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Thursday, January 6, 2011

Anastasio leaving LANL in June

Anonymously contributed:


http://www.lanl.gov/news/releases/anastasio_to_retire_in_june.html

39 comments:

Anonymous said...

Since June of 2011 represents the 5th year anniversary of his taking helm of LANL, the skeptic in me wonders if there was a clause in his contract which had an incentive to hang in there for 5 years, and would such a clause be there for Miller?

Maybe Anastasio has political aspirations and can make a run for governor of New Mexico. That would surely raise the ire of the Anastasio detractors.

Anonymous said...

Anastasio run for NM Governor?? He is a complete unknown in 90% of NM. He is a total yawn as a public speaker, and is famously averse to any kind of personal public interaction. He a is a east/west coaster (education at SUNY Stony Brook and work at LLNL), totally unaware of any NM political issues. I saw his shopping cart at Smiths filled with wine. That's where he is going.

Anonymous said...

Seems like Anastasio was never there in the first place.

Anonymous said...

From the look of his performance at his All-Hands meetings over the last few years, Mike appeared to have mentally left Los Alamos several years ago. His physical leaving in June only completes the separation process.

Anybody wanna guess who will now get the Director's "zoom zoom" sports car and his primo parking space in front of Otowi? My guess would be McMillan, who is yet another Livermore transplant at LANL. Or perhaps we will be graced with the selection of Bret Knapp as our next LANL Director, God forbid!

Anonymous said...

My only hope is that with the departure of Anastasio we will see some positive change in the treatment of workers. I could never tell if Anastasio condoned Brett Knapp's hateful behavior, choose to ignore it, or was just totally oblivious. Either way, Anastasio should be aware that his legacy will go down with the actions of Brett Knapp to destroy many people and careers at LANL. If you don't believe me, walk down to S-Site where it now looks like a ghost town from an old wild west movie.

Anonymous said...

I was wondering if the Captain jump ship does it mean we are sinking?

Anonymous said...

Well I only wish I were the one retiring at $1.2M a year for life. You could color me gone too and I'd never look back. Life would be all good and I wouldn't give a thought to anyone at either lab.

Anonymous said...

Come on Jan. 6, the arithmetic is so easy:

5 years = vested !

Anonymous said...

It sure would be nice for Los Alamos to take back our Lab that Livermore (Anastasio, MacMillan, Knapp) has thrashed. I like Steve Younger! Hey Knapp, there's gonna be a new sheriff in town, better start packing your Cayenne, better yet, leave it.

Anonymous said...

It sure would be nice for Los Alamos to take back our Lab that Livermore has thrashed.

It sure would (have) been nice if LANL had had a credible home team to propose at contract transition. Look in the mirror, not at Livermore, for why that was the case.

Anonymous said...

January 8, 2011 10:13 AM:

Ambassador Robinson's World-class team was head and shoulders above Anastasio's, but the UC-Bechtel fix was in.

Anonymous said...

"I like Steve Younger! "

Why?

Anonymous said...

Let's face it, the Bechtel/LLNL team (e.g. Anastasio, MacMillan, Knapp) was an oversold product that was/is an abysmal failure. The Bechtel/LLNL product was oversold in the same manner that the Magnetic Test Fusion Facility (MFTF), X-ray Laser, "Brilliant" Pebbles, and the National Ignition Faclity (NIF) were oversold. All failures.

Anonymous said...

It sure would (have) been nice if LANL had had a credible home team to propose at contract transition.

January 8, 2011 10:13 AM

John Browne was blown away by UC for no good reasons, except to bring in the admiral, Nanos, who single-handedly destroyed all morale at LANL. The LANS proposal included so many LLNL members to convince NNSA that LANS was serious about fixing the LANL "problems" which in fact did not really exist. So much taxpayer money spent for so little result.

LANL's "Team" consisted of people who were loyal to LANL but not to Sandia. LLNL won, LANL lost, and Sandia got to sit the whole thing out, to their advantage.

Anonymous said...

LLNL lost when the decision was made by Domenici that if LANL was to be punished for its perceived sins, LLNL would have no advantage, so too it would be punished for perceived LANL sins as well.

another example of Domenici's admitted dementia-fueled hubris, (take down the complex to protect my pride).

Too bad he wasn't attending the Tuscon event yesterday.

Anonymous said...

To: January 9, 2011 2:17 PM

I am not a fan of Domenici but your comment about Tucson is disgraceful. He was not an enemy of the state and certainly no one who was a victim in Tucson deserving of the violence they received.

We will probably get knee jerk reactions from Congress much in the same vein as the knee jerk reactions that caused the Lab bidding process. Domenici was caught in those types of reactionary time and we got NNSA out of his semi-protection of DOE.

See if a wave of gun control legislation is proposed and then see what politicians have the ability to withstand the wave of reactionary politics that result from this tragedy. By the way, the last time I looked Domenici was not representing California's interest. He did more for LLNL than Boxer, Feinstein and Pelosi combined.

Anonymous said...

Come on, people. The "fix is in" and everyone knows it.

Soon enough, the LANS Board will release another one of those famous boiler-plate memo stating those familiar words: "After a wide ranging search for a new lab Director, we discovered the best candidate was right here at Los Alamos... Charlie MacMillian!".

Yeah, the "fix is in". You can go ahead and change your lab org charts now to pencil in his name at the "Director" box. There will be no big surprises when the lucrative Director's position is announced in a few more months. Expect little to change and for morale to continue sinking lower.

Anonymous said...

Used to be, in the halcyon days before for-profit government-funded nuclear weapon research, that the powers that be would realize that institutions of such renown required directors of equal renown. This imperative produced Nobel-quality Directors, with world-wide reputations and impeccable credentials as scientists. Not anymore. We are now led by profiteering hacks with no significant scientific achievements and no stature to carry the tremendous burden and responsibility that Directorship of a National Nuclear Weapons Laboratory used to convey. These recent guys are trivial juveniles in comparison to their predecessors. So I expect the next "leader" to be. I am now, since Nanos, ashamed of my past association with LANL, for thirty years of service to my country.

Anonymous said...

Bets for the next LANL Director:

Seestrom 30%
Wallace 10%
Knap 10%
Bechtal MBA 39%
Richardson 5%
Random person off street 5%
Non Random person off steet 1%

Anonymous said...

Hmm. Would D’Agostino be throwing his hat into the ring on this one? Or is he waiting for Bechtel to offer him a job with absolutely no responsibility but with big bucks?

Another interesting point would be if they hired someone from outside of LANL, what would the pay be? Miller got a lot less for running LLNL that Anastasio got for LANL. If they promoted from within LANL one would think they would not take a pay cut. If they brought someone in from outside could they pay him/her less that what some are making at LANL (but more than at LLNL).

Hard decisions to be made by LANS. And since it's a private corporation, we may never find out what the replacement's salary will be.

Anonymous said...

Nobody from within LANS has the stature to be Director of LANL. But LANS doesn't care about the stature of their Director. So, LANL will get yet another light-weight corporate hack who couldn't fight his way out of a wet anti-nuclear congressional bag. Even if DOE/NNSA were helping, which they won't. I absolutely hate what has been done to LANL by NNSA and LANS. The sad truth is that the country doesn't care what has been done to their only source of deterrent to a nuclear war.

Anonymous said...

Interesting point from the Nuclear Weapons & Materials Monitor - Jan 10, 2011 article on LANL Director Michael Anastasio to Leave Laboratory in June.

-----
“In a Jan. 5 message to lab employees lauding Anastasio for his tenure at the lab, LANS Board of Governors chairman Norman Pattiz said a search for Anastasio’s successor will begin immediately, and weapons complex observers expect the selection of the lab’s next director to fuel debate over the laboratory’s future. The lab has a long history of picking its leaders from a pool of former weapons physicists, like Anastasio, but the evolving role of the lab could dictate otherwise. “The key question is how much of a ‘weaponeer’ do you need?” one industry observer told NW&M Monitor. “It really reflects where Los Alamos is going as a laboratory. Is it the quintessential weapons lab, or is it a much broader imprint, and do you want a weaponeer in charge, or somebody else that appreciates the weapons program but could also expand the lab’s portfolio?” Industry experts expect current Los Alamos weapons program head Charles McMillan, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory weapons chief Bruce Goodwin and Nevada National Security Site President Steve Younger, a Los Alamos alum, to earn consideration for the post, especially if officials look toward the weapons program for Anastasio’s successor.”

Anonymous said...

During his tenure at LANL, Younger rubbed lots of people the wrong way. He effortlessly came across as arrogant and dismissive of opinions other than his own. But I worked directly with him occasionally, and I have to say that his intelligence and knowledge were somewhat intimidating, but on a level of personal interaction, if he sensed that you were genuine and not trying to be something you weren't, he was warm, pleasant, and even funny to be around. All together, of all the potential next LANL Directors, Younger has the gravitas, the experience, the knowledge, and the ability to generate intense personal loyalty, that no other candidate has, in my opinion.

Anonymous said...

Unfortunately, Steve is far too much of a class act to be considered. Remember that he convinced his NSTec board of directors to give up a percentage of their fee to be distributed as a bonus to the NSTec employees! That sort of noblesse oblige will never be acceptable to the money grubbing LANS,LLC board of governors.

Anonymous said...

If NSTec had won with their bid for the LLNL contract, he would have been the new LLNL Director back in 2007. So he definitely wants to be in charge of an NNSA lab.

Anonymous said...

Unfortunately, Steve is far too much of a class act to be considered...

January 13, 2011 7:47 PM

You may be correct, but I hope not. If LANS passes up this opportunity to establish a truly top-drawer Director for LANL, in preference to a hack like Mcmillan, the stench will be unmistakable , even to some (a few) good folks left in NNSA. Younger, however, is probably too aware of the many downsides to his own career to even consider this position. Consider the resume entry of Director, Los Alamos National Laboratory, followed by the affiliation of "LANS LLC." Not a pretty picture for someone for whom that would be a major reduction in stature. Too bad for LANL employees.

Anonymous said...

Dr. Steven M. Younger writes in "Subject: NF-09-0066: Message from President Stephen M. Younger," 15 Dec 2008, at http://lanl-the-rest-of-the-story.blogspot.com/2008/12/nstec-shares-fy08-award-fee-with.html, Dec 16, 2008, first paragraph:

"I am very happy to report that National Security Technologies LLC has been awarded an OUTSTANDING rating by the Department of Energy for exemplary work during fiscal year 2008. Last week we were informed that we had achieved a score of 95% - one of the highest in the DOE complex. This recognition of superior performance is the result of a year-long commitment to excellence by the entire organization. As part of this recognition, the period of performance on our contract was extended through September 2012, by exercising our first award term year."

I believe Dr. Steven M. Younger would be the best choice for the next director of LANL, and remember, he´s Director FIRST of LANL, and President of LANS, LLC, SECOND.

Anonymous said...

One of the reason I like Younger is that he will quickly assess the Knapp/MacMillian duo to be self-interested money grubbers. I would love to be in the meeting when Younger tells them "leave the Los Alamos weapons program"; the same way they told me to leave. It was all a matter of time. These two spoiled brats need to be tossed and Younger has the "cohonas" to do it.

Anonymous said...

These two spoiled brats need to be tossed and Younger has the "cohonas" to do it.

January 14, 2011 3:26 AM

Except for your misspelling of "cojones" you are correct. The very best reason to choose Younger as LANL Director is that he can and will rid the place of the Mcmillan/Knapp reign of terror. If the LANS Board of Directors has any "cojones" of their own, they will choose him and then stand back while LANL regains its greatness, post-Anastasio.

Anonymous said...

"If LANS passes up this opportunity to establish a truly top-drawer Director for LANL [Younger], in preference to a hack like Mcmillan, the stench will be unmistakable" - 9:40 pm


Get ready to breath in a most powerful, rotten stench, 9:40pm.

a) NNSA wants a Director they can count on to finally shut-down the LANS pension and kill the retirement medical benefit and employee severance.

b) LANS wants a Director who comes from California with the solid credentials of the Livermore "mafia".


It will be MacMillian. End of story. Now, get back to work and always remember... "PBIs Baby!".

Anonymous said...

If you want to consolidate the weapons program to one lab, Goodwin would be the best choice. He could bring all the LLNL stuff across.

Anonymous said...

If you want to consolidate the weapons program to one lab, Goodwin would be the best choice. He could bring all the LLNL stuff across.

January 15, 2011 6:14 AM

Would someone please convince Dr. Younger to come and save us from the wrath of "Livermore"? I'm tired of Knapp saying "at Livermore, at Livermore, at Livermore, at Livermore...". Help!!!

Anonymous said...

LANS wants a Director who comes from California with the solid credentials of the Livermore "mafia".


It will be MacMillian. End of story. Now, get back to work and always remember... "PBIs Baby!".

January 15, 2011 12:06 AM

Nice try, but your argument is a little weak. Apparently you don't know that Younger was a Livermore weapon designer from 1982 - 89. If that makes NNSA happy, I'd certainly forgive Younger and welcome him.

Anonymous said...

"....I am very happy to report that National Security Technologies LLC has been awarded an OUTSTANDING rating by the Department of Energy for exemplary work during fiscal year 2008. Last week we were informed that we had achieved a score of 95% - one of the highest in the DOE complex..."

So the worthless LLC gets $75M and the workers who accomplished the work get....a salary freeze....

Nice.

Anonymous said...

remind me again why i still work here?

Anonymous said...

remind me again why i still work here?

January 15, 2011 8:24 PM

You are pathetic. You either want to work at the labs or you don't. Keep up with the news and decide. No one is going to "remind" you. Get out if you need to. Don't if you can stand being in. Either way. it is your choice and no one can make it for you. Jeez, take responsibility for your own life!

Anonymous said...

so, remind me again why I work here?

Anonymous said...

"so, remind me again why I work here?" - 12:06 PM

Because of the nice TCP1 pension and the retirement medical benefits.

But don't worry, neither of these benefits will last much longer if DOE/NNSA and the "for profit" LLCs have their way. They are just itching to destroy benefits and the lab pensions, much like they recently did to the employee pension out at Sandia.

Anonymous said...

For the LANL crowd, in his quarterly update to the lab he mentioned that the rumor he would be taking over LANL when Anastasio leaves is not true. He stated that if he did go, he'd probably be assassinated. It would seem that George has a finger on the pulse of LANL employees.

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