Bilden front-runner for SECNAV

President-elect Donald Trump is expected to name Philip Bilden, a private equity investment executive, to be Secretary of the Navy, according to Navy and congressional anonymous sources cited by both USNI News and Washington Post. Bilden lived and worked in Asia for some 20 years before returning to America. In 2013, he was named one of Asia’s 25 Most Influential People in Private Equity by Asian Investor magazine. The Newport, R.I., native attended Georgetown University on an ROTC scholarship, graduating in 1986, and then served four years as an Army intelligence officer. Afterwards, he then joined the HarbourVest private equity firm in Boston; and later founded the firm’s Asia branch in Hong Kong before returning to Rhode Island. (Source: Maritime Executive 01/14/17) Bilden has a son who graduated from the Naval Academy and another son who is a midshipman. Former NATO Supreme Commander, retired flag officer, James G. Stavridis called Biden “a man of extraordinary expertise on maritime and nautical affairs.” Bilden also serves on the board of the Naval War College.