LANL director announces organizational changes

Contact: John Gustafson, pogo@lanl.gov, (505) 665-9197

Recent News Los Alamos scientist named Asian American Engineer of the Year Los Alamos scientist featured in NASA science update Los Alamos muon detector could thwart nuclear smugglers Wojciech H. Zurek named Phi Beta Kappa visiting scholar Four Los Alamos physicists honored by American Physical Society Los Alamos National Laboratory organizations earn seven out of 13 NNSA Pollution Prevention awards Carter Hydrick returns to the Bradbury Science Museum Feb. 15 Laboratory supports summer science program New NASA IBEX mission to carry Los Alamos instrument Beason takes top threat reduction post at Los Alamos

LOS ALAMOS, N.M., May 31, 2001 -- Los Alamos National Laboratory Director John Browne today announced several organizational changes and related actions to strengthen operational support for continued scientific excellence and engage the Laboratory more effectively in strategic national security discussions.

"Earlier this year I set before employees my expectation for the Laboratory in which the quality of our operations matches the quality of our science and technology," Browne said. "Key to this effort is the successful implementation of an integrated management approach at Los Alamos, and the actions I am announcing today will help us strengthen and integrate management across the Laboratory.

"Today's announcement describes important and necessary steps toward the goal of integrated management and a more unified workforce. The end result will be an environment that better supports scientific productivity, which is at the core of this Laboratory," Browne said.

Among the organizational actions announced today are:

• Appointment of Joe Salgado, Deputy Director for Business Administration and Outreach, as Principal Deputy Laboratory Director. In this capacity he will function as a Chief Operating Officer and will serve as acting director of Los Alamos in Browne's absence. Salgado will continue to head the BAO Directorate for the time being.
• Appointment of Steve Younger, Associate Laboratory Director for Nuclear Weapons, as Senior ALD for National Security to guide and oversee the Laboratory's participation in strategic and long-term national security policy and planning. Younger will join the Director's Office to assist Browne in formulating strategic directions for Los Alamos programs in stockpile stewardship, nonproliferation and non-nuclear defense, and will represent the Laboratory in high-level interactions with the National Nuclear Security Administration, Department of Energy, Department of Defense and the military services.

Younger also will continue to head the NW Directorate pending possible further changes.

"In addition to establishing these two new positions, I have initiated a 45-day organizational review of the Nuclear Weapons Directorate," Browne said. "Recommendations from the review committee could lead to other changes in our organizational structure."

Browne noted that the NW Directorate represents more that 70 percent of Los Alamos' budget and impacts nearly every part of the Laboratory. Successful implementation of integrated management in this organization is key to its success across the Laboratory.

The committee, chaired by Hans Ruppel, former Associate Laboratory Director for Strategic and Supporting Research, includes representatives from the University of California's President's Council on the National Laboratories.

"I have tasked this committee to examine approaches for dealing with some of the significant management challenges facing the Lab's stockpile stewardship program while assuring effective alignment of our organization and activities with the needs and expectations of the NNSA," Browne said.

"I want to make clear to employees the importance of this activity. The committee's recommendations and our subsequent actions will have a major impact on the management and operation of the NW Directorate and consequently on the Lab itself. In combination with the appointment of the Senior ALD for National Security, this effort will be a key factor in determining the strategic direction for the Lab for the next decade," Browne said.

The committee is due to report recommendations to Browne by July 15.

Among the Laboratory's other senior managers, Bill Press, Deputy Laboratory Director for Science, Technology and Programs, will continue to oversee science and technology matters that relate to the Laboratory's technical direction, overall scientific quality, Laboratory Directed Research and Development, external reviews, scientific recruitment and interactions with the academic community.

"Bill and I will continue to work closely on ensuring that our scientific work is well supported and of the highest quality. We will also continue to evaluate and support new scientific directions for the Lab," Browne said.

Dick Burick, Deputy Laboratory Director for Operations, will continue to have principal responsibility for facility operations, project management, safety and security matters. Burick also is the Laboratory's interface with external regulatory agencies.

Similarly, Associate Laboratory Directors Don Cobb and Tom Meyer retain their principal responsibilities for threat reduction and strategic and supporting research, respectively.

Browne also announced another initiative aimed at strengthening integrated management and operational performance, the creation of a blue-ribbon steering committee to oversee and coordinate two technical advisory groups for pit production and pit certification.

"Pit production and certification is one of our ten institutional goals. It is imperative that we meet the goals and milestones of these programs on time, within budget and with the highest quality products and processes. The technical advisory groups and steering committee will review planning and execution in these programs to help ensure that we remain on track for success," Browne said.

The steering committee is chaired by Adm. Robert Foley, Ret., former commander in chief of the Pacific Fleet and DOE assistant secretary for defense programs. He currently serves on the boards of a number of U.S. companies, including Department of Defense Proxy boards, and is an international business consultant.

Also on the committee are

• George Emery, a retired vice admiral and former commander of the U.S. and NATO Atlantic Submarine Forces. He was president of Raytheon Technical Services Co.. which provides technical, scientific and professional service to defense, federal and other customers, and currently serves as a consultant on energy and defense issues to a number of organizations.
• John Weaver, formerly president and chief operating officer of Hughes Aircraft Co. and corporate executive vice president of Hughes Electronic Corp. A retired rear admiral, Weaver commanded the U.S. Navy's Space and Naval Warfare Systems.
• Richard Garwin, a physicist long employed at the IBM Research Center and now Phillip D. Reed Fellow for Science and Technology at the Council on Foreign Relations. He has served on the President's Science Advisory Committee and the Defense Science Board.
• Sidney Drell, retired deputy director of the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center, who since 1960 has provided technical advice to the U.S. Government on national security issues, particularly nuclear weapons and their stewardship. He currently serves on the President's Foreign Intelligence Advisory Board, Non-proliferation Advisory Panel and the JASONs group of scientific advisors.

Other members of the steering committee are Jim Stout, Steve Guidice and John Birely. Guidice and Birely also will chair the pit manufacturing and pit certification technical advisory groups, respectively.

Los Alamos National Laboratory is operated by the University of California for the U.S. Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration.

Additional news releases related to Organization/Operations

Additional news releases from the Directors Office(DIR)