Gibbs & Cox Inc., a naval architecture and marine engineering firm, announced the appointment of Matthew Garner as assistant vice president, ship design.

Matthew Garner, assistant vice president, ship design for Gibbs & Cox. Gibbs & Cox photo

Matthew Garner, assistant vice president, ship design for Gibbs & Cox. Gibbs & Cox photo

Garner joins Gibbs & Cox following a civil service career in the Naval Sea Systems (NAVSEA) Command's Engineering Directorate. For the past six years he was a member of the senior executive service, providing technical leadership and operationally superior war-fighting capabilities for the Navy, most recently as the director for Submarine/Submersible Design and Systems Engineering (NAVSEA 05U), and prior to that as the director, Ship Integrity and Performance Engineering Group (NAVSEA 05P).

"Matt brings to Gibbs & Cox an unprecedented breadth of engineering prowess across the U.S. Navy's submarine and surface combatant portfolios," Chris Deegan, president and chief executive of Gibbs & Cox, said in a statement announcing the hire. "In Gibbs & Cox's 90th year, Matt's contributions will position Gibbs & Cox well for our next 90 years,"

Garner's previous assignments include deputy director for submarine/submersible design and systems engineering; director surface combatant and mine warfare ships division; DDG 1000 ship design manager; ship concept manager for the maritime air and missile defense of joint forces analysis of alternatives; littoral combatant ship design integration manager; and LHA replacement mission system engineering manager.

He earned a Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees in Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering from the University of New Orleans. Additionally, he holds a Master of Science in Systems Engineering Management from the Naval Postgraduate School. Garner was awarded the Navy Superior Civilian Service Award in 2014 and Navy Meritorious Civilian Service Award in 2012.

Gibbs & Cox has designed nearly 7,000 vessels since 1929. The company supports military and commercial clients in the U.S. and internationally with all phases of marine design, construction, and lifecycle management. Independent and privately held, Gibbs & Cox is headquartered in Arlington, Va., with offices in New Orleans; Newport News, Va.; Chesapeake, Va; New York; Philadelphia; Washington, DC; and Canberra, ACT, Australia.