William Toti

William Toti is a retired US Navy captain, former corporate CEO, author, and photographer. Toti was the final captain of the Los Angeles-class submarine USS Indianapolis (SSN-697). He also served as commodore of Submarine Squadron 3 in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii and is known for his role in the exoneration of the captain of the World War II cruiser USS Indianapolis (CA-35), Charles B. McVay III. He served as CEO of Sparton Corporation, retiring in 2022.

Author. Toti is author of "From CO to CEO: A Practical Guide for Transitioning from Military to Industry Leadership." Drawing from lessons he learned over a fifteen-year corporate career, he wrote the book to assist with the transition of active duty military into corporate positions.

9/11 Survivor. Toti was on duty in the Pentagon at the time of the September 11 attack. Some of his activity during the rescue effort was captured in ABC News video footage of the event. Toti's narrative of the attack, titled "Antoinette," was incorporated into the introduction of the 2006 book "Operation Homecoming," published by Random House. Toti's actions were featured in three documentaries, including 9/11: Inside the Pentagon (PBS, 2016), "9/11: The Pentagon" (The History Channel, 2020), and "9/11: One Day in America" (National Geographic, 2021).

USS Indianapolis work. While serving as commanding officer of the submarine USS Indianapolis (SSN-697), Toti was recruited by the survivors of the World War II cruiser USS Indianapolis (CA-35) to assist in their effort to clear the name of Captain Charles B. McVay III, who was captain of the cruiser at the time it was sunk by Imperial Japanese Submarine I-58. In response, Toti authored the article on the McVay affair, titled "The Sinking of the Indy and the Responsibility of Command," published in the US Naval Institute Proceedings in October 1999. Toti's role in the McVay affair was described in the books "In Harms Way" by Doug Stanton and "Indianapolis" by Lynn Vincent and Sara Vladic. As a result, Toti was named an Honorary Survivor by the USS Indianapolis Survivors' Organization in 2005. Toti's role in helping to clear McVay's name was covered in several documentaries, including "USS Indianapolis: the Legacy Project," "USS Indianapolis, Live from the Deep," "USS Indianapolis: Final Chapter," and "The Lost Ships of World War II." He also wrote the foreword and afterword of Thomas Helm's "Ordeal by Sea" on the saga of the Indianapolis.

Photographer. Toti has become an acclaimed landscape and wildlife photographer, publishing his first book of African wildlife titled "Safari!" in 2016.