Xavier Beale is Vice President of Human Resources and Trades for Newport News Shipbuilding, a division of Huntington Ingalls Industries, located in Newport News, Va. Named to this position in 2022, he is responsible for human resources, production trades, trades management, trades administration, and The Apprentice School.

A second-generation shipbuilder, Beale is committed to advancing the company’s trades organizations. He began his shipbuilding career in 1991 as a pipefitter then left the shipyard for 10 years to work as a probation officer and program manager of a behavioral health treatment center. During this time, he also served in the Virginia Army National Guard. Since returning to the shipyard in 2004, Beale has held positions of increasing responsibility in human resources to include supervisor of employee relations, manager and human resources business partner and manager of EEO and diversity. Before his current appointment, he served as director of human resources operations.

He earned a bachelor’s degree in governmental administration from Christopher Newport University and a master’s degree in human resources from Troy University. He is actively involved in the community and serves on the Virginia Board of Workforce Development, the Virginia African American Advisory Board, the Virginia Living Museum’s board of trustees, and Hampton Roads Community Action Program’s board of directors.