Huntington Ingalls Industries’ (NYSE: HII) Ingalls Shipbuilding division announced today that  Jack Norris has been named director of state and local government affairs.

Norris will lead all state and local government relations efforts in support of Ingalls’ strategic goals and will collaborate with community and economic development partners.

“Jack has a strong government relations background that includes 20 years of experience managing public policy and supporting economic recovery and growth,” Ingalls Shipbuilding President Kari Wilkinson said. “Our relationships with community partners and governmental leaders enable Ingalls to provide long-term stability to the shipyard and the communities it serves. We are pleased to have Jack in this important role.”

Prior to joining Ingalls, Norris led program management activities for Covington Civil and Environmental in support of the state of Mississippi’s RESTORE Act coastal restoration program. His previous roles include president of the Gulf Coast Business Council, executive director of Governor Haley Barbour’s Office of Hurricane Katrina Recovery and Renewal, and projects director and legislative assistant for U.S. Sen. Trent Lott. Norris holds a bachelor’s degree from The University of Mississippi.

Huntington Ingalls Industries is America’s largest military shipbuilding company and a provider of professional services to partners in government and industry. For more than a century, HII’s Newport News and Ingalls shipbuilding divisions in Virginia and Mississippi have built more ships in more ship classes than any other U.S. naval shipbuilder. HII’s Technical Solutions division supports national security missions around the globe with unmanned systems, defense and federal solutions, and nuclear and environmental services. Headquartered in Newport News, Virginia, HII employs approximately 41,000 people operating both domestically and internationally.