Page 5 - SRNS Today November 2021

NOVEMBER 2021 | SRNS TODAY | 5

SRTE team awarded for excellence

NNSA Savannah River Field Office (SRFO) recognized the Savannah extractions could safely continue with one
River Tritium Enterprise (SRTE) Glovebox Stripper Team with the working blower. NNSA agreed, allowing
Excellence Every Day Award. The team’s work to examine equipment SRTE to deliver on its commitments and
failure in the Tritium Extraction Facility (TEF) and determine a path complete a record seven tritium extractions in
forward allowed SRTE to continue carrying out its mission in support one fiscal year.
of the nation’s nuclear deterrent.
“Long term, we are working to pursue a new
Two of three Glovebox Stripper System blower motors failed for design that is optimized for conditions inside
unknown reasons within a few weeks of installation in March. A our gloveboxes and will not require extensive,
blower continuously circulates gas inside a glovebox through a expensive and time consuming OGM to make
stripper system to maintain low tritium activity levels in the glovebox repairs,” said Aylward.
atmosphere. In the event of a tritium release within a glovebox, NNSA SRFO Manager Jason Armstrong said, “It was important to
a dedicated blower circulates the release through a high activity recognize this team with the Excellence Every Day Award because
stripper train that rapidly cleans up the radioactive gas from the they worked with a common purpose and a common sense of
glovebox atmosphere. urgency to confront this complex issue. Through their determination
“The facility completed Open Glovebox Maintenance (OGM) in and professionalism, they created solutions that positioned SRS to
March, during which they rebuilt three Glovebox Stripper System continue fulfilling its tritium mission today and into the future. Thank
blowers,” said Kirsten Aylward, SRNS SRTE Deputy Chief Engineer you for your commitment to excellence.”
and Glovebox Stripper Team Lead. “When two of the three blowers SRNS Senior Vice President – NNSA Operations and Programs
failed, we had a significant issue on our hands because without those Mark Davis said, “We faced an extraordinary situation earlier this
blowers, the facility would be very limited in its gas operations, and year that could have negatively impacted the number of tritium
most especially, extractions.”
extractions we committed to completing this year. The work this
A team was formed to examine the situation with the goal of team did allowed us to not only meet our commitments, but we
determining an outcome that would result in significantly longer also exceeded them. I thank the team for all the work they’ve done
blower life after the next rebuild of the Glovebox Stripper System and continue to do to make SRTE the backbone of deterrence in
blowers in January 2022. Their examination determined that tritium support of peace.”

International Business Award given to Jeff Krohn

Jeff Krohn, SRNS “When COVID-19 began to impact SRS, Jeff led IT teams through
Information Technology (IT) unprecedented challenges, to manage explosive growth in
Chief Information Officer, teleworking,” said Tonya Tran, SRNS Principal Systems Engineer,
has been recognized as who submitted the nomination. “Given the stringent security
a Government Hero of regulations imposed upon the applications, infrastructure and
the Year in the COVID-19 employees here at SRS, this was a monumental task that was
Response category and managed professionally and successfully. He strongly advocated for
will take home a Bronze teleworking, to maximize protection for employees while minimizing
Stevie Award for this the impact on SRS missions.”
®
accomplishment during the Krohn re-prioritized and rallied for funds, equipment and other
18th annual International resources required to adequately transition the workforce.
Business Awards
Jeff Krohn He also negotiated licensing terms, lease agreements and other
celebration in December.
critical services.
The Stevie Awards recognize outstanding performances in Krohn tracked management and user concerns and prioritized them
the workplace worldwide. More than 3,700 nominations from in comprehensive teleworking reports that documented issues and
organizations of all sizes and in virtually every industry were resolutions. During these efforts, he enforced strict security and kept
submitted this year for consideration in a wide range of SRS compliant with cybersecurity protocols. His steadfast leadership
categories. From June through early August, more than 260 and perseverance resulted in a successful digital transformation of
executives worldwide participated in a judging process to the SRS infrastructure and workforce. Krohn’s determination, support
determine award winners. and guidance were integral to the success of this critical endeavor.