SNAME Announces Annual Meeting Banquet Speaker: Fred Harris, President, General Dynamics NASSCO Frederick J. (Fred) Harris will be the Banquet Speaker at the 2010 Annual Meeting of the Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers. The Annual Meeting will be held November 3-5 in Bellevue/Seattle, Washington. Mr. Harris is a long-time member of the Society and a well-respected leader in the maritime industry. Fred earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Marine Engineering from Maine Maritime Academy in 1967. He sailed for several years in the U.S. Merchant Marines, notably aboard SS Transglobe, the most decorated American merchant ship in the Vietnam War. He received a masters degree in Business Administration from Babson College. Fred began his shipbuilding career in 1973 as a Senior Systems Engineer for General Dynamics Electric Boat in the TRIDENT Nuclear Submarine Project. He went on to become Chief of Engineering, Main Machinery Components for the SEAWOLF Class Submarine Program and Director of the Advanced Propulsion Plant Technology Program for these vessels. As Director, Fred developed the concept and architecture of the integrated electric drive propulsion system. This approach to electric propulsion is the U.S. Navy’s preferred solution for most ships. Beginning in 1997, Fred earned a series of promotions at Electric Boat, including Vice President and VIRGINIA Class Program Manager, and Senior Vice President of Programs. As Senior Vice President, Fred was responsible for all new design, lifecycle, repair and business development programs. The VIRGINIA Program is recognized as the U.S. Navy’s premier shipbuilding program. In 2005, Fred became President of the General Dynamics NASSCO shipyard in San Diego. He is credited with developing what is recognized as the second most successful U.S. Navy shipbuilding program, the T-AKE class. Under Fred’s leadership, General Dynamics NASSCO has delivered nine T-AKE ships to date. During this same period, NASSCO signed the largest commercial contract in the company’s history to build nine product tankers. A maritime industry leader, Fred participates in numerous associations dedicated to stimulating U.S. shipbuilding such as the Title XI Federal Loan Guarantee Program. Fred is a member of the American Bureau of Shipping Council, The National Academies of Sciences, Transportation Research Board, and the American Shipbuilding Association.