[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 102 (Friday, June 11, 2021)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E629]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            RECOGNIZING THE RETIREMENT OF JOHN LEONARD, JR.

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. JOE COURTNEY

                             of connecticut

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, June 11, 2021

  Mr. COURTNEY. Madam Speaker, I rise today to commend the esteemed 
career and public service of John V. Leonard, Jr, who retires from 
General Dynamics Electric Boat as Senior Vice President and Chief 
Financial Officer on July 6, 2021. While John retires from a career in 
the private sector, his outstanding leadership and dedication as a 
senior employee at Electric Boat holds merits for maintaining the 
public interest as he has helped oversee an economic boon at Electric 
Boat, creating thousands of jobs for the hard working residents of 
eastern Connecticut while simultaneously advancing our national 
security priorities.
  Having earned a Bachelor of Science Degree from the nearby University 
of Rhode Island, John was always meant to apply his expertise toward 
the betterment of our local community. Before dedicating his career to 
Electric Boat, however, John first went on to serve in the Marine 
Corps, achieving the rank of Captain, then going on to attend Columbia 
University where he earned an MBA in numerous areas of concentration. 
From there, John joined Electric Boat in 1980--first as a Financial 
Analyst--where he ultimately carried out the company's mission for more 
than 40 years.
  John's track at Electric Boat has been defined by loyalty and an 
ever-increasing degree of responsibility. Receiving one of his first 
major promotions in 1995 to Vice President of Finance, John seized upon 
the opportunity to prove his leadership capabilities. In 1998, when 
Electric Boat was experiencing an era of downsizing and uncertain 
financial sustainability, John envisioned a path where others had not 
and earned the company the Block I contract with the Navy fortwo 
Virginia-Class attack submarines. His mastery of unconventional problem 
solving and deep understanding of the engineering thought processes led 
John and Electric Boat to lay the groundwork that has allowed the 
company to meet today's high demands from the Navy.
  John's success and contractually-focused perspective most recently 
earned him the appointment of Senior Vice President and Chief Financial 
Officer in 2019, which has come after his promotion to the Chief 
Financial Office in 2003. As Senior Vice President, John has been 
responsible for a wide range of functions at Electric Boat, including 
finances, contracts, tax, strategic planning, IT management, oversight 
of the facility master plan, Applied Physical Sciences and the 
Washington Engineering Office.
  Madam Speaker, John's presence and expertise at Electric Boat will be 
sorely missed. Our region and Electric Boat, however, can at least find 
solace in what his leadership has helped create: a healthy backlog of 
submarine construction and the highly sought after Columbia Build I 
contract, meaning that Electric Boat will be responsible for building 
out the nation's first ever, next generation sea-based strategic 
deterrent. This bright future for Electric Boat means great things for 
the second district's local economy and even more for the security of 
our national defense. We owe a lot of thanks to John Leonard's 
leadership abilities. To that end, I ask that my colleagues in the 
House join me in congratulating John on his well-earned retirement, 
where he now goes on to spend more time with his wife Julia and adult 
sons Adam, Jack, Mason and Max.

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