A message from LLNL Director Bill Goldstein

A message from LLNL Director Bill Goldstein
11/19/2014

It is with great sadness that I announce the loss of our friend and colleague, Bret Knapp. Bret was an inspiration to many of us and his contributions were extraordinary. He made a significant impact during his short tenure as the acting LLNL director and LLNS president and during his earlier 26-year LLNL career. During his treatment for cancer, he remained optimistic about the future and continued working for the benefit of both LLNL and LANL. Bret was deeply committed to the national security of the nation and is admired by all who knew him. He will be sorely missed. Please keep his family in your thoughts.

Los Alamos Director Charles McMillan sent the following message to LANL employees this morning:

It is with deep grief that I inform the Laboratory family of the passing of Bret Knapp. Bret was a leader in national nuclear security and his unparalleled expertise in the weapons program was invaluable in shaping the contributions of both Los Alamos and Livermore to this critical mission.

Bret served in a series of weapons engineering roles at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory for 26 years before joining Los Alamos National Laboratory in 2006 as associate director for Weapons Engineering. He had a far reaching impact not only in the stockpile stewardship program, but in cost efficiencies, programmatic excellence, selection of leaders and open and honest communication that fostered collaboration across the laboratories. His leadership was recognized as he earned progressively more challenging roles in the weapons complex, first as the principal associate director of Weapons Programs at Los Alamos, then as the acting director at Livermore in 2013. Shortly thereafter in the Spring of 2014, he announced the illness to which he succumbed this week.

Bret was my close colleague and friend for more than 30 years and leaves an honored legacy of service to the nation. His loss is overwhelming. We will miss him. As our Laboratory family grieves, our thoughts are also with his family.