"It was with deep disappointment and regret that I received Tom's announcement that he had decided to leave the Lab," said Los Alamos Director John Browne. "I tried to convince him to stay because he was my choice to be Deputy Director for Business Administration and Outreach. I had offered him the job and the University of California Board of Regents was slated to approve the salary Nov. 20.
"A person of Tom's caliber and impressive record of success attracts significant interest from the private sector, unfortunately for us. The good news for the Laboratory is that he accomplished so many positive results and initiated a great number of innovative programs in his short time with the Lab. He leaves us with a firm foundation for strengthened relations with our many neighbors in the region," Browne said.
"This was a difficult decision for me to make because of my commitment to improving the Lab's relationships with neighboring communities and increasing the Lab's regional economic impact," Garcia said. "But I feel comfortable that we've set the Lab on a good path toward success in these areas and there are already significant achievements that we can point to. I will enjoy watching as these efforts continue to progress even if I am no longer directly a part of them."
Garcia is joining L&M Technologies Inc. as President and Chief Executive Officer. He starts with L&M in January.
"L&M Technologies is delighted to have an individual of Mr. Garcia's caliber assume the lead management position in our corporation," said Antonio Montoya, Chairman of L&M. "Tom brings significant business knowledge and expertise, which will dramatically enhance our competitiveness as a corporation. We are very fortunate to have attracted one of the country's top technology-based business talents, with a demonstrated record of success and with a native son's commitment to our state."
L&M Technologies, based in Albuquerque, provides a wide range of engineering, technical and administrative resources to a variety of government and private sector entities. L&M received the Zia Award from Quality New Mexico in 1997.
Garcia joined Los Alamos in March 1996 as director for institutional development. He came to the Laboratory from US West Communications, where he was State Vice President and Chief Executive Officer for New Mexico.
His initial responsibilities were to improve business practices and reduce costs at the Laboratory; develop an overall business strategy that more effectively involved the private sector in the Laboratory's efforts; and advance the Laboratory as a good corporate citizen in Northern New Mexico.
Under Garcia's leadership, Los Alamos
- Made a significant increase in regional procurement activity. Los Alamos exceeded its Fiscal Year 1998 goal for the amount of goods and services purchased from businesses in northern New Mexico. The Laboratory purchased just under $316 million in goods and services -- or about 42 percent of total Laboratory purchases -- from businesses in Los Alamos, Rio Arriba, Santa Fe, Taos, San Miguel, Sandoval and Mora counties and Indian pueblos in those counties. This was about $71 million over the FY 98 goal.-
- Incorporated new provisions in major subcontracts, requiring bidders to demonstrate how they will create new jobs and promote corporate investment in Northern New Mexico and how they will promote corporate citizenship and employee involvement in the region. As part of these efforts, Day and Zimmermann Inc., the parent corporation of Protection Technology Los Alamos, recently opened a new 7,000-square-foot facility in Española that will house PTLA's economic development division, a records retention center and a disbursements facility. Johnson Controls Northern New Mexico has also broken ground for a new small business development center and commercial food kitchen that will be built by on the campus of Northern New Mexico Community College.
- Established the Los Alamos National Laboratory Foundation, a philanthropic, not-for-profit foundation that the Department of Energy and University of California have committed to endow with $40 million over the next five years. The LANL Foundation earlier this year awarded $1.7 million in community and educational outreach grants and is in the next cycle of soliciting and considering grant proposals.
"It's impressive to look at the many significant accomplishments Tom has achieved in his brief time with the Lab. Although it will be a challenge for us to sustain this level of achievement, I am fully committed to continued progress in these areas," Browne said.
Browne has named W.F. "Pete" Miller as acting deputy director for business administration and outreach when Garcia leaves. Browne said that he will aggressively renew his efforts to fill the business administration and outreach responsibilities.
Los Alamos National Laboratory, a multidisciplinary research institution engaged in strategic science on behalf of national security, is operated by Los Alamos National Security, LLC, a team composed of Bechtel National, the University of California, The Babcock & Wilcox Company, and the Washington Division of URS for the Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration.
Los Alamos enhances national security by ensuring the safety and reliability of the U.S. nuclear stockpile, developing technologies to reduce threats from weapons of mass destruction, and solving problems related to energy, environment, infrastructure, health, and global security concerns.