Hoag named deputy manager of NNSA Production Office

Federal officials have selected a deputy manager for a new federal office set up to oversee nuclear production missions in Oak Ridge and Amarillo, Texas.

Daniel Hoag has been named deputy manager of the National Nuclear Security Administration’s Production Office, or NPO.

Established in June, that office provides federal oversight of nuclear production missions at the Y-12 National Security Complex in Oak Ridge and Pantex Plant in Amarillo.

In his new job, Hoag will serve as the chief operating officer for Pantex and Y-12, a press release said. He will report to NPO Manager Steven Erhart in Oak Ridge.

“Dan is a highly respected and proven leader who has a wealth of experience in the oversight of nuclear production operations and major construction projects,” Erhart said. “He will play a key role in the day-to-day management of operations at both Pantex and Y-12.”

Hoag previously served as acting manager and deputy manager of the NNSA’s Y-12 Site Office in Oak Ridge, the press release said. He has more than 31 years of experience as a safety professional, program manager, operations manager, and a project professional.

He has also served as YSO senior project director, responsible for the oversight of about $4 billion of construction and modernization projects at Y-12. He has also held other key management positions at YSO, serving as the assistant manager for operations, assistant manager for programs, and as chief of the environment, safety, and health branch.

A native of St. Louis, Mo., Hoag received a bachelor’s degree in industrial safety from the University of Central Missouri in 1980 and a master’s degree in safety from the University of Tennessee. He and his wife Becky have three children and live in Farragut.

The mission of the NPO is to execute contract management and oversight to safely and securely maintain the nuclear weapons stockpile for the nuclear security enterprise; provide enriched uranium for naval, research and isotope production reactors; and support nonproliferation activities to reduce the global nuclear threat.

Pantex is responsible for nuclear weapons life extension programs; nuclear weapons dismantlement; the development, testing and fabrication of high explosive components; and the interim storage and surveillance of plutonium pits, the press release said. Y-12 supports the nuclear security enterprise through uranium storage, processing and manufacturing operations.