Thomas K. Kiss

Director, Ship Management

31 March 2021 Mr. Thomas K. Kiss serves as the Director of Ship Management at the Military Sealift Command. In this capacity he is responsible for overall strategic program planning, life cycle planning, force structure analysis, acquisition, POM/budget development, and resource allocations for the operation of more than 130 ships in the MSC fleet.

Mr. Kiss was the Executive Director of Navy Warfare Development Command. In this role, he was responsible for the development of concepts, experimentation, war games, and doctrine to improve Navy warfighting readiness.

Prior to entering the Senior Executive Service, Mr. Kiss served on active duty as a nuclear-trained Navy Surface Warfare Officer, retiring as a Captain after 30 years of service. His sea duty assignments include tours as Strike Warfare Officer in USS Monterey (CG 61), Chemistry Assistant and Chemistry/Radiological Controls Assistant in USS Enterprise (CVN 65), Weapons Control Officer and Combat Systems Officer in USS Princeton (CG 59), Main Propulsion Assistant in USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71), Executive Officer in USS Cape St George (CG 71), Commanding Officer of USS Stout (DDG 55), and Commanding Officer of USS Monterey (CG 61).

Ashore, he served as a Joint Capabilities Analyst in the Joint Staff’s Directorate for Force Structure, Resources, and Assessments (JS/J-8), as Officer-in-Charge of the Surface Nuclear Propulsion Mobile Training Team in Bremerton, WA, as Military Legislative Assistant and Legislative Fellow on the staff of Representative Gene Taylor (D-MS) in the U.S. House of Representatives, as head of Surface Nuclear Officer Programs and Placement (PERS-424/41N) at Navy Personnel Command, and as Chief of Staff at Navy Warfare Development Command.

Mr. Kiss graduated with distinction from the United States Naval Academy in 1988 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Naval Architecture. He earned a Master of Science degree in Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1989 and is also a graduate of the Naval War College and the Armed Forces Staff College. He completed a fellowship through the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Seminar XXI program in 2005.

His personal awards include the Legion of Merit with gold star, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal (with one gold star), the Joint Commendation Medal, Navy Commendation Medal (with four gold stars), and Navy Achievement Medal (with two gold stars).