The publication is reproduced in full below:
RECOGNIZING THE RETIREMENT OF JOHN LEONARD, JR.
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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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SOURCE: Congressional Record Vol. 167, No. 102
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