Oak Ridge Today

Spotlight: Weapons lab directors visit Y-12

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Weapons Lab Directors Visit Y-12

From left above are Assembly/Disassembly Operations Manager Reed Mullins, Y-12 Site Manager Bill Tindal, LLNL Director William Goldstein, LANL Director Charles McMillan, SNL Director Paul Hommert, and NNSA Production Office Manager Steve Erhart. (Photo courtesy CNS)

 

Laboratory directors from Sandia National Laboratory, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, and Los Alamos National Laboratory recently visited the Y-12 National Security Complex in Oak Ridge.

The group toured facilities at the site, including production buildings and Y-12’s Nuclear Detection and Sensor Testing Center, a press release said.

Pictured above are employees at Y-12; lab directors from SNL, LLNL, and LANL; and the National Nuclear Security Administration Production Office.

Spotlight: ORAU’s Abelquist authors 2nd edition of ‘Decommissioning Health Physics’

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Eric Abelquist

Eric Abelquist

Revised handbook provides experienced guidance on technical issues of radiation decommissioning projects

As one of the original authors of the “Multi-Agency Radiation Survey and Site Investigation Manual (MARSSIM),” Oak Ridge Associated Universities Executive Vice President Eric Abelquist released updated information on the cleanup of radioactive sites in the second edition of a new handbook geared toward those involved in characterization or remediation efforts.

Extensively revised and updated, the second edition of “Decommissioning Health Physics: A Handbook for MARSSIM Users” covers release criteria, survey instrumentation, detection sensitivity, statistics, dose modeling, and survey procedures. The handbook is published by CRC Press, a division of the Taylor and Francis Group.

Abelquist served as a member of the multi-agency committee representing the U.S. Department of Defense, U.S. Department of Energy, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, who produced the MARSSIM to provide guidance to federal agencies, states, site owners, contractors, and other private entities on how to demonstrate that their site is in compliance with a radiation dose or risk-based regulation, otherwise known as a release criterion. [Read more…]

ORISE receives DOE Legacy of Stars safety, health award

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US DOE VPP Legacy of Stars Award

The Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education has been given a 2014 Legacy of Stars award.

This is the third consecutive time ORISE has received the prestigious designation and only one of 10 such awards granted nationwide in 2014, a press release said. ORISE first achieved this designation in 2008.

The award is presented by the U.S. Department of Energy, and it recognize outstanding safety and health performance.

ORISE is managed for DOE by Oak Ridge Associated Universities. [Read more…]

Honors: Oak Ridge company wins Telly Award for video production

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M&M Productions USA Telly Award

Mike Brown, M&M Productions USA president and CEO, left, presents the Texas Telly Award at DECA’s Chartered Association Management Conference to his clients, Sandra Hinesly, Texas DECA executive director; Erica Marshall, Texas DECA board member; and Leo Saenz, Texas DECA board member. (Submitted photo)

 

The Telly Awards has selected M&M Productions USA, a full-service event planning and production company based in Oak Ridge, as a Bronze winner in the 35th Annual Telly Awards for its production of “The Stars of Texas DECA” promotional video, a press release said.

With nearly 12,000 entries from all 50 states and numerous countries, this recognition establishes M&M Productions as an industry leader in video production, a press release said.

“The Stars of Texas DECA” video features the story of five DECA alumni who credit their success to their experience in DECA. The video motivates Texas students to participate in the organization, which prepares high school and college students for careers in marketing, finance, hospitality, and management. [Read more…]

Honors: Nurse in Family Birthing Center named ‘MMCer of the month’

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Shelia Justice

Shelia Justice

Submitted

Shelia Justice, licensed practical nurse (LPN) in the Family Birthing Center at Methodist Medical Center of Oak Ridge, has been named the “MMCer of the Month” for September.

In her duties, Justice provides care for post-partum mothers and babies as well as post-operative patients in the Family Birthing and Women’s Services Center. She is a scrub nurse for c-section deliveries and assists with other deliveries. Justice also ensures that the department is well-stocked and at the ready for patients. She has been with Methodist for a cumulative 13 years.

Justice is described by Donna Longmire, director of Surgical Services, as “an asset to Covenant Health, Methodist Medical Center, and the Family Birthing Center. [Read more…]

Y-12 employees recognized for excellence in nuclear weapons program

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NNSA Defense Programs Award of Excellence Penny Cunningham

Defense Programs 2013 Award of Excellence recipient Penny Cunningham, left, receives congratulations from Jim Haynes, CNS president and chief executive officer; Tim Driscoll, NNSA uranium program manager, and Mark Padilla, NNSA Production Office’s assistant manager for programs and projects. Thirteen teams at Y-12 received DP Awards of Excellence for 2013 at an annual ceremony held recently at the New Hope Center. (Photos courtesy CNS)

 

Thirteen teams at the Y-12 National Security Complex received Defense Programs Awards of Excellence from the National Nuclear Security Administration at an annual ceremony held recently at the New Hope Center.

A total of 209 recipients were recognized, with several participating on more than one team. In total, 235 awards were presented for significant achievements in 2013.

NNSA’s newly appointed Uranium Program Manager Tim Driscoll gave the keynote address.

“I’m here today as a patriot, a citizen, a father, a friend to some of you, and as a customer,” Driscoll said. ”These awards are a testament to the good work that goes on here every day at every level. They’re a testament to the loyalty and dedication of all those involved.”

Mark Padilla, the NNSA Production Office’s assistant manager for programs and projects, and Jim Haynes, CNS president and chief executive officer, joined Driscoll in presenting the awards. [Read more…]

Eby, school board vice chair, receives TSBA award

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Bob Eby TSBA Award

Bob Eby, vice chair of the Oak Ridge Board of Education, receives the TSBA Level IV Boardmanship Award during a recent district meeting in Newport, Tennessee. (Submitted photo)

Bob Eby, vice chair of the Oak Ridge Board of Education, was honored with a Boardmanship Award at a recent Tennessee School Boards Association meeting.

Eby received the Level IV Boardsmanship Award, which was presented by TSBA Executive Director Tammy Grissom during the Fall District meeting in Newport, Tennessee, a press release said.

To achieve the award, Bob accumulated more than 200 credits in various school board activities, including attending TSBA leadership conferences, policy workshops, summer law institutes, state and national conventions, and a TSBA “day on the Hill” in Nashville, and he met with state legislators, the release said. Eby also presented Oak Ridge school board activities at various conferences as well as to local civic groups.

The release said Eby has served as a judge for state school architectural competitions and as an evaluator of other school boards seeking to be recognized as Boards of Distinction as the Oak Ridge School Board is. Level IV also requires a self-evaluation of board activities completed by the candidate for the award.

Cadre5 wins Small Business Subcontractor of Year award

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SBA Small Business Subcontractor of the Year Award

Pictured above from left are Chris O’Neal (Cadre5), Gina Holman, Steve Hicks, Walter Perry, and Ken Lowery (Cadre5). (Submitted photo)

 

KNOXVILLE—Cadre5, a software engineering firm specializing in custom software development, was recently presented with the U.S. Small Business Administration’s 2014 Small Business Subcontractor of the Year Award for Region 4, which includes Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee. Cadre5 was nominated by Oak Ridge National Laboratory, where it has worked on more than 20 projects that met or exceeded its cost and schedule performance goals.

Tennessee District Director Walter Perry and Procurement Center Representative Gina Holman of the Area III Office of Government Contracting, on behalf of Carol Thompson, Area III director, presented Cadre5 with the award at the East Tennessee Economic Council board meeting this month.

“Cadre5 is an outstanding example of how this Tennessee small business community can meet national laboratory mission needs and those of private industry,” Thompson said. “It speaks well of their strong performance in government contracting opportunities at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, which has enabled growth in their business and creation of jobs in Tennessee.” [Read more…]

Clinton schools director honored by peers

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Vicki Violette

Vicki Violette

Information from WYSH Radio

Earlier this month, Vicki Violette, the director of the Clinton city school system, was named the 2015 Superintendent of the Year by the Tennessee Organization of School Superintendents for the Eastern District during a ceremony held in Pigeon Forge.

This is the second time that Violette has been recognized by her peers with this award, which she also won in 2012. Violette gave the credit for her honor to the hard work of the students, teachers, school board members, and central office staff as well as to the support of the entire community.

U.S. SBA honors Street Legal Industries with small business award

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Street Legal Industries Inc. has received the highest recognition by the U. S. Small Business Administration in Tennessee, a press release said. The company was proclaimed “Tennessee Historically Underutilized (HUB) Zone Small Business of the Year.”

Every year since 1963, the U.S. Small Business Administration takes the opportunity to highlight, through National Small Business Week, the impact of outstanding small businesses.

“These award winners represent the many excellent small businesses that we have in the Volunteer State,” said Walter Perry, district director of SBA’s Tennessee District Office.

The award will be presented to Street Legal Industries Inc. at 3 p.m. Thursday, September 25, at their offices at 102A Jefferson Court in Oak Ridge. The presentation will be combined with an open house. Customers and partners of the company are invited to attend. [Read more…]

Honors: DA Clark named a governor of Tennessee Bar Association

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Dave Clark

Dave Clark

District Attorney General Dave Clark has been named a governor of the Tennessee Bar Association. The 23-member board controls the activities and business of the Tennessee Bar Association in all its activities across the state.

The TBA represents more than 10,000 lawyers in Tennessee in trying to “foster legal education, maintain the honor and dignity of the profession of law, cultivate professional ethics, and promote improvements in the law and administration of justice,” a press release said.

“It is an honor to be selected to serve in a leadership role among my peers and to help continue the service of the Tennessee Bar Association,” Clark said in the release.

Clark, who represents the Seventh Judicial District (Anderson County), was elected to a second eight-year term as DA in the August 7 county election.

Honors: MMC names August employee of the month

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Gilly Lipang

Gilly Lipang

Submitted

Salvacion “Gilly” Lipang, a housekeeper in the Environmental Services Department at Methodist Medical Center of Oak Ridge, has been named the MMCer of the Month for August.

Lipang has been with Methodist since 2010. She is described by Chris Rhodes, environmental services director at Methodist Medical Center, as “one of the most upbeat, happy individuals I have had the privilege of meeting.” Rhodes said Lipang always has a smile on her face and is a very hard worker who will do any task asked of her to the best of her ability. Rhodes said he receives many compliments on her friendliness and dedication to her job.

Lipang received two nominations. One nomination noted, “Gilly exceeds all standards of care for our patients and performs excellent care at all times.” This nomination continued: “When she cleans the rooms for our patients, they shine. She doesn’t miss a spot; everything in the room is in its place and ready for us to greet the patients with comfort in knowing she has performed a job well done.” [Read more…]