General Dynamics announced that Charles Hall, Executive Vice President of the company and Head of its Combat Systems group, will retire May 1.
David Heebner, who heads the company's Marine Systems group, will succeed Hall on that date. In turn, Heebner will be replaced by Phebe Novakovic, Senior Vice President for planning and development.
Hall has been at the head of the Combat Systems group since 2005, and before that was President of the company's Land Systems unit.
General Dynamics also announced a change in its controller position. John Schwartz, who's held that job since 1998, will retire April 1. Jason Aiken, Staff Vice President of accounting since 2006, will succeed him.
"Charlie Hall has been a visionary leader of the Combat Systems group for the past five years, and a dynamic player in the combat-vehicle business for nearly four decades," said General Dynamics President and Chief Executive Jay Johnson in a statement announcing the changes. "He has been instrumental in continually pushing to deliver new technologies to the U.S. military, and in creating product offerings for customers of our U.S. and foreign combat-systems businesses alike. Charlie's professionalism and dedication have made a tremendous difference for General Dynamics. He will be missed."
Schwartz, the company's chief accounting officer for 12 years, "has played a substantial role in the transformation of General Dynamics into the global market leader that it is today," Johnson said. "His counsel and dedication have been noteworthy and are greatly appreciated."
Heebner became Executive Vice President and Group Executive for Marine Systems in October 2008. He was President of General Dynamics Land Systems from July 2005 until 2008. Before joining the company in 2000, Heebner served 33 years in the U.S. Army.