Earl Industries, LLC

Portsmouth, VA

Earl Industries’ corporate headquarters in Portsmouth, Virginia encompasses nearly 200,000 square feet of state-of-the-art, secure facilities.  Executive, Ship Repair, Facilities, Engineering, Safety, Purchasing, Planning and Estimating operations are based here.

On the same property, Earl’s 60-acre, modern marine waterfront facility – located on the main branch of the Elizabeth River – is fully outfitted with all of the permanent services necessary for even the largest of ship repair and servicing operations.


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Portsmouth, Virginia Leadership Team

Paul Fields

General Manager, Ship Repair – Virginia

Mr. Paul Fields has over 30 years experience working for the U.S. Navy which included numerous leadership awards. In addition, he has filled a variety of leadership, management, and executive roles in the private sector. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree with an emphasis in Engineering Management from Western Illinois University. He is also a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt. Mr. Fields has extensive experience in surface engineering operations, maintenance, program management, inspection, training, submarine sub-safe, nuclear maintenance, special warfare, and special operations support/maintenance. Mr. Fields is a member of the American Society of Naval Engineers.

John R. Byrne

Senior Project Manager

Mr. Randy Byrne has over twenty-nine years’ experience with US Navy ship maintenance, alterations, and overhauls.  He is fully knowledgeable in all organizational and functional aspects of the ship modernization process. A 10-year Navy veteran, Randy served aboard USS Concord (AFS-5) and USS America (CV-66).  After the Navy, he served as an Outside Machinist Leadman and Ship Superintendent for various ship repair firms before joining Earl Industries as Senior Project Manager in 1998. Mr. Byrne is presently the lead Senior Project Manager for aircraft carrier maintenance in support of our CVN MSMO program.  He also oversees all repair and preservation work on the Navy’s East Coast LHD and LHA Class vessels, and the Arleigh Burke Class DDG’s, all under subcontract to BAE Systems, Norfolk.

Steven D. Schoonover

Senior Project Manager

Mr. Steve Schoonover has over thirty years of hands-on and management experience in the ship repair industry. Trained as an Outside Machinist and Pipefitter, Steve’s talents rapidly propelled him into supervisory positions. He served as a Ship Superintendent, Project Manager, and Guarantee Engineer for several ship repair companies before joining Earl Industries in 1998. In the ensuing years, Steve has successfully managed numerous highly complex ship overhauls, focusing principally on CVN, LHA and LHD docking availabilities.

Paul W. Jump

LSD/LPD Senior Project Manager

Mr. Paul Jump joined Earl Industries in 1995 as a Shipfitter after 22 years service in the US Navy as a Chief Damage Controlman. Paul assumed the role of Project Manager in support of the LHA/LHD MSMO program awarded to Earl Industries in 2003. He advanced to Senior Project Manager for the LSD/LPD Program, awarded to Earl Industries in 2005.  Here, he oversaw seven CNO in-plant availabilities. This role has since expanded to include LPD 17-Class vessels as well.

Jonathon L. Nichols

Assistant Production Manager

Mr. Jon Nichols is a graduate of the Newport News Apprentice School with a concentration as a Pipefitter. After graduation, Jon served as a Pipefitter at Newport News Shipbuilding for five years before joining Earl Industries in 1995 as a Pipefitter. His exceptional organizational and leadership skills soon became apparent, and he was promoted to his current position of Assistant Production Manager for Earl Virginia’s ship repair operations.

Ship Repair

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