy from the National War College. He is a member of the National Academy of Engineering and also serves on the boards of The Boeing Company and Constellation Energy, where he contributes expertise in technology, cybersecurity, IT governance and enterprise risk.