Alumni Kyle Werner, PhD, James R. (JR) Ross and Brent Voigtschild have been selected among four new members of the executive leadership team with the Naval Surface Warfare Center’s Crane, Indiana, division, a federal laboratory located in southern Indiana.

They will be among 10 senior-level executives responsible for directing departments and leading the division’s strategic vision. 

Werner brings more than 23 years of diverse and executive leadership experience in his new role as the NSWC Crane’s deputy technical director. He has most recently served as acting director of Global Deterrence and Defense Department. Previously Werner was director of the Applied Science & Demand Management Department, director of innovation, and director of engagement.

Ross is the new director for the Global Deterrence and Defense Department after serving as the deputy director. This is the latest assignment in a 23-year career at NSWC Crane, 11 years of which have been in nuclear deterrence, hypersonics, and missile defense. The He previously was division manager of the platform and launch systems division, manager of irregular warfare technologies division, and deputy division director/chief engineer of the expeditionary systems engineering division. 

Werner and Ross earned master’s degrees in engineering management from Rose-Hulman in 2002.

Voigtschild, who earned bachelor’s (1999) and master’s degrees (2002) in mechanical engineering, has been selected director of NWSC Crane’s Corporate Operations Department. The 350-person area is responsible for human resources, corporate communications, infrastructure (facilities and safety), information technology, security, corporate business office and financial management, and property management competencies. He has 22 years of leadership, management and engineering experience in the division.

NSWC Crane is a naval laboratory and a field activity of Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) with mission areas in expeditionary warfare, strategic missions and electronic warfare.