THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, August 21, 1994 TAG: 9408190224
SECTION: PORTSMOUTH CURRENTS PAGE: 03 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Close Up
LENGTH: Medium: 90 lines
Had he not decided to make a career out of the Navy, Rear Adm. James L. Taylor might have spent his life as Dr. James L. Taylor.
``The other area that had the greatest interest for me was medicine,'' said Taylor, outgoing commander of the Norfolk Naval Shipyard. But with four uncles who had graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy, Taylor was indoctrinated at an early age.
``From the time I was very small, I'd heard all my life how great going to the Naval Academy and having a career in the Navy was, so it was a fairly easy choice when I was finishing high school,'' said Taylor, a 1965 graduate of the academy.
In a change of command ceremony Aug. 12, Taylor's four-year stint as head of the Navy's largest and oldest shipyard came to an end. His successor, Capt. William R. Klemm, will be the shipyard's 98th commander. For Klemm, Taylor has this advice: ``Listen to our people. They're very talented and committed, and they have a lot of good ideas.''
Taylor's next job will take him to the Pentagon as director of Maintenance and Modernization with the Chief of Naval Operations, where he will develop and implement strategies to maintain the Navy's ships and planes.
The four years spent at the Norfolk Naval Shipyard were extremely rewarding, Taylor said.
``I think, candidly, the thing I'll miss most is the people in the shipyard. I loved my job here. I think it's probably the best job I'll ever have in my life. I think jobs ahead will be as challenging and as demanding, but I'm not sure that any of them will give me the satisfaction that this job has.''
Between 1990 and 1994, Taylor guided the shipyard through some difficult years.
``We downsized the shipyard 5,000 people while I was here, so I can't imagine it being much tougher than it was,'' Taylor said, ``but we stayed open and the shipyard stayed strong, and that's what the real goal was we had to achieve.''
Of the shipyard's unions, Taylor said he thought his relationship with union leadership was very good ``given the fact that we had to conduct three reductions in force, which are always painful for everybody.
``You can ask them what they think,'' he said, laughing, ``but they came to my going away party and gave me a present, so I can't be all that bad!''
Taylor, 50, has no plans to retire from the Navy anytime soon.
``I love what I do, and I'm in no hurry to do anything else,'' he said.
Name: Rear Adm. James Taylor
Nickname: Jim
Neighborhood: NNSY, Quarters A
Number of years in Portsmouth: Four
Birthplace: Monahans, Texas
Birthdate: 1 December '43
Occupation: Until 12 August '94, Shipyard Commander NNSY
What other job than your own would you like? My next one: director of Maintenance and Modernization for the Navy.
Marital status: Married
Children: Susan, 29; Richard, 27; and Heidi, 25
Grandchildren: Jennifer, 8, and Michelle, 6
Fondest childhood memory: Most of them
First concert: Elvis in Fort Wayne, Ind., in 1956
What song or book title best describes your life? ``Thriving on Chaos''
If you won the lottery, what's the very first thing you'd buy? Diving boat
If you could trade places for just one day with anyone in the world, who would it be and why? CNO, because I have some ideas I would like to try for the Navy.
Biggest accomplishment: Achieving command of a great Navy shipyard.
Most embarrassing moment: Showing up in the wrong uniform for the christening of the George Washington at Newport News Shipyard.
If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be? Add a little more hair
Perfect way to spend the day: Scuba diving (with my wife in the boat)
I can't resist: Good ribs
Favorite Portsmouth restaurant: Brutti's
Favorite Portsmouth hangout: Library
Biggest problem facing Portsmouth: Solving the school problems
If you had three wishes for Portsmouth, what would they be?
Survival of the shipyard.
Improved housing
Get King's Crossing in use as something
Other than its small-town atmosphere, what do you like about living in Portsmouth? The wonderful people ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by MARK MITCHELL
James Taylor
KEYWORDS: PROFILE by CNB