SAIC confirms Havenstein will replace retiring Dahlberg as CEO

Science Applications International Corp. has confirmed that Ken Dahlberg will step down as chief executive officer on Sept. 20, consistent with the company’s mandatory retirement policy for executive officers.

He will remain chairman of the board through the annual stockholders’ meeting in June 2010, according to a company announcement released today.

Walt Havenstein will succeed Dahlberg, 64, as CEO on Sept. 21. Havenstein announced his resignation as president and CEO of BAE Systems Inc. yesterday. He will also become a member of SAIC’s board of directors. Dahlberg is retiring because he will reach the company's mandatory retirement age of 65 during the next year.

“The board and I are extremely pleased to have Walt join the company’s executive management team,” Dahlberg said in the statement. “He has demonstrated an outstanding record of success at BAE Systems, where he managed the company’s wholly owned U.S. subsidiary, with 53,000 employees and annual sales in excess of $20 billion.”

At BAE, retired Marine Corps Gen. Anthony Zinni, a member of BAE Systems’ board, has been appointed chairman of the board and acting president and CEO.

Zinni will also join BAE Systems’ Executive Committee in his capacity as acting president and CEO.

SAIC, of San Diego, ranks No. 7 on Washington Technology’s 2009 Top 100 list of the largest federal government prime contractors. BAE Systems, of Rockville, Md., ranks No. 14 on the list.