AIKEN — Betty L. Huck has been named manager of the National Nuclear Security Administration Savannah River Field Office, the NNSA announced Nov. 2.

Huck replaces Michael A. Mikolanis, who served as manager of the office since March 2024. Mikolanis was named manager of the NNSA Los Alamos Field Office in August. He previously served as the manager of the Environmental Management Los Alamos Field Office from August 2021 to March 2024.

The NNSA is the federal landlord of the 310-square-mile Savannah River Site. Missions at SRS include tritium recycling, construction of a facility to produce plutonium pits for nuclear weapons, management and disposition of legacy waste from decades of nuclear material production, research and development and environmental stewardship.

Huck leads a team of nearly 100 federal employees overseeing and administering a variety of contracts with an annual budget of more than $2.9 billion, including the contract for managing and operating the site. The contract workforce is more than 5,000 people.

“Huck is responsible for the implementation of national security and nonproliferation missions by providing oversight of program management, nuclear operations, security, quality assurance, environment, safety and health and the overall execution of key mission deliverables,” according to an NNSA media release.

Prior to assuming leadership of Savannah River Field Office, Huck served as Manager of the NNSA Nevada Field Office at the Nevada National Security Sites.

Huck has held multiple leadership positions within NNSA providing oversight and contract performance evaluation of high-hazard and nuclear operations, non-nuclear research and development, strategic partnership programs, nuclear and non-nuclear safety, emergency management, continuity of operations and nuclear security programs.

Prior to joining NNSA, Huck supported the Department of Defense and national intelligence community in the areas of nuclear energy, nuclear propulsion, advanced technologies, counterproliferation, and counterterrorism for 15 years.

Huck holds a bachelor’s degree in nuclear engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Established by Congress in 2000, the NNSA is a semi-autonomous agency within the U.S. Department of Energy “responsible for enhancing national security through the military application of nuclear science,” the release states

“NNSA maintains and enhances the safety, security, and effectiveness of the U.S. nuclear weapons stockpile; works to reduce the global danger from weapons of mass destruction; provides the U.S. Navy with safe and militarily effective nuclear propulsion; and responds to nuclear and radiological emergencies in the U.S. and abroad,” the release says.