March. 1, 2000
DR. LURA J. POWELL NAMED DIRECTOR OF PACIFIC NORTHWEST NATIONAL LABORATORY

Battelle announced today the appointment of Dr. Lura J. Powell as Director of the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) in Richland, WA, effective April 1. Pacific Northwest is operated by Battelle for the U.S. Department of Energy.

Powell, 49, has previously served as Director of the Advanced Technology Program for the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in Washington, D.C. In addition, she has operated her own technology consulting business.

"Lura Powell is an excellent choice to lead this great national laboratory," said Douglas E. Olesen, Battelle president and CEO. "She has a national reputation in the management of large research and development organizations and a strong track record in advanced technology, technology investment, strategic business planning, and communications with staff, clients, Congressional leaders, and the general public."

Olesen noted that, at NIST, Dr. Powell was responsible for the selection and management of a technology investment portfolio exceeding $2 billion across the full range of technology sectors - including biotechnology, information technology, electronics, manufacturing, materials, and chemicals.

"Science and technology is the foundation of the Energy Department's work, and Dr. Powell's selection to head the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory underscores a commitment to keep our national labs at the cutting edge," said Energy Secretary Bill Richardson. "This is a forward-looking choice - one that is right in sync with the Department's efforts to provide innovative solutions to the national security, energy, and environmental challenges facing our nation.

"Equally important," Richardson added, "Dr. Powell's appointment demonstrates that we can succeed in attracting the best qualified leadership for our laboratories while also improving the representation of women and minorities in top management. I'm delighted that Battelle's broad and inclusive search for a lab director reached beyond the traditional and customary sources to recruit such a top talent."

"I'm very honored and pleased to be joining the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and Battelle," said Powell. "PNNL is an outstanding national laboratory and Battelle is a world leader in turning exciting scientific discoveries into high impact technology solutions and products."

Powell spent 28 years at NIST and was widely acclaimed for her guidance of ATP, a highly regarded program with proven results. Previous NIST assignments included Director, Biotechnology Division; Deputy Director, Center for Chemical Technology; Deputy Director, National Measurement Laboratory; and Research Chemist.

Powell received her B.S. in Chemistry and Ph.D. in Analytical Chemistry from the University of Maryland. Active in numerous science, professional, and community organizations, she has served on the boards of the American Chemical Society and on the National Institutes of Health Women's Health Initiative Advisory Committee. Powell succeeds Dr. William J. Madia, who was promoted to Corporate Executive Vice President at Battelle and will serve as Director of the Oak Ridge National Laboratory starting April 1, 2000.

Battelle focuses on technology development, laboratory management, and technology commercialization. Headquartered in Columbus, Ohio, it has over 60 locations throughout the U.S. and the world. It has operated Pacific Northwest National Laboratory for 35 years.

Pacific Northwest is one of DOE's nine multiprogram national laboratories. The lab's core mission is to deliver environmental science and technology but it also applies its capabilities to meet selected energy, health and national security missions of DOE. Pacific Northwest was created in 1965 when the government's research laboratory at DOE's Hanford Site was separated from Hanford operations. Today, about 18 percent of the lab's annual budget is Hanford related. At Hanford, the lab provides scientific expertise to help DOE restore the Columbia River corridor and transition the site's "central plateau" for long-term waste management.

The laboratory employs about 3,500 staff members and has an annual budget of approximately $550 million. In addition to its main Richland complex, Pacific Northwest operates a marine sciences laboratory in Sequim, Wash., and has offices in Portland, Ore. and Tacoma, Wash.