Long Beach Naval Shipyard
Pages 6 thru 10
The Honorable
William J. Cassidy, Jr.
Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy
(Conversion and Redevelopment
President Clinton appointed William J. Cassidy, Jr. as Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy in January 1994. Mr. Cassidy is responsible for issues arising out of the closure of Naval and Marine Corps bases and their conversion and redevelopment for other uses.
Mr. Cassidy was born and raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He is the son of Dr. and Mrs. William J. Cassidy of Huntington Valley, Pennsylvania.
Mr. Cassidy received his Bachelor of Arts degree, cum laude, from Georgetown University in 1968. He received his law degree from Georgetown University, where he was an editor of the law review, in 1974.
Mr. Cassidy served in the United States Navy as a line officer from 1969 to 1972. After commissioning at U. S. Naval Officer Candidate School in Newport, Rhode Island, Mr. Cassidy sewed aboard the Destroyer USS ROBERT H. MCCARD (DD-822) as Deck Division Officer, Gunnery Officer and Communications Officer.
After graduation from law school, Mr. Cassidy sewed for one year from 1974 to 1975 as Law Clerk to then Chief Judge George L. Hart, Jr. of the United States District Court for the District of Columbia. From 1975 to 1978, Mr. Cassidy sewed as an Assistant United States Attorney for the District of Columbia, where he prosecuted criminal cases in the trial and appellate courts of the District of Columbia and represented cabinet-level officers of the Federal government in civil appellate cases. Mr. Cassidy joined the Washington law firm of Hogan & Hartson in 1979 and was elected a partner in 1982. While in the private practice of law, he was engaged in a broad range of civil litigation and practiced in the local and Federal courts in the District of Columbia and throughout the country until his appointment to the Department of the Navy.
Mr. Cassidy has been responsible for the conveyance of the island of Kaho'olawe from the United States to the State of Hawaii, the conveyance of Naval Station Mobile to the State of Alabama, and the transfer of the Midway Islands from the Department of the Navy to the Department of the Interior. He also represents the Department of Defense on the White House Interagency Working Group on Puerto Rico. Page 6
Rear Admiral Thomas J. Porter,
United States Navy
Deputy Commander for Naval Shipyard
and SUPSHIP Management and Field Activity Support
Rear Admiral Thomas J. Porter was born in Detroit Lakes, Minnesota, on January 20, 1944. He attended high school in Alma, Michigan. Following his graduation from the Naval Academy in 1966, he attended Submarine School in Groton, Connecticut; Nuclear Power School in Bainbridge, Maryland; and prototype training at the DIG site in upstate New York.
His first sea tour was USS ETHAN ALLEN (SSBN 608) in 1968 serving as Main Propulsion Assistant. After qualifying in submarines and completing engineering officer qualification in 1978, he reported to Submarine School as an instructor in the Engineering Department. In December 1972, Rear Admiral Porter returned to sea duty as Navigator and Operations Officer in the ballistic missile submarine USS STONEWALL JACKSON (SSBN 634). He was selected as an Engineering Duty Officer and entered Pennsylvania State University in June 1976. He received a Masters Degree in Nuclear Engineering with a minor in Industrial Engineering, graduating in 1977. He then reported to Mare Island Naval Shipyard where he served as a Nuclear Ship Superintendent for USS HADDOCK (SSN 621) and USS SEAWOLF (SSN 575), Project Officer for Submarine NR-4, Senior Ship Superintendent for the refueling overhaul of US S POGY (S SN 647), and Assistant Repair Officer. He reported to Submarine Squadron Four in Charleston, South Carolina, in October 1981 as Repair Officer on USS FRANK CABLE (AS 40). In June 1984, he reported to Charleston Naval Shipyard as Repair Officer. He completed the Senior Executive Program at Harvard University and in 1987 reported to Commander Submarine Force, U. S. Atlantic Fleet, as Assistant Chief of Staff for Material.
In April 1988, Rear Admiral Porter returned to Mare Island Naval Shipyard as Production Officer. He then served as Production Officer at Norfolk Naval Shipyard from June 1989 until March 1991. He assumed command of the Charleston Naval Shipyard in Charleston, South Carolina, in March 1991 and was selected for flag rank in 1993. In July 1994, Rear Admiral Porter reported to his present assignment as Deputy Commander for Naval Shipyards and SUPSHIP Management and Field Activity Support, Naval Sea Systems Command.
His service decorations include the Legion of Merit; the Meritorious Service Medal, fourth award; the Navy Commendation Medal, second award; the Navy Achievement Medal; the National Defense Medal; the Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation, second award; and the Sea Service ribbon.
Rear Admiral Porter is the son of the late John Russell Porter and the late Dorothy Vaughn Porter of Clinton, Iowa. He is married to the former Carol Jean McLendon of Charleston, South Carolina. They have a sixteen year old son, Scott.
Page 7 Vice Admiral George R. Sterner,
Vice Admiral George R. Sterner was commissioned in 1962 following graduation from Pennsylvania State University where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Aerospace Engineering. He holds a Master of Science degree in Operations Research from the Naval Post Graduate School, is a graduate of the Defense Systems Management Course and has attended the Advanced Management Program at the Harvard Graduate School of Business. In 1995, he was named an Alumni Fellow of Pennsylvania State University.
Vice Admiral Sterner's sea assignments include tours aboard the submarines USS TULLIBEE (SSN 597), USS KAMEHAMEHA (SSBN 642), USS ARCHERFISH (SSN 678), and USS HENRY L. STIMSON (SSBN 655). He commanded the attack submarine USS STURGEN (SSBN 637) and the Trident submarine USS FLORIDA (SSBN 728) (GOLD).
Vice Admiral Sterner's shore assignments include duty on the staff of the Commander in Chief, U. S. Atlantic Fleet; Branch Head for Submarine Tactical Weapons on the Chief of Naval Operations Staff, Mark 48 Advanced Capability (ADCAP) Torpedo Program Manager; and Program Executive Officer for Submarine Combat and Weapons Systems. Within Naval Sea Systems Command, he has served as Assistant Deputy Commander for Combat Systems Engineering and Technology and as Vice Commander. He assumed duties as Commander, Naval Sea Systems Command on 25 April 1994.
His decorations include the Legion of Merit with three gold stars, the Meritorious Service Medal with two gold stars and the Navy Commendation Medal with one gold star.
A native of Ambler, Pennsylvania, Vice Admiral Sterner is married to the former Louise Terpak of Simpson, Pennsylvania. They have two children, Susan and Robert. Page 8 The Honorable
Since taking office as the Mayor of Long Beach in June 1994, Beverly O'Neill's vision has been to restore the public's pride in their city. There are many indications of a renewed positive belief in the city among residents, visitors, and leaders across the nation. Mayor O'Neill has worked hard to revitalize the City of Long Beach and is leading the city through a remarkable recovery. Her tireless efforts at the federal level have resulted in significant financial assistance for the city including grant funding for Queensway Bay development and reuse plans for the Naval Hospital, Naval Station, and Naval Shipyard.
In 1993, after a distinguished career, Dr. O'Neill, at the request of a large number of concerned citizens, agreed to enter the race for Mayor of Long Beach. In the April 1994 primary, after a hard-fought campaign, she finished first among a field of 13 candidates for the office and, in June, won a runoff election to become Long Beach's first at-large elected woman Mayor.
Prior to becoming Mayor, Dr. O'Neill spent a 31-year career at Long Beach City College where, in 1962, she was a music instructor and women's adviser. In the succeeding years, she advanced to Campus Dean, Dean of Student Affairs, Vice President of Student Services, and Superintendent-President during her last five years. Since her retirement in 1993, she has held the title of President Emeritus.
Dr. O'Neill is a graduate of local schools, including Long Beach Poly High School, Long Beach City College, and California State University, Long Beach, where she received Bachelor's and Master's degrees. She also pursued post-graduate study at the University of Vienna, and received her doctorate from USC.
Mayor O'Neill has been deeply involved in the Long Beach community throughout her life. Her professional accomplishments are matched by those of her volunteer service to more than 20 community organizations which include Rotary International, the Salvation Army, the YMCA, United Way, AIDS Walk of Long Beach, and the Junior League of Long Beach.
Many local organizations have honored Dr. O'Neill for her devotion to the City of Long Beach. Among them are California 54th Assembly District Woman of the Year (1995), Exchange Club Citizen of the Year (1992), the National Conference of Christians and Jews Humanitarian Award (1991), Assistance League Woman of the Year (1987), the Long Beach City College Hall of Fame, and many others. Page 9 John R. Pfeiffer
A veteran of the U.S. Army, Mr. Pfeiffer began his federal career in 1958 with a three year tour of duty. Upon completion of active service, he served one year at the Post Office in Long Beach before becoming a member of the Shipyard family as an Apprentice Electrician in Shop 51 in 1962. Receiving the Apprentice Faculty Award with the highest scholastic average, he graduated from the apprenticeship program in 1966. He served as Electronics Mechanic Instructor from 1966 through 1969 promoting to Electronics Mechanic Foreman. In 1972 he was advanced to Administrative Officer for the Electrical, Electronics and Weapons Systems Shop Group. He transferred to the Planning Department as Production Controller in the Advance Planning Section in 1973, advancing to Type Desk Supervisor in 1977 and to Senior Production Controller later that year. From 1982 to 1983 he served temporarily as Civilian Battleship Management Officer for reactivation and modernization of USS NEW JERSEY. He was promoted to Management Engineering Officer in 1987 and served in that capacity until 1992 when he was promoted to Executive Staff Director and Executive Assistant to the Shipyard Commander. In 1995 he was assigned collateral duty as Base Closure Officer.
As Base Closure Officer, Mr. Pfeiffer is responsible to the Shipyard Commander for planning, organizing and directing the overall facilities closure effort and the personnel transition and outplacement program for Long Beach Naval Shipyard. As Executive Staff Director, he is responsible to the Commander for maintaining ongoing administrative staff support services of all kinds. As Executive Assistant to the Shipyard Commander, he is responsible for special tasks and services supporting all aspects of Shipyard's operations.
Mr. Pfeiffer earned an Associates of Arts degree in 1968 from Long Beach City College, a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1969 and a Master of Arts degree in 1972 from California State University at Long Beach, a Certificate in Labor Studies from University of California at Los Angeles in 1974, studied in the Claremont Graduate School's Executive Management Program in 1982-3, and received a Juris Doctor degree from Pacific Coast University's School of Law in 1994. He passed the California Bar Examination in 1995. Mr. Pfeiffer has received many performance and special act awards at the Shipyard, and was awarded the Navy Meritorious Civilian Service Medal in 1992.
He is married to the former VeraLouise Kleinfeld of Atlanta, Georgia, and Long Island, New York and is proud of his daughter Cheri Lynn Wood, her husband Captain Ron Wood, USMC, and their daughter Steffaney. Page 10
United States Navy
Commander,
Naval Sea Systems Command
Beverly O'Neill
Mayor, City of Long Beach
Base Closure Officer/Executive Staff Director
Executive Assistant to the Shipyard Commander
