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​B&W Pantex is celebrating a significant safety milestone this month, surpassing five million man hours worked without a lost time injury. Pantex leadership will be holding a plant-wide barbecue lunch Tuesday to celebrate the achievement.

“Safety is integrated into every action we take at Pantex,” said B&W Pantex General Manager John Woolery. “This achievement validates what we know about Pantexans – that they are dedicated to performing their duties in a safe, secure and high-quality environment.”

The safety culture that has been developed at Pantex starts at the worker level, where every employee is empowered to stop work immediately if they spot a safety issue. Safety considerations are integrated into all procedures and are propagated throughout the plant through a variety of employee-driven safety committees and organizations on which Pantexans volunteer to serve.

Over 100 members of the safety committees have volunteered to serve lunch to all employees on the plant site Tuesday at multiple locations. Additional meals will be delivered to other shifts in the following days to ensure that every Pantexan has an opportunity to eat a hot meal in recognition of their dedication to working safely.

The Pantex safety program has been recognized with numerous awards, most notably Superior Star Status in the Department of Energy Voluntary Protection Program.

“The awards and milestones are significant, but the real reward for our safety effort comes when our employees go home every day just as healthy as they were when they arrived,” said Bill Mairson, manager of the Environment, Safety and Health Division.

B&W Pantex manages and operates the Pantex Plant near Amarillo, Texas, for the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration. B&W Pantex is also the proud recipient of the DOE’s Voluntary Protection Program STAR status for safety excellence. The company was also named one of America’s safest companies by Occupational Hazards magazine and has received numerous awards from the National Safety Council.

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Greg Cunningham
Public Affairs
Office (806) 477-5140
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Pantex honored by VFW for hiring vets

B&W Pantex has been named the 2012 Employer of the Year by the Texas Veterans of Foreign Wars for its exemplary efforts to hire and support veterans. Pantex representatives were presented the award Thursday at the VFW state convention in Addison.

“B&W Pantex is strongly committed to supporting the brave men and women who have fought to protect our freedom,” said B&W Pantex General Manager John Woolery. “Because of the work we do to help secure America, Pantexans have always felt a connection those who have served in our military.”

Marshall Green, a Texas Veterans Commission representative who nominated the company for the award in the large business category, said B&W Pantex not only hires large numbers of vets, but is actively involved in programs that help and honor those who have served. Programs include sponsorship of veteran job fairs, Armed Forces and Veterans Day celebrations and establishing internal programs that make it easier for those who have served to join the workforce at Pantex.

“Pantex has always been a big, big supporter of our efforts to help veterans find work, and we greatly appreciate it,” Green said. “Pantex is always willing to go above and beyond for veterans.”

Of the approximately 3,400 people who work at Pantex, nearly 900, or 26 percent, are veterans. That number shows that B&W Pantex not only supports veterans, but recognizes what veterans can do for a company, said John D. McKinny, Texas VFW state employment chairman.

“Hiring veterans is not just good for the country, it’s good for business,” McKinny said. “I think our veterans make very good employees, and it’s good to see companies like Pantex that recognize their worth.”

B&W Pantex manages and operates the Pantex Plant near Amarillo, Texas, for the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration. B&W Pantex is also the proud recipient of the DOE’s Voluntary Protection Program STAR status for safety excellence. The company was also named one of America’s safest companies by Occupational Hazards magazine and has received numerous awards from the National Safety Council.

CONTACT
Greg Cunningham
Public Affairs
Office (806) 477-5140
Pager (806) 345-1560

​The Amarillo Chamber of Commerce will host a reception Thursday to recognize B&W Pantex for its success in supporting small and local businesses. The reception will bring together business and community leaders, elected officials and Pantex representatives to celebrate a remarkable series of awards to Pantex over the past year.

“For nearly 70 years, Pantex has been proud to be a supporter of the business community in the Texas Panhandle,” said B&W Pantex General Manager John Woolery. “It is gratifying to be recognized for that commitment by leaders in this area.”

Please join us to help recognize the important contribution B&W Pantex makes to the local economy. The reception will be from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday at the Amarillo Chamber of Commerce offices, 1000 S. Polk St. Interviews with officials from Pantex, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and the Chamber will be available.

B&W Pantex has received three prestigious awards during the past year for its efforts to support small and local businesses.

The SBA selected B&W Pantex as the recipient of the 2011 Dwight D. Eisenhower Award for Excellence, recognizing the contractor for its exceptional utilization of small businesses in subcontracting. Pantex was also selected by the SBA as the winner of the 2012 Frances Perkins Vanguard Award for work with women-owned small businesses.

Most recently, the Department of Energy selected Pantexan Brad Brack as the Management and Operations (M&O) Small Business Program Manager of the Year for his efforts to strengthen subcontracting with local small businesses.

The awards recognize the success of B&W Pantex in greatly exceeding goals each year for working with small businesses and various classes of disadvantaged small businesses, including businesses owned by women, veterans and minorities. Pantex has achieved these successes by creating a small business program that consistently directs subcontracting dollars to small businesses, while reaching out to new suppliers and providing training opportunities for new subcontractors who wish to do business at the plant.

In fiscal year 2011, B&W Pantex spent nearly $112 million on subcontracting, with $74 million of that going to small businesses. More than $24 million was spent in the local market.

“We know that small businesses are the engines that drive our economy and help to create new jobs,” said B&W Pantex Supply Chain Management Division Manager Mike Tryon. “We are proud of the work we do to support those small businesses and we believe it has a positive impact on our economy.”

B&W Pantex and the Pantex Guards Union (PGU) of Amarillo tonight reached a new five-year labor agreement for work at the Pantex Plant. The PGU represents approximately 450 Security Police Officers.

“We are pleased with the outcome of the negotiations and the way we were able to work together for our mutual benefit” said John Woolery, B&W Pantex President and General Manager.

B&W Pantex and the PGU negotiation team have been diligently negotiating since April 16. These comprehensive negotiations required both sides to be fully prepared to discuss a multitude of issues. The new contract includes provisions for wage increases, benefits enhancements and various administrative changes.

Pantex Security Police Officers are highly trained and dedicated professionals who are charged with protecting one of the Nation’s most vital assets. The agreement resulting from these negotiations allows those Officers to remain focused on this critical mission.

B&W Pantex manages and operates the Pantex Plant for the Department of Energy/National Nuclear Security Administration.

B&W Pantex manages and operates the Pantex Plant near Amarillo, Texas, for the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration. B&W Pantex is also the proud recipient of the DOE’s Voluntary Protection Program STAR status for safety excellence. The company was also named one of America’s safest companies by Occupational Hazards magazine and has received numerous awards from the National Safety Council.

CONTACT
Greg Cunningham
Public Affairs
Office (806) 477-5140
Pager (806) 345-1560

NNSA recognizes two as employee of the quarter

The National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) Defense Programs this week honored a pair of Pantexans for going above and beyond in their work.

Peter J. Manghan, a quality assurance specialist at the Pantex Site Office (PXSO), and Margie Ramirez, a specialist in the Explosives Technology Division at B&W Pantex, were chosen as the Defense Programs Employees of the Quarter.

“We have so many hard-working employees at Pantex that it is difficult to single out just one or two people,” said Pantex Site Office Manager Steve Erhart. “Pete and Margie really embody the work ethic that makes it possible for us to complete our critical defense mission at Pantex.”

Manghan was honored for his work with the U.S. Department of Defense, NNSA Weapons Programs Managers and representatives from the United Kingdom Ministry of Defense. Manghan facilitates coordination with those groups to ensure the military receives the items it needs to support the nation’s defense.

“It feels a little odd to be honored for just doing your job, but I’m truly grateful,” Manghan said.

Ramirez was awarded for helping create an integrated schedule that was accessible to all areas of the plant, allowing for better coordination with Explosives Technology activities. Ramirez was specifically singled out for her work on the B61 Life Extension Program, a critical program at Pantex that has been greatly aided by her efforts.

“It’s an honor for me to receive this award, but it was really a team effort,” Ramirez said. “A lot of people worked hard on this project.”

B&W Pantex manages and operates the Pantex Plant near Amarillo, Texas, for the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration. B&W Pantex is also the proud recipient of the DOE’s Voluntary Protection Program STAR status for safety excellence. The company was also named one of America’s safest companies by Occupational Hazards magazine and has received numerous awards from the National Safety Council.

CONTACT
Greg Cunningham
Public Affairs
Office (806) 477-5140
Pager (806) 345-1560

NNSA Honors Pantex with Pollution Prevention Award

Pantex was honored this week with an award from the National Nuclear Security Administration for its environmental stewardship efforts.

On Monday, the NNSA awarded Pantex with a Best in Class win in the category of Comprehensive Energy and/or Fleet Management in recognition of an ongoing effort to “green” Information Technology (IT) by reducing waste and energy consumption.

“Preserving the environment is a major part of our mission at Pantex,” said Pantex Site Office Manager Steve Erhart. “It’s an honor to be recognized for those efforts, but in the end, we care for the environment because we believe it is the right thing to do.”

The Information Technology Goes Green initiative, which was the basis for the NNSA award, is a yearlong multi-pronged effort designed to provide more efficient and effective IT services while reducing energy consumption, waste and material footprint.

A big part of the initiative involved reducing the number of servers through conversion to a virtual server system. Over 185 physical servers were retired, reducing the footprint and dropping daily kilowatt usage by about 1,200 kilowatts per day.

Another part of the effort involved using multifunction machines to replace many of the 2,500 printers that were formerly attached to the Pantex network. The new multifunction machines provide copy, scanning and printing functions more cheaply while reducing impact on the environment.

The Energy Star-rated multifunction machines use a more earth-friendly solid ink while reducing the amount of energy and other resources needed to perform daily operations at Pantex. During Fiscal Year 2011, Pantex reduced the purchase of paper by 212 cartons compared with the year before. The multifunction machine initiative will result in an estimated annual cost savings and avoidance of $481,618 while saving around $25,000 of energy per year.

“I’m very proud of the results we’ve achieved through our IT greening initiative,” said B&W Pantex General Manager John Woolery. “Environmental and financial stewardship are priorities for us here at Pantex and we are constantly searching for opportunities to improve our operations in that regard.”

B&W Pantex manages and operates the Pantex Plant near Amarillo, Texas, for the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration. B&W Pantex is also the proud recipient of the DOE’s Voluntary Protection Program STAR status for safety excellence. The company was also named one of America’s safest companies by Occupational Hazards magazine and has received numerous awards from the National Safety Council.

CONTACT
Greg Cunningham
Public Affairs
Office (806) 477-5140
Pager (806) 345-1560

Friday event set to announce award

For the second year in a row, B&W Pantex has been selected as the recipient of a prestigious national award from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). The SBA selected Pantex as the winner of the 2012 Frances Perkins Vanguard Award in recognition of its work with womenowned small businesses.

Last year, Pantex won the Dwight D. Eisenhower Award for excellence in utilization of small businesses.

“To be honored two years in a row by the SBA is a tremendous accomplishment,” said B&W Pantex General Manager John Woolery. “These awards help to reinforce our conviction that we are acting in the best interests of the local and U.S. economy through our subcontracting efforts with small businesses.”

The Perkins award was created in 1963 and is named after Frances Perkins, the U.S. Secretary of Labor under President Franklin D. Roosevelt. Secretary Perkins made history by being named the first woman appointed to head a U.S. Cabinet post.

B&W Pantex consistently exceeds goals for direction of contracting work to businesses owned by disadvantaged groups. In FY 2011, Pantex spent $19,897,945 with women-owned small business, a total of 17.8 percent of the $112 million in subcontracting dollars spent that year. This nearly doubled the performance goal of 9 percent.

CONTACT
Greg Cunningham
Public Affairs
Office (806) 477-5140
Pager (806) 345-1560

Teams of middle school students will be taking a crack at creating the car of the future this weekend in the B&W Pantex Electric Battery Car Race.

More than 15 teams from area schools will be participating in the race, which will pit the students’ small car creations head-to-head in a test of speed and reliability. The race is part of the National Science Bowl.

Each year, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) sponsors the car races, with different types of propulsion chosen for the cars. Last year, the cars were powered by Hydrogen. This year, in honor of President Obama’s clean energy goal of putting one million electric vehicles on the road by 2015, DOE chose electric battery cars. Teams were given kits a month ago to assemble into the fastest, most stylish car they can create.

“The car race is always a favorite event for us at Pantex,” said B&W Pantex General Manager John Woolery. “It’s a fun and exciting way for us to encourage a new generation of inventors and engineers.”

The races start at 9 a.m. Saturday at the Amarillo Area Center for Advanced Learning, 1100 N. Forest. Each race will feature four cars running down a 20-meter track, as well as a competition for car design, craftsmanship, creativity and the most appealing design.

All Amarillo media is invited to attend the races, which will run through the morning until the finals begin at noon. The races will pause during lunch from 11:15 a.m. to 11:45 a.m.

B&W Pantex manages and operates the Pantex Plant near Amarillo, Texas, for the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration. B&W Pantex is also the proud recipient of the DOE’s Voluntary Protection Program STAR status for safety excellence. The company was also named one of America’s safest companies by Occupational Hazards magazine and has received numerous awards from the National Safety Council.

CONTACT
Greg Cunningham
Public Affairs
Office (806) 477-5140
Pager (806) 345-1560

Ely to take over for departing Yarbrough

B&W Pantex is proud to announce that Dianne Ely has been selected as the new Directed Stockpile Work (DSW) and Campaigns Program Director at the Pantex Plant.

B&W Pantex General Manager John Woolery made the announcement on Thursday, naming Ely to succeed Jeff Yarbrough, who left the plant this week, after 29 years, for a position at Los Alamos National Laboratory. Woolery said the combination of Ely’s knowledge, experience and leadership abilities make her an excellent choice for the position.

“Dianne has a great deal of experience in this area, and I am absolutely confident that she will step in and have an immediate positive impact in DSW and Campaigns,” Woolery said.

DSW and Campaigns is responsible for establishing and maintaining a program management system for assembly and disassembly operations on nuclear weapons at Pantex.

Ely has been the acting Deputy General Manager at Pantex for the past seven months. Prior to that role, she was the Director of Readiness in Technical Base and Facilities Program Management . In her 23-year-career at Pantex, Ely has served as the Campaigns & Nuclear Material Program Manager, the Master Production Scheduling Department Manager, Directed Stockpile Work Program Manager, Manufacturing Operations Manager and served as a Senior Engineer.

Ely said she is looking forward to the challenge of taking over DSW and Campaigns.

“I am very excited about the opportunity to work with the talented people in DSW and Campaigns again,” Ely said. “The past seven months have been a wonderful challenge, but I am ready to get back into the production area.”

CONTACT
Greg Cunningham
Public Affairs
Office (806) 477-5140
Pager (806) 345-1560