This August, we’re proud to introduce the inaugural Senior Advisory Board for JA Moody and Moody Marine Service—a milestone that reflects our continued investment in growth, strategic leadership, and support for the U.S. Navy and maritime community. We’re also highlighting our partnership with Metrex Valve, our involvement with ASSA, and the industry relationships helping strengthen fleet readiness and America’s shipbuilding supplier base.
Introducing Our Senior Advisory Board
As JA Moody and Moody Marine Service continues to grow its capabilities, geographic reach, and support for the maritime and defense industries, we are proud to introduce our Senior Advisory Board.
“The establishment of our Senior Advisory Board represents a significant investment in our future and reinforces our unwavering commitment to supporting the U.S. Navy and the maritime community,” – Lisa Smith, CEO.
Our mission is to keep ships at sea by delivering innovative, reliable, and mission-critical solutions that enhance fleet readiness and operational effectiveness.
We are honored to welcome Rear Admiral Peter Stamatopoulos as Chairman and Rear Admiral Frank Ponds, Mark Honecker, and Steve Cade as the inaugural members of our Senior Advisory Board.
Their extraordinary depth of leadership, operational expertise, and industry knowledge will provide strategic counsel as we continue to expand our capabilities and meet the evolving needs of our customers.
Their collective experience will help shape our long-term vision, strengthen our ability to solve complex sustainment challenges, and ensure we remain a trusted partner in advancing naval readiness.
Together, we are positioning our company to support the fleet of today while helping prepare for the mission requirements of tomorrow.
Built for the Fleet: Inside the Metrex Valve Partnership
Lisa Smith, CEO of JA Moody and Moody Marine Service, sat down with Rob Jorgensen, third-generation owner-operator of Metrex Valve, to discuss the company’s family-owned legacy, its expertise in high-performance water-regulating valves, and the partnership supporting U.S. Navy and commercial marine customers. Here’s the conversation that followed.
Q1: Rob, for those who may not be familiar with Metrex Valve, can you tell us
about your company and what makes it unique?
Metrex Valve is a family-owned manufacturer, based outside of LA, focused on manufacturing high-performance water regulating valve solutions for U.S. Navy and Commercial Marine applications. Our product portfolio includes pressure-actuated, thermostatically actuated, and electronically actuated control valves engineered for shipboard systems such as air-conditioning, refrigeration, chilled water, lube oil, and desalination. We manufacture to stringent military and industrial standards, including MIL-V, MIL-DTL, and NAVSEA technical requirements, ensuring compliance with shock, vibration, and corrosion resistance criteria required for naval platforms. Our valves are designed for high-pressure and high-flow service, with materials and configurations tailored to meet demanding shipboard operating environments.
Q2: Lisa, what initially attracted JA Moody to Metrex Valve?
We were particularly impressed by Metrex’s ability to design and manufacture valves in accordance with NAVSEA drawings and MIL-SPEC requirements, including compliance with standards such as MIL-DTL-22085 (valves, bronze/steel) and other applicable Navy specifications. Their expertise in producing mission-critical components—ranging from condenser head pressure control solutions for heat exchange to SUBSAFE steam valves—aligns directly with the expectations of our Navy and shipyard customers. The combination of technical rigor, documentation control, and traceability is exactly what our market demands.
Q3: Rob, how does being a family-owned business influence the way Metrex
works with customers and partners?
Being family-run means we take a long-term, hands-on approach to every project. Whether we’re producing legacy products used across the fleet or custom-engineered control valves, we stay closely engaged with customers to ensure full compliance with MIL-STD testing, inspection requirements, and documentation packages.
We emphasize responsiveness, engineering collaboration, and strict adherence to specifications, which is critical when supporting Navy programs where reliability and certification are non-negotiable.
Q4: Lisa, how do JA Moody and Moody Marine Service complement Metrex’s
capabilities?
JA Moody provides technical sales, contract support, and supply chain expertise, while Moody Marine Service delivers repair, overhaul, testing, and field service aligned with Navy maintenance standards. When combined with Metrex’s manufacturing capabilities—producing valves built to NAVSEA-approved designs and MIL-SPEC-qualified materials—we can support the full lifecycle of shipboard valves, including installation, maintenance, refurbishment, and recertification.
Q5: Rob, what opportunities do you see arising from the collaboration between
Metrex, JA Moody, and Moody Marine Service?
This partnership enables a fully integrated solution for Navy and marine customers. From new construction programs requiring MIL-SPEC-compliant valves to fleet sustainment involving inspection, repair, and replacement of critical components, we can deliver consistent quality and technical support. By aligning manufacturing, distribution, and service capabilities, we improve lead times, ensure compliance with evolving NAVSEA requirements, and provide end users with greater confidence in system reliability.
Q6: Lisa, what excites you most about the future of this partnership?
What excites me most is the technical depth and alignment across all three organizations. Metrex brings proven expertise in manufacturing MIL-SPEC and NAVSEA-compliant valves, JA Moody brings customer access and engineering support, and Moody Marine Service ensures long-term operational readiness through field service and overhaul. Together, we are uniquely positioned to support mission-critical naval systems with high-quality, compliant, and service-backed solutions—ultimately delivering on our shared commitment to keeping ships at sea.
Join ASSA to Strengthen America’s Shipbuilding Future
JA Moody participates in many industry associations, including ASSA. Today, we want to highlight ASSA and encourage companies to join this influential organization to help strengthen and protect America’s industrial shipbuilding supplier base.
America’s ability to maintain a strong, highly capable, and well-maintained Naval presence depends on a robust domestic shipbuilding supplier base. Recent events have shown that relying on foreign suppliers can disrupt the Navy’s ability to meet cost and delivery goals. By joining ASSA, your company can play a direct role in:
- Supporting National Security: Help reduce dependence on foreign components and ensure the U.S. Navy has the reliable, American-made systems it needs to defend the nation.
- Driving Economic Growth: Membership supports American job growth, protects domestic intellectual property, and increases the competitiveness of U.S. suppliers.
- Influencing Policy: ASSA advocates directly to Congress, the Navy, and the Coast Guard for increased Buy America requirements and other policies that benefit the domestic supplier base.
- Accessing Key Decision Makers: Members gain access to senior Navy personnel, Congressional representatives, and industry leaders through exclusive forums, roundtables, and annual events.
- Staying Informed: Receive the latest industry information and updates on issues like unfair competition, the Jones Act, and federal budget impacts.
- Networking and Collaboration: Participate in target-rich networking opportunities and strategic discussions with peers and shipbuilding executives.
How to Join
Apply online at www.shipbuildingsuppliers.com.
For more information, read the ASSA 2026 Membership Brochure or contact ASSA leadership:
- Roger Camp, President & CEO: roger.camp@hanwhadefenseusa.com
- Tish Williams: tishwilliams.assa@gmail.com
- Carl Fisher: carl.fisher@thrustmastertexas.com
Take Action Now
By joining ASSA, your company becomes part of a member-driven, self-sufficient organization dedicated to ensuring the long-term stability and readiness of the U.S. shipbuilding supplier base. Together, we can ensure that future Navy ships are proudly “Made in America and Use American Made Products.”
Celebrating Our Amazing Team
Great service starts with a great team. We believe in supporting a culture where people thrive—and today, we’re honored to recognize these incredible team members who’ve been a vital part of that vision:
Anniversaries:
- Vincent Hyman (4 years)
- Layla Croley (3 years)
- Christopher Ragland (1 year)
- Kevin Burke (1 year)
- Mark Shaffer (1 year)
Thank you for all of your hard work and dedication!
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