[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 32 (Wednesday, February 29, 2012)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E275]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         HONORING THE RETIREMENT OF MR. WILMOT N. SUMMERALL III

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. JAMES P. MORAN

                              of virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, February 29, 2012

  Mr. MORAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and pay tribute to 
an outstanding public servant, Wilmot N. Summerall III, for his more 
than 33 years of service within the civilian leadership of the 
Department of Defense. It is my great pleasure to recognize his 
achievements and to thank him and his family for their service to the 
Navy and our nation.
  Mr. Summerall began his public service as a mining engineer with the 
United States Geological Survey (USGS) and is concluding his career as 
Executive Director for the Combatants Office, Program Executive Office, 
Ships, where he oversees one of the most complex acquisition portfolios 
in the Navy--including more than $36 billion in new construction 
programs, encompassing $16 billion currently under contract and $20 
billion in future programming. Highly respected throughout the DoD 
acquisition community for his unsurpassed knowledge, unwavering 
perseverance, and the courage of his convictions, he leaves a long and 
lasting legacy to our nation--both through his unparalleled 
contributions to the strength and flexibility of our Navy's surface 
forces and through the generation of professionals that he has mentored 
during his time in federal service.
  Mr. Summerall has a long and distinguished career of innovative 
thinking and aggressive execution of shipbuilding programs across the 
entire spectrum of naval shipbuilding. Since joining the federal 
service in 1978, which includes becoming a member of the Senior 
Executive Service in 2004, he has held a variety of key leadership 
roles, including senior positions with the Naval Sea Systems Command 
and the office of the Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Financial 
Management and Comptroller. A visionary leader and revered expert in 
the field of defense acquisition, Mr. Summerall has led the Navy's 
surface combatant shipbuilding activities through some of the most 
challenging and dynamic times of our modern Navy--with vision, insight, 
and determination. Challenged to help build the Surface Fleet of the 
future in a profoundly austere fiscal environment, he has worked 
relentlessly to foster support and understanding for leading edge ship 
programs at the highest levels of the Navy, Defense, and Congress. He 
truly leads by example, consistently compelled to do the right thing on 
behalf of our nation's Sailors and Marines--America's sons and 
daughters--who serve on the products he has tirelessly supported. His 
efforts have helped result in a monumental leap forward in the strength 
and capability of the Navy's current and future Surface Fleet.
  In 2004, Mr. Summerall joined the Program Executive Office, Ships, 
where he played a critical role in defining and fielding the Navy's 
future Surface Fleet. During his tenure and as a result of his sound 
stewardship, the Navy has commissioned 19 surface combatants into the 
Fleet, including the nation's first two Littoral Combat Ships; 
restarted production of the Arleigh Burke (DDG 51) Class guided missile 
destroyers; and begun design and construction of the Navy's next 
generation destroyer, the Zumwalt (DDG 1000) Class. In 2011 alone, he 
oversaw contract awards and options for an additional 26 ships, valued 
at $12 billion. He has consistently encouraged innovation while driving 
implementation of best practices across his programs, resulting in the 
introduction of hybrid electric drive, common class-wide acquisition 
management processes, bold changes to acquisition strategies, major 
increases in design maturity, more efficient work sequencing, increased 
competition and smart buying practices. At the heart of his efforts has 
been a relentless drive to improve the strength, capability, and 
flexibility of our operating forces at the best possible value to the 
American public.
  Mr. Summerall's contributions to our nation extend far beyond his 
material achievements and programmatic accomplishments. His unique 
ability to recognize talent and to foster respect and camaraderie 
throughout the workforce has had an enormous influence on our nation's 
next generation acquisition professionals and will continue to steer 
the course of our Navy well into the future.
  Throughout his distinguished federal service career, Mr. Summerall 
has been honored with numerous awards for his service, including the 
Meritorious Presidential Rank Award, the Department of Defense Value 
Engineering Award and the Department of the Navy Competition and 
Procurement Excellence Award.
  Mr. Summerall's tireless leadership and lifelong commitment to the 
Navy's shipbuilding capability have earned him the deep respect of his 
peers and shipmates throughout the Navy acquisition and fleet support 
communities. It is, therefore, a pleasure to recognize him for his many 
contributions in a life devoted to our nation's security. I know my 
colleagues join me in wishing him and his wife Linda much happiness and 
fair winds and following seas as they begin a new chapter in their 
lives together.

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