March 17, 2014

ADMINISTRATION READYING NOMINATIONS FOR TWO KEY DOE POSTS

By ExchangeMonitor

The Obama Administration is set to begin filling in the coming weeks several high level vacancies in the Department of Energy with the nomination of two key posts: the new Under Secretary for Management and Performance and the Administrator of the National Nuclear Security Administration. The Administration is believed to be set to pick retired Air Force Gen. Frank Klotz as the next NNSA administrator, Weapons Complex Morning Briefing has learned. The exact timeline for Klotz’s nomination remains unclear, but officials with knowledge of the search said the former Global Strike Command chief was picked over former Los Alamos and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Director Mike Anastasio, Assistant Secretary of Defense for Global Strategic Affairs Madelyn Creedon, and former Naval Reactors chief Kirkland Donald. Klotz will replace Tom D’Agostino, who retired in December, as well as a pair of acting administrators: Neile Miller and Bruce Held.

NASA Chief Financial Officer Elizabeth Robinson is expected to be nominated to fill the new position of Under Secretary of Energy for Management and Performance DOE intends to create, Weapons Complex Morning Briefing has learned. Robinson has served as NASA’s CFO since late 2009 and previously served as Assistant Director for Budget in the White House Office of Management and Budget. She has also served as Deputy Director for the Congressional Budget Office; OMB’s Deputy Assistant Director for Budget Review and Concepts and as the OMB program examiner for energy issues, among other positions. DOE did not respond to requests for comment yesterday.

Klotz retired from the Air Force in 2011 after standing up Global Strike Command, and has worked since then as a fellow with the Council on Foreign Relations. During his Air Force career, he commanded a strategic missile squadron and operations group at Grand Forks Air Force Base and a missile wing at Minot Air Force Base. He also headed up Air Force Space Command’s 20th Air Force and Strategic Command’s Task Force 214, and worked as Director for Nuclear Policy and Arms Control with the National Security Council at the White House and as a defense attaché at the American embassy in Moscow. The NNSA declined to comment yesterday.

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