HII Names Michael DeBernardis Vice President and Chief Counsel of Mission Technologies
Rhea-AI Summary
HII (NYSE: HII) appointed Michael DeBernardis as vice president and chief counsel for its Mission Technologies division, effective July 21, 2026. He will advise senior leadership, lead legal services, and sit on the division’s leadership team, supporting growth across defense, intelligence, cyber, unmanned systems, and other mission-enabling capabilities.
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News Market Reaction – HII
In the Jul 21 session, HII declined 0.47%, reflecting a mild negative market reaction.
Data tracked by StockTitan Argus on the day of publication.
Key Figures
Historical Context
| Date | Event | Sentiment | 24h Move | Catalyst |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 15 | Shipbuilding milestone | Positive | -0.8% | First grand blocks erected through distributed shipbuilding partners ahead of planned keel authentication |
| Jul 14 | Leadership appointment | Neutral | -1.1% | Retired Navy vice admiral joined Mission Technologies' Nuclear and Environmental team |
| Jul 13 | Release correction | Neutral | -0.4% | Company corrected an earlier release and announced an unmanned autonomy briefing |
| Jul 13 | Media invitation | Neutral | -0.4% | Media visit announced for Newport News Shipbuilding's Charleston operations site |
| Jul 10 | Earnings scheduling | Neutral | -0.0% | Second quarter 2026 results and conference call scheduled for July 30 |
24h Move is the share-price change in the day after each event; other market factors may also have contributed.
HII's five recent news events all recorded negative 24-hour reactions, including leadership, operational, scheduling, and informational announcements.
AI-generated analysis. How Rhea-AI works. Not financial advice.
McLEAN, Va., July 21, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- HII (NYSE: HII) announced that Michael DeBernardis has joined the company as vice president and chief counsel for its Mission Technologies division, HII’s global all-domain national security solutions business.
In this role, DeBernardis will advise senior leadership and lead the delivery of legal services for Mission Technologies. He will serve as a key member of the division’s leadership team, supporting its continued growth across defense, intelligence, cyber, unmanned systems, training, logistics, fleet sustainment, nuclear services, and mission-enabling capabilities and technologies.
DeBernardis brings nearly 20 years of experience advising global corporations, government contractors, and multinational organizations on complex legal, compliance, investigations, and governance matters.
Prior to joining HII, DeBernardis was the managing partner of the Washington, D.C., office of Hughes Hubbard & Reed LLP, where he also served as chair of the firm’s Global Investigations, Enforcement and Compliance practice.
A photo accompanying this release is available at: http://hii.com/news/hii-names-michael-debernardis-vice-president-and-chief-counsel-of-mission-technologies/.
DeBernardis has represented organizations before the U.S. Department of Justice, U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, U.S. Senate permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, and numerous international development institutions.
“As HII continues to expand its integrated technology portfolio and deliver mission-enabling capabilities to customers around the world, Michael’s proven leadership, strategic judgment and deep experience navigating complex regulatory environments will be invaluable as we support our customers’ most critical missions,” said Andy Green, executive vice president and president of HII’s Mission Technologies division.
“Michael has a proven record of leading talented teams and solving some of the most complex legal challenges around the globe,” said Chad Boudreaux, executive vice president and chief legal officer of HII. “As chief counsel for Mission Technologies, he will continue to advance our company’s mission of delivering all-domain solutions in service of the nation, creating the advantage for customers to protect peace and freedom around the world.”
DeBernardis earned a Juris Doctor, cum laude, from George Washington University Law School, where he served on the International Law Review, and a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Delaware.
About HII
HII is America’s largest shipbuilder, delivering the world’s most powerful ships and all-domain mission technologies, including unmanned systems, to U.S. and allied defense customers. HII is the largest producer of unmanned underwater vehicles for the U.S. Navy and the world.
With a more than 140-year history of advancing U.S. national security, HII builds and integrates defense capabilities extending from the core fleet to C6ISR, AI/ML, EW and synthetic training. Headquartered in Virginia, HII’s workforce is 44,000 strong. For more information, visit:
- HII on the web: https://www.HII.com/
- HII on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TeamHII
- HII on X: https://www.twitter.com/WeAreHII
- HII on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/WeAreHII
- HII on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/wearehii
Contact:
Greg McCarthy
(202) 264-7126
gregory.j.mccarthy@hii-co.com
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/d36f28c9-6473-4e27-ab24-a3602f34df77
