Kelly J. Beierschmitt

Director, Nuclear Operations

Executive Director, High Flux Isotope Reactor

Greg TurnerKelly Beierschmitt is the Director of the Nuclear Operations Directorate and the Executive Director of the High Flux Isotope Reactor for Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Kelly has over 20 years experience in nuclear R&D, production and operations management. Kelly reports to the lab director and is responsible for the management and operations of the laboratory¹s nuclear capabilities which include nine hot cell and glove box facilities dedicated to aqueous processing of heavy actinides, fuels and materials development and examination, and isotope separation. He is also responsible for the High Flux Isotope Reactor, an 85 megawatt research reactor dedicated to neutron scattering, materials irradiation and isotope production.

Kelly began his career at Pantex as a weapons engineer. He was responsible for the assembly, disassembly and testing of several of the nation¹s nuclear assemblies. While at Pantex, Kelly held several key roles that ranged from providing leadership to enhance the safeguards and security program to being responsible for all high explosives production, storage and disposal. Kelly left Pantex in 1996 as the Department Manager of the facilities startup organization where he was responsible for commissioning and early operation of the plant's new modern weapons production, testing, assembly and storage facilities.

Following a decade at Pantex, Kelly moved to the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory where he provided support to DOE's International Nuclear Safety Program's Chernobyl evaluation. He was also a principal on a task force to conduct a priority facility environmental vulnerability analysis at Brookhaven National Laboratory which included the hot cell facility, old graphite reactor and medical reactor. Kelly served in two key leadership roles while at PNNL; Director of Quality and Deputy Director of Environment Safety and Health.

Kelly joined Oak Ridge National Laboratory in January of 2000 as Director of the Environment, Safety, Health and Quality Directorate. The ESH&Q organization included five divisions: Health Services, Quality Services, Operational Safety Services, Environmental Protection and Waste Services, and Records, Training and SBMS. He was responsible for developing, operating, and continuously improving ESH&Q management systems and providing ESH&Q services that enabled mission accomplishment. He also led the enhancement and implementation of ORNL's Integrated Safety Management System. Kelly served in this role until assuming his current role in 2004.

Kelly holds a Ph.D. in Industrial Engineering (Risk, Reliability Engineering) from Texas Tech University and a B.S. in Engineering Mathematics from West Texas A&M University. He is a registered Professional Engineer and a member of the American Nuclear Society. Presently, Kelly is serving as the Chairman of the National Laboratories Improvement Council (NLIC).