Richard Langseder isn’t used to being in the spotlight.
In fact, if the Hockessin resident’s work ever really drew a huge amount of attention, it would likely be because of a catastrophic nuclear power failure.
That’s why he was so shocked when the Navy League of the United States, a civilian organization dedicated to educating people about the Navy, honored him with the 2010 Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz Award for exemplary leadership in the maritime defense industry.
Langseder, senior vice president for business development of Curtiss-Wright Flow Control, is responsible for supplying valves, pumps, instrumentation and controls to the U.S. Navy’s nuclear-powered fleet.
The components control the flow of water and steam inside the nuclear reactors that power submarines and aircraft carriers, he said, and perfection isn’t simply a goal, it’s a requirement.
“The minute you take your eyes off the ball, that’s when it happens,” he said. “The lives of our sailors depend on the quality of our product.”
The fact that there has never been a nuclear accident aboard a U.S. Navy ship is, in part, a testament to the quality of Langseder’s work, and the Navy League chose to honor his dedication to safety with the award, given annually to a civilian.
It’s rewarding to know his work helps keep sailors safe at sea, said Langseder, who has worked at Curtiss-Wright for 43 years, though his efforts have always stayed firmly behind the scenes.
“Our mission is to stay below the surface, undetected,” he said.
Originally hailing from Brooklyn, N.Y., Langseder has always had an interest in safety and engineering, dating back to his first job as a research and development engineer with Dynamics Electric Boat Division, where he helped implement the Navy’s Sub Safe Program. Later, Langseder focused on safety as a flight test engineer for Grumman Aircraft Engineering Corporation.
While safety has always been his focus, since losing his 13-year-old grandson, Jack, to Ewing’s Sarcoma last year, Langseder has started a second mission: raising awareness of pediatric cancer through the Jack Langseder ForeverSTRONG Foundation.
The foundation is only just beginning, but Langseder is hopeful his support can help families identify pediatric cancer before it’s too late, he said.
