General Dynamics [GD] on Monday said that Gary Whited, president of the company’s Land Systems business, plans to retire next year and will be succeeded by Danny Deep, the chief operating officer (COO) for the business.
Whited plans to retire on April 1, 2020, which will mark seven years at the helm of Michigan-based General Dynamics Land Systems (GDLS) and 23 years with GD.
“Gary Whited has served General Dynamics with distinction for 23 years,” Mark Roualet, executive vice president for GD’s Combat Systems segment, said in a statement. “His ability to align the company’s efforts with customer needs has ensured that General Dynamics is well positioned for the future to deliver market-leading products to the U.S. military and our allies.”
Deep has been COO of GDLS since March 2018 with a focus on operations, business development, financial performance and growth. Before that, Deep had been the vice president of GDLS-Canada since January 2011. He also led the Light Armored Vehicle and the United Kingdom Line of Business, and held international assignments for the company in Austria and Spain.
“Danny Deep is a proven leader with decades of experience designing, manufacturing and sustaining the world’s most advanced combat platforms,” Roualet said.
Deep also chaired the board of directors of the Canadian Association of Defense and Security Industries.
In addition to operations in the U.S. and Canada, GDLS has operations in Australia, Austria, Britain, and Spain.
Whited joined GD in 1996 after working for Defense Department’s Defense Contract Audit Agency and PriceWaterhouse LLC
.