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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