BREMERTON — Capt. Stephen F. Williamson will relieve Capt. Mark R. Whitney as commander of Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility in early summer 2012, the U.S. Navy announced.

Williamson  graduated from University of Maryland, College Park, in 1988 with an economics degree, and was commissioned through the George Washington University Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps Program.

Williamson completed tours aboard USS Lynde McCormick (DDG 8) and USS Long Beach (CGN 9) before attending the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, Calif.

Williamson graduated from the postgraduate school with a master of science in mechanical engineering and reported to Norfolk Naval Shipyard, where he completed his Engineering Duty Officer qualification tour. He served as assistant project officer, deputy project superintendent and shipyard docking officer.

Williamson’s next tours included Commander Naval Surface Force Atlantic Fleet; Fleet Technical Support Center Detachment Mayport; Southeast Regional Maintenance Center; and officer in charge, U.S. Naval Ship Repair Facility and Japan Regional Maintenance Center Detachment, Sasebo, Japan.

At Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, Williamson has served as the business and strategic planning officer, production resources officer and is currently the operations officer.

Whitney has served as commander since May 2008. His next duty assignment has not been announced.