Former nuclear safety chief back at Y-12 as temporary COO

Joe Henry

Joe Henry, the former chief of nuclear safety operations at the Y-12 National Security Complex, is returning to temporarily serve as chief operating officer.

B&W Y-12 announced the appointment today.

The new position has been created to aid the plant’s president and general manager in overall site management, focusing in particular on operations, a press release said.

Henry is now president of Nuclear Fuel Services Inc. in Erwin, Tenn., and he is expected to temporarily serve in the COO position at B&W Y-12 for the next several months.

“Joe’s expertise and working knowledge of Y-12 is an asset to us, and we are fortunate to have him assisting us at this time,” said Charles “Chuck” G. Spencer, B&W Y-12 president and general manager. “Ensuring safe, secure operations at Y-12 is imperative, and Joe brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to bear on our mission.”

When he was chief of nuclear safety operations at Y-12, Henry oversaw the site’s nuclear safety program and conduct of operations, the press release said. He also was Y-12′s chief interface with the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board.

Henry is a retired U.S. Navy rear admiral. He served as commanding officer for two nuclear submarines—USS Kentucky and USS Key West—and as commander of Submarine Group Ten in Kings Bay, Ga.

Join the club!

Do you love what we're doing on Oak Ridge Today? Do you appreciate our quick, comprehensive coverage? Our efforts to keep the community informed and encourage civil discussion of important issues?

Then, consider becoming a voluntary subscriber to Oak Ridge Today. You don't have to subscribe to read our stories, but your contribution will help us grow and offer you even more information.

We currently offer three subscription levels: $5, $10, or $25 per month. We accept payments through PayPal. You may also visit our subscription page for information on other options.

Thank you for helping us grow so quickly and becoming a "must read" website for many local residents.

Comment Policy

We welcome comments, but we ask you to follow a few guidelines:
1) Use your real name.
2) Be civil.
3) Stick to the issues and don't get personal.
4) Don't insult others or attack their character.
5) Profanity is not allowed.
6) Keep your comments to a reasonable length and to a reasonable number per article.

We reserve the right to delete, without warning, any comments that violate these guidelines.

More information is available in the announcement of our commenting guidelines.