Veteran emergency management executive to advance operational leadership and mission-ready service capabilities.
AshBritt Companies, national leaders in disaster response, emergency management, and logistics projects, announced the promotion of Charles “Dow” Knight to President of AshBritt, Inc. In this role, Knight will steward the debris management and environmental services company, upholding the rigorous standards of excellence that have defined AshBritt for 34 years as the trusted partner for government and private sector clients across the country – while leveraging his expertise to drive expansion into new service verticals that meet the evolving needs of communities in crisis.
Knight brings more than 23 years of disaster response experience with AshBritt and over three decades of logistics leadership. As AshBritt Senior Vice President, he directed large-scale recovery operations for over 200 disaster missions, including responses to Hurricanes Katrina, Sandy, Michael, Ian, and Helene, major wildfires in California and New Mexico, and the July 2025 Texas floods. He served as Senior Operations Manager for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Tropical Storm Helene Debris Task Force in North Carolina—one of the largest and most complex debris removal missions in U.S. history.
A retired U.S. Navy Reserve Captain (O-6) and veteran with 30 years of distinguished service, Knight’s career encompassed command and leadership roles, including supporting missions such as Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm, Iraqi Freedom, Unified Response, and Enduring Freedom. Knight’s military background reinforces his exceptional strategic discipline and mission-readiness.
Knight is a graduate of the United States Merchant Marine Academy, where he later served as an instructor at the Global Maritime and Transportation School. He is certified as a Professional in Human Resources (PHR) and is a founding member of AshBritt’s Veteran Advisory Council, which champions veteran recruitment and leadership development throughout the family of companies.
“Dow is a respected, trustworthy leader who is deeply committed to delivering AshBritt’s industry-leading standards of safety, innovation, and high-quality service to our government partners,” said Brittany Perkins Castillo, CEO of AshBritt, Inc. “His appointment ensures we maintain our position as the gold standard in disaster recovery while continuing to bring our proven capabilities to new arenas where clients need us most.”
Knight was recently accepted into the 2026 FEMA Vanguard Executive Crisis Leaders Fellowship, a premier program that equips senior executives to manage complex crises through cross-sector collaboration, strategic foresight, and scenario-based learning.
