Kevin J Cosgriff

Kevin Cosgriff is senior vice president of international business and government at Textron. He retired from the U.S. Navy as a vice admiral following 37 years of service. Cosgriff's last assignment was as commander of the Naval Forces Central Command, where he oversaw all combat, combat support and maritime security operations throughout the Middle East. He simultaneously commanded the 5th Fleet and the Combined Maritime Forces, the latter made up of ships from more than 20 participating nations. Earlier in his career he commanded a guided missile frigate, a destroyer squadron and an aircraft carrier strike group. He was also deputy commander of U.S. fleet forces and the Atlantic Fleet. He served twice in strategic planning organizations in the Navy headquarters staff, as well as in the Office of Legislative Affairs. He was the executive assistant to the undersecretary of the Navy and subsequently headed the Office of Program Appraisal for the secretary of the Navy. He also was director of the White House Situation Room and director of Systems and Technical Planning for the National Security Council. Cosgriff is a graduate of the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy and was awarded a master's degree in strategic intelligence by the National Defense Intelligence College, on whose board of directors he currently sits. He was recently appointed to the Board of Advisors of the Applied Physics Laboratory at the University of Washington.