Dr. Mike Wilkinson, vice president and chief information officer of PPD, has been appointed to the U.S.S. North Carolina Battleship Commission.

Gov. Bev Perdue announced the appointment in a news release today.

Wilkinson, a member of the board of directors for the Cape Fear Community College Foundation, served 23 years in the U.S. Navy, including assignments as a Navy SEAL, and retired as a commander in the Medical Service Corps.

The battleship commission adopts rules and regulations for proper maintenance and operation of the ship as a permanent memorial and exhibit. Members work with the Department of Cultural Resources to manage and maintain exhibits, activities and records pertaining to marine and naval history of North Carolina and the United States. The commission has 18 members, each serving a four-year term. The governor appoints 16 members.