Joins subsidiary of Colonna’s Shipyard, Inc. following a distinguished career at Huntington Ingalls Industries – Newport News Shipbuilding (HII-NNS)

NORFOLK, Va. (June 2, 2026) — Steel America, a subsidiary of Colonna’s Shipyard, Inc., announced today that Brandi L. Smith has been appointed Executive Director and Vice President, effective June 2, 2026. Smith brings more than two decades of shipbuilding leadership experience to the role, with deep expertise in program management, quality assurance, engineering, and large-scale production.

Smith joins Steel America following a distinguished career at Huntington Ingalls Industries – Newport News Shipbuilding (HII-NNS), where she most recently served as Program Director for CVN 79 (USS John F. Kennedy) and, before that, as Vice President of COLUMBIA Class Construction. In those roles, she was responsible for all program performance, contract execution, and labor resource planning, and successfully secured critical contract negotiations for a program valued at $2.2 billion.

“Brandi’s record of leading complex, high-stakes shipbuilding programs speaks for itself,” said Randall Crutchfield, Chairman & Chief Executive Officer, Colonna’s Shipyard. “Her experience at the highest levels of naval shipbuilding, combined with her commitment to safety, quality, and her people, makes her exactly the right leader to advance Steel America’s mission. We are pleased to welcome her to the Colonna’s family.”

Over the course of her career at NNS, Smith held a series of progressively senior roles. As Director of Quality Control, she oversaw more than 600 nuclear, non-nuclear, and non-destructive testing inspectors across all NNS contracts and led digital transformation initiatives within the Quality division. She also served as Engineering Lead for Integrated Digital Shipbuilding and as Acting Director of Construction Engineering, functioning as the value stream integration lead across engineering, supply chain, manufacturing, and test engineering in support of FORD Class build and test.

Smith is a member of the Mechanical Engineering Advisory Board at North Carolina State University and served as the December 2015 Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Commencement Speaker. She was named an Inside Business Women in Business Award honoree in 2014 and was a member of the CIVIC Leadership Program 2019–2020 Class.

She holds a Master of Business Administration from The College of William & Mary’s Mason School of Business and a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering, with a minor in Business Management, from North Carolina State University.

About Steel America

Steel America is a subsidiary of Colonna’s Shipyard, Inc. and a leading provider of steel fabrication and structural manufacturing services for the maritime and defense industries. Operating from its facility in Norfolk, Virginia, Steel America supports the full spectrum of ship construction and repair requirements, delivering precision-fabricated components with an unwavering commitment to quality and safety.

About Colonna’s Shipyard, Inc.

Founded in 1875, Colonna’s Shipyard, Inc. (CSI) is the oldest continuously operating private shipyard in the United States. CSI specializes in ship repair, conversion, and fabrication services for commercial and government clients. With a reputation for innovation and excellence, CSI remains a trusted leader in the maritime industry, committed to the highest standards of safety, quality, and performance. The company’s continued investment in its facilities, workforce, and community ensures it can meet the evolving needs of the global maritime sector. www.colonnaship.com