PETER M. HEKMAN, JR.
VICE ADMIRAL, USN
(RETIRED)
FIRST COMMANDING OFFICER OF
USS MISSISSIPPI     

Vice Admiral Peter M. Hekman is a native of Ripon, California, who enlisted in the Naval Reserve in early 1951 and who graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1958. He retired from active naval service in 1991 with the permanent rank of Vice Admiral.

Vice Admiral Hekman's Navy career was characterized by his involvement in readiness, maintenance, equipment and systems design and deployment, and in training. Sea tours include three ship commands; USS CHARLES BERRY (DE-1035, USS BENJAMIN STODDERT (DDG-22), and Commissioning Commanding Officer of USS MISSISSIPPI (CGN-40), plus five Engineer Officer tours, one of which was a four-year tour as Engineer Officer of USS ENTERPRISE. He also served for three years as Material Readiness Officer of the AIW Nuclear plant in Idaho, and for two years as Senior Instructor at the Navy's Material Readiness School for Senior Officers.

Vice Admiral Hekman commanded Task Forces in the Western Pacific, and in the mid 1980's served for over two years as Commander, Cruiser-Destroyer Group One, which at the time was composed of 6 nuclear and 6 conventional Cruisers, and seven Destroyer Squadrons, and was assigned additional responsibilities for all Pacific CRUDES overhaul, maintenance, and material readiness.

In 1983 VADM Hekman served as Deputy Director of the National Military Command Center in the Pentagon. He served as Deputy Director, Navy Research, Development, Test and Evaluation on the Staff of the CNO from 1985 - 1987. He served as Deputy Commander for Surface Combatants and Carriers, Naval Sea Systems Command prior to assuming command of NAVSEA in 1988. As such, he supervised the management of all Naval Shipyards, all Weapons and Ordnance Depots and Stations, numerous Engineering Stations and test facilities. He oversaw all ship design and construction, ship maintenance programs, all weapons and ordnance design and acquisition, and acted as the Navy's Senior Engineer. He additionally oversaw all Navy training programs in both the Engineering and Combat Systems fields.

After leaving the Navy in 1991, Vice Admiral Hekman served as a Senior Executive in the U.S. Department of Energy, as Manager of the 320 square mile Savannah River Site located in South Carolina. He later served as Vice President of SYNTEK Technologies in our Nation's Capital, providing technical consulting services to the Defense Department and to foreign and domestic private industry, and for several years consulted to the nuclear power industry. In 1996-98 he served industry as President of Babcock and Wilcox of Ohio, the Managing Contractor for the Radiological cleanup of DOE's former Weapons components and test site near Dayton.

Since 1999, Vice Admiral Hekman has been residing in San Diego, CA and remains active as a Private Consultant in both management and technical matters to a variety of firms and organizations. He actively participates in both leadership and participatory roles with the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce, in Church, Civic and cultural organizations, and as Secretary of the Board of the six-state Southwest Defense Alliance.

Vice Admiral Hekman holds a Master of Science in Management degree from NPGS. He is a graduate of the United States Naval Academy Class of 1958 and the Navy's Nuclear Power Training Program. He is a life member of the American Society of Naval Engineers and the recipient of that Society's H. E. Saunders Award for Career-long contributions to operational engineering, technical excellence, and personal leadership in the broad field of naval engineering. In addition to numerous awards stemming from his military service, which include the Bronze Star Medal, four awards of the Presidential Legion of Merit, and the Defense Department Superior Service Award and Medal, Admiral Hekman is also a recipient of the Department of Energy Exception Service Award and Medal.

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