Remember her statement?

We did it. Today is the first day of our new contract under the management of Lawrence Livermore National Security, LLC.

When we stood up the transition team in May 2006, my team agreed on three important measures of success:

We would transition people, programs and processes without adverse effect on safety, security or programmatic deliverables.

We would lead our colleagues through the transition and engage the workforce in embracing our collective future.

We would establish disciplined and responsive communications with the workforce, the Laboratory Site Office. and the incoming M&Ocontractor. I am very proud to say that we measured up.

There are so many people who ensured the transition went as smoothly as possible in a period of unprecedented change for our Laboratory. Thanks go not only to my team and the many employees who supported them, but also to the team at the University of California Office of the President who worked closely with us throughout the transition to sort through benefits, contracts, communications and legal issues and to the Laboratory Site Office who helped identify and resolve issues dealing with changing from a public to a private entity. And of course I am forever grateful to have had the pleasure of working with Tom Gioconda and his LLNS transition team, which led us to the finish line.

Transitioning a contract that has been in place for 55 years is a very challenging task at best and I can't imagine what it would have been like without Tom at the helm.My deepest appreciation goes to my team, which worked many, many long, hard hours for 18 months identifying, debating and resolving every detail needed to ensure a smooth transition. I'm proud to have worked with the Laboratory's communication team who created multiple communication venues and documented, recorded and shared our progress with the workforce, providing factual information as quickly as it became available.

And on a very personal note, I want to give a very special thank you to Kathy Cruz-Glasgow, my deputy, and Sharon Bertram, myadministrator, who stood by me through it all, keeping me sane and on track, allowing me the space to express my own issues and concerns and encouraging me forward. They also took on an enormous workload working the logistics for the LLNS team, supporting the frequently asked questions efforts, and maintaining transition records.

It's with an odd sadness I say goodbye to you as transition manager. This assignment has been challenging, frustrating and stressful, butmost importantly rewarding. I'm honored that Director George Miller asked me to take on this task, and I take personal pride in knowing I contributed to helping us all through this part of the formal transition. And now the real transition begins.

I ask you to join me in moving forward as we adjust to the change together and prepare for the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead. I do believe asGeorge so often tells us, we have a bright future our outstanding workforce ensures us of that.