Alumni Gazette

Winter ’69 Tapped as Navy Secretary

Winter (Photo: Northrop Grumman)

A Rochester graduate who most recently was the lead executive for global company Northrop Grumman’s missile defense business has been nominated by President Bush to be the next Secretary of the Navy.

Donald Winter ’69, a physics major at Rochester, was confirmed by the Senate last fall to succeed Gordon England as the Navy’s top civilian official.

As corporate vice president and president of Northrop Grumman’s Mission Systems sector, Winter oversaw 18,000 employees and $5 billion in revenue from defense and intelligence markets. He began his career with TRW Inc., rising to the post of president and CEO of TRW Systems, which was renamed the Northrop Grumman Mission Systems sector following TRW’s acquisition in 2002.

After his nomination was announced, Winter stepped down from his position at Northrop Grumman because of the time demands of the confirmation process and to avoid perceptions of a conflict of interest. He declined through a spokesman to comment on his selection last fall until the confirmation process was complete.

Winter, who holds a doctorate in physics from the University of Michigan, delivered the keynote address at the University’s celebration of National Engineers’ Week last February.

A member of the National Academy of Engineering, he is a past recipient of the Secretary of Defense Medal for Meritorious Civilian Service.