Executive Overview
In an era defined by intensifying geopolitical competition, rapid technological transformation, and a renewed national focus on maritime industrial capacity, the Shipbuilders Council of America (SCA) has announced a pivotal leadership transition within its Industry Partners Committee. The committee, which represents the vast network of suppliers, component manufacturers, and service providers essential to the domestic maritime industrial base, will see John Rhatigan assume the role of Chairman. Rhatigan, who currently serves as the Chairman of the Marine Machinery Association, ascends from his previous role as Vice Chairman, succeeding Mark Haller, the President and Owner of Tri-Tec Manufacturing, LLC.
Joining Rhatigan in steering this crucial committee is Rear Admiral Chuck Goddard (USN, Ret.), President of K&G Maritime Strategies, LLC, who will step into a key leadership position alongside him. Together, these industry veterans take the helm at a critical juncture for the American shipbuilding sector. As the primary national association representing the U.S. shipbuilding, maintenance, and repair industry, the SCA’s advocacy is vital to securing the legislative, regulatory, and financial frameworks necessary to sustain domestic maritime dominance.
The Industry Partners Committee serves as the connective tissue between primary shipyards and the thousands of sub-tier suppliers scattered across all 50 states. The incoming leadership team is tasked with navigating a complex landscape marked by supply chain vulnerabilities, labor shortages, defense procurement fluctuations, and the strategic imperative of the Jones Act. This transition underscores a concerted effort by the SCA to strengthen the resilience of the domestic maritime supply chain and ensure that American shipbuilders possess the material and technological backing required to meet both commercial demands and national security mandates.
Detailed Chronology & Leadership Transition
The leadership transition, officially announced on September 16, 2026, represents a planned succession designed to maintain continuity while injecting fresh strategic vision into the SCA’s supplier advocacy arm.
[ Outgoing Leadership ]
Mark Haller (Tri-Tec Mfg, LLC)
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[ Incoming Leadership ]
John Rhatigan (MMA) - Chairman
Chuck Goddard (K&G Maritime) - LeaderJohn Rhatigan: A Legacy of Advocacy and Continuity
John Rhatigan’s ascension to the Chairmanship of the Industry Partners Committee marks his fourth consecutive year in a senior leadership role within the SCA. Rhatigan’s deep familiarity with the council’s strategic objectives is complemented by his ongoing role as the Chairman of the Marine Machinery Association (MMA). The MMA represents the interests of companies that design, manufacture, and service the specialized machinery used aboard commercial and military vessels.
Rhatigan’s dual leadership roles place him at the intersection of policy and practical manufacturing. Over his tenure as Vice Chairman under Mark Haller, Rhatigan was instrumental in highlighting the vulnerabilities of lower-tier suppliers—often small-to-medium enterprises (SMEs)—to economic volatility and uneven federal contracting pipelines. His elevation to Chairman ensures that the committee’s advocacy will remain focused on supply chain stabilization and the preservation of specialized domestic manufacturing capabilities.
Chuck Goddard: Integrating Naval Acquisition Expertise
Collaborating with Rhatigan is Chuck Goddard, the President of K&G Maritime Strategies, LLC. A retired U.S. Navy Rear Admiral, Goddard brings decades of high-level acquisition, engineering, and strategic planning experience to the committee. His naval career included serving as the Program Executive Officer (PEO) for Ships, where he oversaw the design, construction, and delivery of all non-submarine surface combatants and support vessels for the U.S. Navy.
Goddard’s transition into private sector advisory and his subsequent involvement with the SCA represent a major asset for the Industry Partners Committee. His intimate understanding of the Pentagon’s acquisition cycles, naval requirements, and the bureaucratic hurdles faced by defense contractors will be invaluable as the committee seeks to align supplier capabilities with the Navy’s long-term shipbuilding plans.
The Legacy of Mark Haller
The transition marks the conclusion of Mark Haller’s tenure as Chairman. As the President and Owner of Tri-Tec Manufacturing, LLC—a specialized manufacturer of actuators, valves, and fire-safe solutions for the U.S. Navy and commercial marine sectors—Haller guided the committee through one of the most turbulent periods in modern maritime history. Under his leadership, the committee navigated the post-pandemic supply chain crises, historic inflation, and acute workforce shortages. Haller’s tenure was defined by a tireless defense of the domestic manufacturing base, reminding policymakers that a shipyard is only as strong as the vendors supplying its raw materials and specialized components.
Supporting Context & Metrics: The U.S. Shipbuilding Ecosystem
To understand the significance of this leadership change, one must examine the scale and economic footprint of the U.S. shipbuilding and repair industry, alongside the critical role played by the supplier base represented by the Industry Partners Committee.
The Economic Engine of Maritime Manufacturing
According to data compiled by the Maritime Administration (MARAD) and the SCA, the U.S. shipyard industry is a major driver of economic productivity:
- Employment: The industry supports more than 110,000 direct jobs across the nation’s active shipyards, which in turn sustain more than 400,000 jobs throughout the wider economy, including manufacturing, logistics, and engineering services.
- GDP Contribution: U.S. shipyards and their supplier networks contribute approximately $42.4 billion annually to the national Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
- Geographic Footprint: While major shipyards are concentrated along the Gulf Coast, the Eastern Seaboard, and the Pacific Northwest, the supplier network spans all 50 states and nearly every congressional district. A single aircraft carrier or commercial cargo vessel relies on components sourced from thousands of inland manufacturers, making the Industry Partners Committee a truly national representative body.
| Industry Metric | Estimated Annual Value / Impact |
|---|---|
| Direct Shipyard Jobs | 110,000+ |
| Indirect & Induced Jobs Supported | 400,000+ |
| Annual GDP Contribution | $42.4 Billion |
| Number of Associated Supplier States | 50 (National Footprint) |
| SCA Represented Shipyards & Facilities | 120+ nationwide |
The Strategic Imperative of the Jones Act
A central pillar of the SCA’s advocacy is the Merchant Marine Act of 1920, commonly known as the Jones Act. The law requires that all goods transported by water between U.S. ports be carried on vessels that are built in the United States, fly the U.S. flag, and are crewed by U.S. citizens.
The Industry Partners Committee plays a crucial role in defending the Jones Act. By ensuring a steady demand for domestic commercial vessels—ranging from tugboats and barges to offshore wind support vessels and tankers—the Jones Act provides the baseline commercial demand that allows suppliers to invest in advanced manufacturing technologies, maintain skilled workforces, and remain viable during periods of reduced federal defense spending.
Defense Industrial Base (DIB) Vulnerabilities
While the commercial sector relies on the Jones Act, the military shipbuilding sector faces its own set of challenges. The U.S. Navy’s ambitious plans to expand its fleet to counter rising global adversaries—most notably China’s rapidly growing People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN)—are constrained by the capacity of the domestic industrial base.
[ Navy Fleet Expansion Plans ] ──► [ Constrained by Domestic Capacity ]
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[ Workforce Deficits ] [ Supply Chain Fragility ]
(Aging demographic, recruitment gaps) (Single-source vulnerabilities, long lead times)The Industry Partners Committee is at the front lines of addressing these constraints. Key challenges include:
- Workforce Deficits: An aging manufacturing demographic and difficulties in recruiting younger generations into skilled trades have left many suppliers struggling to meet production schedules.
- Supply Chain Fragility: Decades of offshoring have left the U.S. dependent on foreign sources for certain raw materials and sub-components. For highly specialized military applications, there is often only a single domestic supplier certified to produce a specific valve, casting, or electronic component, creating dangerous single-point-of-failure risks.
Official Statements & Industry Perspectives
The transition in leadership has drawn widespread attention from maritime executives, policy analysts, and industry advocates who view the partnership of Rhatigan and Goddard as a powerful combination of commercial savvy and defense acquisition expertise.
Advocacy for the "Silent Majority" of Shipyard Suppliers
In discussions surrounding the transition, industry advocates have emphasized that while prime shipyards receive the majority of public attention, the supplier base represents the "silent majority" of the maritime workforce.
"John Rhatigan’s deep roots in the Marine Machinery Association make him the ideal leader to champion the cause of our nation’s suppliers," noted a senior maritime policy analyst. "Suppliers do not have the multi-billion-dollar lobbying budgets of major defense primes, yet their survival is absolutely vital to our national security. Rhatigan understands that a delay in delivering a simple pump or an electrical junction box can halt the construction of a multi-billion-dollar destroyer. His focus will undoubtedly be on securing predictable funding pipelines that allow small and mid-sized manufacturers to invest in their facilities and workers with confidence."
Bridging the Gap Between the Pentagon and Private Industry
Commentators have also highlighted the strategic significance of Chuck Goddard’s appointment. As the Pentagon increasingly calls for rapid innovation and shorter acquisition timelines, Goddard’s background as a former Navy Rear Admiral and PEO Ships provides a crucial bridge.
"Chuck Goddard knows exactly how the Navy operates, how its budgets are formulated, and where the bottlenecks lie within the procurement process," said an industry executive. "For our supplier members, having a leader who can translate Navy requirements into actionable business strategies is a game-changer. He can help suppliers navigate the rigorous qualification processes required for military contracts, while simultaneously advising the Navy on how its procurement decisions impact the financial health of the industrial base."
Future Outlook: Navigating Headwinds and Opportunities
As the new leadership team takes control of the Industry Partners Committee, they face a dynamic and challenging environment. Several key trends and policy areas will define their agenda over the coming years.
[ Key Strategic Priorities ]
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[ Naval Modernization ] [ Offshore Wind & Green ] [ Advanced Technology ]
• Submarine industrial base • Jones Act compliance • Additive manufacturing
• Surface combatant programs • Specialized vessel demand • Robotics & AI integration1. Accelerating Naval Modernization and the Submarine Industrial Base
The U.S. Navy’s focus on submarine construction—driven by the Virginia-class fast-attack submarine program, the Columbia-class ballistic missile submarine program, and the trilateral AUKUS security agreement—demands unprecedented industrial output. The supplier base must scale up production of high-precision components, specialized alloys, and advanced machinery. Rhatigan and Goddard will need to work closely with the BlueForge Alliance and other defense initiatives to funnel resources, training, and capital directly to sub-tier suppliers to eliminate bottlenecks.
2. Capitalizing on the Offshore Wind Sector and Green Maritime Technology
The transition to renewable energy presents a major commercial opportunity for U.S. shipbuilders and their suppliers. The development of offshore wind farms along the Atlantic Coast has spurred demand for specialized, Jones Act-compliant vessels, including Wind Turbine Installation Vessels (WTIVs), Service Operation Vessels (SOVs), and Crew Transfer Vessels (CTVs).
The Industry Partners Committee will advocate for policies that ensure American manufacturers supply the high-tech components—such as specialized propulsion systems, dynamic positioning systems, and heavy-lift crane components—needed for these cutting-edge vessels. Additionally, as the global maritime sector moves toward decarbonization, the committee will assist suppliers in developing and commercializing alternative fuel technologies, including hydrogen, methanol, and hybrid-electric propulsion systems.
3. Mitigating Supply Chain Vulnerabilities through Advanced Manufacturing
To counter the threat of single-source failures and foreign dependencies, the SCA’s new leadership will champion the adoption of advanced manufacturing technologies. This includes:
- Additive Manufacturing (3D Printing): Promoting the use of additive manufacturing for rapid prototyping and the production of hard-to-source spare parts, thereby reducing lead times for critical shipyard components.
- Robotics and Automation: Encouraging investment in automated welding, machining, and material handling systems to offset workforce shortages and improve manufacturing precision.
- Digital Shipbuilding: Supporting the integration of digital twins and advanced product lifecycle management (PLM) software across the supply chain to streamline communication between designers, suppliers, and shipyards.
4. Sustaining Legislative Support and Regulatory Stability
Above all, the new leadership must maintain a relentless focus on legislative advocacy. This includes working with the Congressional Shipbuilding Caucus to ensure robust funding for the Maritime Security Program (MSP), the Tanker Security Program (TSP), and the Small Shipyard Grant Program. It also means defending the integrity of domestic content requirements against efforts to weaken Buy America provisions, ensuring that taxpayer dollars spent on national defense and infrastructure continue to support American workers and businesses.
Conclusion
The appointment of John Rhatigan and Chuck Goddard to lead the Shipbuilders Council of America’s Industry Partners Committee comes at a time when the strategic importance of the maritime sector has never been clearer. By combining Rhatigan’s deep-seated commitment to domestic manufacturing with Goddard’s unparalleled expertise in naval acquisition, the SCA has positioned itself to effectively advocate for the critical supplier base that underpins American maritime power. As they take the helm, their leadership will be vital in ensuring that the United States maintains the industrial capacity, technological edge, and resilient supply chains necessary to navigate the turbulent waters of the 21st century.
