AIKEN, S.C. - The Savannah River Site Leadership Association (SRSLA) last week honored two leaders from EM’s liquid waste contractor for exemplary leadership in site operations.
SRSLA, the local chapter of the National Management Association (NMA), recognized Savannah River Remediation (SRR) President and Project Manager Tom Foster as Executive of the Year, and SRR Field Safety and Health Manager Jim Wilson as Leader of the Year.
Foster and Wilson expressed surprise as the awards were unveiled at the annual SRSLA banquet.
Foster said he was thankful for the recognition. His nomination noted his 35 years of experience managing high-hazard nuclear facility operations.
“I am equally humbled and honored to even be considered, much less to receive the Executive of the Year Award," Foster said. “Leading people is a responsibility that I take seriously, largely based on my own experience with leaders who have greatly impacted my life, and I recognize my position demands a great deal of care for people. I gladly assume this position for the SRR team."
After starting his career at SRS, Foster served as director of waste retrievals at the Hanford Site in Richland, Washington, and as director of waste effluent disposition at the Sellafield Site in the United Kingdom.
Wilson’s nomination highlighted his continual improvement initiatives involving new technology to make work safer for employees.
“Being in leadership within the safety organization at SRR requires me to value people and their safety above all work," Wilson said. “I prefer to spend time in the field with the workers understanding their needs so I can make decisions that better serve them."
For the last 26 years, Wilson has held various management positions at SRS. Prior to that, he served the U.S. Navy for 29 years, working in supervision, operation, and maintenance of nuclear propulsion plants and radiological controls facilities. He was the plant manager of two Navy nuclear facilities, receiving honors such as the Fleet Commander’s Award for Excellence in human resource programs while under command as captain of the US Holland.
SRSLA is a professional organization dedicated to developing leadership skills through education, mentoring, and practice. SRSLA is a charter member of NMA, a professional, nonprofit leadership development association with 35,000 members nationwide.
Like its parent organization, SRSLA is dedicated to improving the performance of people and organizations through effective leadership education. SRSLA encourages people to join in efforts to create an effective workforce empowered by an enlightened leadership.
Source: U.S. Dept. of Energy, Office of Environmental Management
