Associate Director Marquez named HENAAC Luminary

Contact: James E. Rickman, jamesr@lanl.gov, (505) 665-9203 (04-092)

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LOS ALAMOS, N.M., Nov. 17, 2004 -- Richard Marquez, Los Alamos National Laboratory's associate director for administration, was named a 2004 Luminary by HENAAC, a non-profit corporation dedicated to promoting careers for Hispanics in engineering, science, technology and mathematics.

HENAAC Luminaries are recognized as being in the forefront of Hispanic engineering and science professionals and as individuals who are leading, collaborating and initiating key programs and research within their respective organizations. HENAAC Luminaries share three traits: They are highly respected by their peers and management; they are valuable authorities in their fields; and they are blazing the trail for future engineers and scientists.

Marquez has served as associate Laboratory director at Los Alamos since February 2002 and has been instrumental in greatly improving the Laboratory's business operations.

"(Marquez) has brought the Laboratory's business practices into the 21st century, correcting problems that had gone unchecked for decades," wrote Laboratory Director G. Peter Nanos in the letter of nomination submitted to HENAAC.

Under Marquez, the Laboratory completed a wall-to-wall inventory comprising more than $1 billion worth of Laboratory property, in which 99.6 percent of all Laboratory equipment was located and catalogued-exceeding industry standards for inventories of this type. Moreover, under Marquez's leadership, the Laboratory has enhanced and strengthened purchasing controls and accountability, reduced the cost of doing business, improved outreach and credibility within the regional business community and implemented the first phase of the Enterprise Project, which will track, streamline and integrate all of the Laboratory's key business functions.

The Administration Directorate under Marquez includes a dozen divisions and offices, ranging from Human Resources to Information Management, and employs about 1,550 people.

Before joining Los Alamos, Marquez spent 18 years with the U.S. Department of Energy's Albuquerque Operations Office and four years with Burns and Roe Enterprises Inc., managing the Accelerator Production of Tritium Project. Marquez received a bachelor's degree from Colorado State University in 1974 and his law degree from the University of New Mexico in 1977.

The Purpose of HENAAC is to carry out its mission by bringing together the Hispanic community, academia, corporations, all levels of government, K-12 students, college students, parents, as well as professional associations, to create a positive change in the Hispanic community by increasing its active participation in our country's technological future.

Los Alamos National Laboratory is operated by the University of California for the National Nuclear Security Administration of the Department of Energy and works in partnership with NNSA's Sandia and Lawrence Livermore national laboratories to support NNSA in its mission.

Los Alamos enhances global security by ensuring the safety and reliability of the U.S. nuclear weapons stockpile, developing technical solutions to reduce the threat of weapons of mass destruction and solving problems related to energy, environment, infrastructure, health and national security concerns.

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