Mike Nartker
WC Monitor
6/13/2014
John Woolery has been named the new President and General Manager of B&W Conversion Services, LLC, the contractor responsible for the Department of Energy’s two depleted uranium hexafluoride conversion plants, effective July 1. That’s the same day that B&W Pantex, which Woolery currently heads, is set to be replaced by Bechtel-led Consolidated Nuclear Security, LLC, as the managing contractor for the Pantex Plant. At BWCS, Woolery will replace Jeff Stevens, who has served as acting president since George Dials left B&W this spring. “John brings multiple levels of experience in the management of federal nuclear facilities to this new position, with a resumé that demonstrates positions of increasing responsibility throughout his career,” B&W Technical Services Group Chief Operating Officer Chuck Spencer said in a release issued late this week.
BWCS also announced late this week that Brenda Mills has been named the new director of environment, safety and health, beginning in mid-June. Mills retired at the end of last month from her position as the director of the Office of Safety & Quality Assurance at the DOE Savannah River Operations Office. She replaces Mark Mattheis, who has served as acting ES&H director. “Brenda’s record as the DOE’s senior safety officer at Savannah River covers global responsibility for all aspects of safety,” Spencer said in the release. “She has led and directed nuclear safety, radiation protection, integrated safety management, industrial safety, industrial hygiene, construction safety engineering contractor training, quality assurance, fire protection and site performance assurance. We welcome her to the DOE contractor world.”
Plants Reach New Production Milestone
BWCS, which is made up of B&W and URS, manages the two DUF6 conversion plants located at DOE’s Paducah and Portsmouth sites. The plants are intended to help disposition more than 700,000 metric tons of material stored in thousands of cylinders at the two sites. As of May 26, the plans have reached a new production milestone by processing more material so far this fiscal year than they did in all of Fiscal Year 2013. “This is a terrific achievement by our two plants,” Stevens said in a release posted on BWCS’ web site. “It’s especially gratifying since it occurred over the holiday weekend, which is typically a slower time. Our teams at both plants are to be congratulated.”
