Meet the Board

If you need to, you may contact any board member below, talk to us at our monthly meeting or send comments to us.

 MSR Member:

  • Adam Beck – Vigor Marine Group
  • James Brown- GD NASSCO
  • Gavin Higgins – Everett Ship Repair LLC

ABR Member:

  • Webster King – HII
  • Richard Hoyer – QED Systems
  • Cynthia Wurzbacher – Propulsion Controls Engineering (PCE)

Associate Member:

  • Kirk Boettner – WA Marine
  • Michael Hooker – Aerotek
  • Danny Lopez – South Bay Sandblasting & Tank Cleaning
  • Joe Benedict – PCI

Officers of the Association

CHAIRMAN – ADAM BECK
President – James brown
vice President – CYNTHIA WURZBACHER
secretary – webster king
Treasurer – phil parson

Board Member Biographies

James Brown

James Brown is a distinguished maritime leader and retired U.S. Navy Surface Warfare Officer with over 30 years of service. Currently serving as the General Manager of General Dynamics NASSCO-Bremerton, he brings an unparalleled depth of operational and technical expertise to the Pacific Northwest’s ship repair and maintenance sector.

Mr. Brown’s naval career was defined by high-level command and specialized technical roles. He notably served as the Commanding Officer of USS Gary (FFG 51) and as the Reactor Officer for USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74), where he managed complex nuclear propulsion systems and vessel maintenance. His strategic leadership was further honed as the Operations Officer for Carrier Strike Group 3 and through multiple staff tours dedicated to aircraft carrier maintenance and operations.

Since joining the NASSCO-Bremerton team in 2023, Mr. Brown has been instrumental in streamlining daily operations for both surface ship and aircraft carrier availabilities. In his current capacity as General Manager, he oversees the facility’s strategic direction, project execution, and Profit and Loss (P&L) management. He serves as the primary liaison between the shipyard and NAVSEA, ensuring that every project meets the U.S. Navy’s rigorous standards for safety, quality, and schedule.

Dedicated to operational excellence, Mr. Brown focuses on driving continuous improvement initiatives and mentoring the next generation of maritime professionals to support the long-term readiness of the fleet.


Phil Parson

With over 40 years of experience in U.S. Navy Submarine and Ship Repair, Phil is the founder of NAVCORCON LLC, an SBA Certified Veteran-Owned Small Business (VOSB) and SeaPort-NxG Prime contractor based in Poulsbo, WA. His career began in the U.S. Navy Civil Service at Trident Refit Facility Bangor (1978–1999), and since 2000 has served as a specialized consultant focused on U.S. Navy Corrosion Control.

Driven by the mantra “BE TECHNICALLY CORRECT,” he integrates ISO “Plan-Do-Check-Act” (PDCA) theory to optimize lifecycle maintenance for surface ships and submarines. Phils work ensures all activities meet stringent NAVSEA Standard Items and technical specifications. His leadership portfolio includes establishing the NAVSEA Corrosion Control Assistance Team at Naval Station Everett, managing the SSP refresh of 100 submarine missile tube ballast cans and conducting critical inspections on the USS Ronald Reagan and USS Stennis. His expertise also extends to the global industrial sector, where he provided failure analysis in the Gulf of Mexico and developed 20-year maintenance plans for major international refineries.

Today, he specializes in bridging the gap between workforce hierarchy and precise acceptance criteria through targeted training and high-performance team development. He provides comprehensive support in SSPC QP programs, QC/QA conformance auditing, ISO program development, and Contract/Project Management. As a leader in the Puget Sound Ship Repair Association (PSSRA) and an AMPP Senior Certified Inspector, he prioritizes technical proficiency and operational readiness. To safeguard sensitive data, his firm maintains CMMC Level 2 and NIST SP 800-171 compliance, alongside DD2345 certification, making him a highly compliant partner for large-scale shipyard modernization and emergent maintenance projects.


Michael Hooker

Michael Hooker is a Sales Manager at Aerotek. Aerotek is largest privately held staffing company in the US.  He is responsible for the Business Development within the Ship Repair industry in Washington State.

Michael is a graduate from the University of Central Florida where he got his degree in Business Management. He moved back to the PNW in 2004 and started at Aerotek in Tacoma in 2005. He specialized in helping companies within the manufacturing and distribution industries. In 2010, he moved into the Government Services division within Aerotek and started focusing on the Ship Repair Industry. Growing up as a military brat (his father served in the Air Force for 30 years as a F-16 Fighter Pilot), he found his passion for helping support the military. In 2017, he helped open the Aerotek Bremerton Office to better support the clients in the Kitsap area. He currently helps support many Prime and Sub Contractor holders within the shipyards in Bremerton, Seattle, and Everett.

Michael grew up playing soccer, scuba diving, and shooting skeet (competitively) and is now married with 2 kids (both whom have graduated from UW). Now days, he and his wife love traveling and taking their trailer out camping throughout WA.  

He joined PSSRA in 2010 and became an Associate Board Member in 2023.


Kirk Boettner

Kirk Boettner has dedicated two decades to the U.S. Naval ship repair industry, bringing extensive experience in operations, program management, business development, and leadership. His career has spanned planning and executing complex repair activities for the Navy not only throughout the Pacific Northwest, but around the world.  Kirk attended his first PSSRA meeting back in 2007 and has had the pleasure of serving on the PSSRA Board of Directors since 2026.

As Director for Washington Marine Cleaning, Kirk offers a deep understanding of the relationships between the Regional Maintenance Center (RMC), Primes, Alteration Installation Teams (AITs), and subcontractors in the region. Having worked as a subcontractor to the entire industry, he possesses a unique perspective on the challenges and dynamics of serving both as a Prime contractor for Navy direct work and as a subcontractor to private shipyards and AITs.

Born and raised in Bellingham, Washington, Kirk began his career in Naval ship repair in 2006.  As a board member, Kirk is dedicated to workforce development and positioning our industry to meet the ever-changing demand signal, leveraging our member companies’ capabilities and workforce to ensure that all opportunities remain in the Northwest.


Danny Lopez

Danny Lopez serves as the General Manager of the Washington Division for South Bay Sand Blasting & Tank Cleaning, Inc. (SBSBTC), where he oversees regional operations, business development and customer relationships throughout the Pacific Northwest.

With nearly a decade of experience in the Maritime and Ship Repair Industry, Danny began his career supporting shipyard program management and production teams before transitioning into government contracting. He has since held various leadership positions, including Contracts Manager and Director of Contracts, overseeing U.S. Navy ship repair and maintenance contracts in San Diego, Virginia, and Japan.

His professional background includes experience on both the prime contractor and subcontractor sides of the industry, with direct involvement in bidding, negotiating and managing federal Multiple Award Contracts (MACs) and Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contracts. He also holds an AMPP NAVSEA Basic Paint Inspector (NBPI) certification, complementing his contractual experience with technical knowledge of naval preservation and coatings.

Originally from San Diego, Danny recently relocated to Washington with his wife and two children. Outside of his professional responsibilities, he enjoys traveling and spending time outdoors with his family. As a member of the PSSRA Board of Directors, Danny is looking forward to building relationships with fellow industry professionals, sharing his experience and contributing to the Pacific Northwest Maritime Community.


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