JOSEPH “JOEY” D’ISERNIA

CHAIRMAN & CEO, EASTERN SHIPBUILDING GROUP, PANAMA CITY

D’Isernia, who’s spent his entire career working in the shipyard, was appointed chairman and CEO of Eastern Shipbuilding Group in 2023 after serving as president of the company for seven years. The second-generation leader — his father founded the company in 1976 — has led the company as it evolved from a commercial shipyard to “one that excels in the management and execution of government shipbuilding programs as well as commercial programs,” according to the company’s website. D’Isernia also steered Eastern through challenging circumstances, including the recovery from Hurricane Michael in 2018. Eastern Shipbuilding has built more than 350 vessels, ranging from U.S. Coast Guard offshore patrol cutters to barges, tugs, fireboats and high-speed passenger vessels. With more than 1,600 employees, the company is the largest private-sector employer in Northwest Florida. It was the third largest defense contractor in Florida in 2021 and was the 2017 recipient of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Small Business of the Year award. D’Isernia earned a degree in finance from Florida State University and serves on several boards including the Tom P. Haney Foundation and Gulf Coast Regional Medical Center.