The UC Board of Regents accepted President Robert C. Dynes’ recommendation for the vice president for laboratory management, appointing Ret. Admiral S. Robert Foley on Oct. 20. As vice president for laboratory management, Foley will assume responsibility for Los Alamos, Lawrence Livermore and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratories, which the University of California administers on behalf of the Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration.
“”We are honored that Admiral Foley is taking on this leadership position,”” Dynes stated on Oct. 20. “”Bob is a well-respected, serious manager with deep expertise that will be extremely beneficial as we move toward a decision regarding competition in the laboratory management environment. The work of the national laboratories is critical to our nation’s security, and Bob has the experience, the drive and the leadership abilities to ensure that scientific and technological breakthroughs continue.””
Foley brings over a half-century of experience in defense and energy to the position. A graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, Foley served as both commander of the U.S. 7th Fleet and the commander-in-chief of the U.S. Pacific Fleet, both of which included nuclear forces, during his 35-year military career. After leaving the military, Foley also served as assistant secretary of defense for defense programs and assistant secretary of energy during the Reagan administration. He also has extensive experience in industry, having served as a consultant for ICF Kaiser Engineering and defense contractor Raytheon Corporation.
Foley’s appointment comes during a time of change for the national laboratories. In January 2003, then-Vice President for Laboratory Management John P. McTague and then-Los Alamos director John. C. Brown resigned after a presidential probe found cases of loss or theft of government property and other business-practice issues at Los Alamos. In response to the probe, the Department of Energy announced in April that it would place the contract to run Los Alamos National Laboratory up for bidding for the first time in its 60-year history under the University of California.
“”Although [the university] hasn’t made a decision yet, we are preparing to compete,”” said UC Senior Vice President for University Affairs Bruce B. Darling. Darling is currently serving as the interim vice president of laboratory management.
“”The big issue is going to be how the Department of Energy weighs the importance of science in these labs,”” Darling said. “”If the Department of Energy constructs the competition in a way that weighs heavily the attributes the University of California brings to the labs, then I think that will affect the way the regents go forward.””
Combined, the three laboratories have an operating budget of over $7.5 billion and employ over 20,000 UC staff members. Despite the recent controversy surrounding the university’s administration of the laboratories, Foley expressed confidence in his ability to overcome the laboratories’ problems.
“”We will look at what will be the best way to improve the [business] practices, to upgrade the caliber of the sciences, and to look at successful business models,”” Foley said. “”We will look at everything across the board.
“”I’ve got a lot of experience running big operations ‹ fleets, battle groups ‹ which involve a lot of people under conditions of stress,”” Foley said. “”I’ve got a lot of experience over the years in the Navy and also in my couple years as assistant secretary of defense programs. The last couple years [while chairing an advisory committee] at Los Alamos, there have been hiccups.””
Foley will begin his work as vice president of laboratory management on Nov. 1 and will earn an annual salary of $350,900.
