Kenneth J. Braithwaite, former US ambassador to Norway and the 77th Secretary of the Navy, has been appointed chairman of the Fincantieri Marinette Marine (FMM) board of directors.
FMM is a major government construction shipyard in the United States. It operates a system of shipyards in Wisconsin, where technologies from its Italian parent, Fincantieri, are integrated and refined to support the growing US maritime sector.
Braithwaite is a 1984 graduate of the US Naval Academy and earned a master’s degree from the University of Pennsylvania. His naval service included flying anti-submarine missions in the Pacific and Arctic. He left active duty in 1993 and continued serving in the Navy Reserve until retiring as a rear admiral.
Braithwaite’s private sector career began as an executive at the oil company Atlantic Richfield (ARCO). He transitioned to public service as a senior adviser and state director for US Sen. Arlen Specter (R-Penn.) in 1997. Subsequently, he held leadership positions in the healthcare industry. Braithwaite became secretary of the Navy in May 2020, following his service as the 31st US ambassador to Norway.
