Jennifer Boykin

Jennifer Boykin
Boykin in 2017, signing a steel plate used to begin the construction of USS Enterprise (CVN-80)
EducationUnited States Merchant Marine Academy
George Washington University
OccupationsEngineer
Former President of Newport News Shipbuilding

Jennifer Boykin is an engineer, the first woman president of Newport News Shipbuilding, and was the vice president of Huntington Ingalls Industries, which is located in Newport News, Virginia. In 2024, Boykin retired.

Biography

Early life

Boykin's father's parents are both from Puerto Rico. She was born in California and grew up in St. Louis, Missouri. Jennifer was a tomboy and was the first girl to play baseball with the boys in her division.

Education

She received her Bachelor of Science degree in Marine Engineering from the United States Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point, New York.

She earned her Master of Science degree in Engineering Management from George Washington University in Washington, D.C.

Career

Boykin first worked as an engineer in the nuclear engineering division at Newport News Shipbuilding, before moving through the ranks, and eventually becoming president of the company. She was the first woman president of Newport News Shipbuilding, the first in over 133 years of operation. She ran the largest shipbuilding operations in the United States, including the only one that builds nuclear-powered aircraft carriers and one of two that makes nuclear-powered submarines. In 2021, the shipyard was working on Gerald R. Ford-class aircraft carriers and employed over 22,000 personnel. Boykin retired at the end of 2024 after 37 years with the shipbuilder.

Family life

She has been married to Blake Boykin for more than 30 years, and has one daughter that also works at Newport News Shipbuilding.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "Profile: Jennifer Boykin, Newport News Shipbuilding president". Daily Press (Virginia). Retrieved April 8, 2021.
  2. 1 2 "Newport News Shipbuilding president Matt Mulherin to retire". The Virginian-Pilot. Retrieved April 8, 2021.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "Jennifer Boykin - Executive Vice President and President, Newport News Shipbuilding". Huntington Ingalls Industries. Archived from the original on April 9, 2021. Retrieved April 8, 2021.
  4. 1 2 "With retirement looming, Newport News Shipbuilding president says she'll miss the people, calls shipyard, 'addictive'". 13newsnow.com. December 4, 2024. Retrieved January 16, 2026.
  5. 1 2 Andrews, Kate (November 6, 2024). "Boykin retiring as NNS president; Wilkinson named as successor". Virginia Business. Retrieved January 16, 2026.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 "Shipshape – The leader of Virginia's biggest industrial employer is preparing it for a digital transformation". Virginia Business. June 29, 2018. Retrieved April 8, 2021.
  7. ↑ "Profile: Jennifer Boykin, Newport News Shipbuilding president". Daily Press. August 22, 2017. Retrieved February 6, 2026.
  8. 1 2 3 "The Power List – Jennifer Boykin, president, Newport News Shipbuilding". Inside Business. Retrieved April 8, 2021.
  9. ↑ "Huntington Ingalls Awarded Contract for Single-Phase Delivery of Aircraft Carrier". Searpower Magazine. November 3, 2020. Retrieved April 8, 2021.
  10. ↑ "UPDATED: Navy Awards 2-Carrier Contract to Newport News Shipbuilding". usni.org. January 31, 2019. Retrieved April 8, 2021.
  11. ↑ "Newport News Shipbuilding announces 300-plus layoffs". WTVR-TV. February 27, 2021. Retrieved April 8, 2021.