Organization
Mike McNamara
President
Mike McNamara is the current President of THOR Treatment Technologies. Mike joined Washington Group International in November of 2003, as the General Manager of Washington Government Environmental Services Company LLC, Government Technical services Division (GTSD). GTSD had offices in Albuquerque, NM, managing DOD testing work at the Tonapah Test Site in Nevada, and two manufacturing facilities in Carlsbad, NM producing hardware for the DOE complex and commercial nuclear power industry.
Mike has more than 30 years of experience in the nuclear business. He worked as an engineer during construction of nuclear power plants in the 1970's and 1980's, as an engineer and manager at an operating nuclear power plant for over a decade, and as an executive on the design, licensing, manufacture and installation of domestic and international spent nuclear fuel storage systems.
Mike has Bachelor and Master of Science degrees in Civil and Environmental Engineering. He is also the recipient of the Electric Power research Institute's (EPRI) 1993 "Innovator Award" for his contributions to the electric utility industry, and the American Society of Mechanical Engineer's (ASME) 1998 "Distinguished Engineer of The Year Award" for demonstrated excellence and outstanding achievements in engineering. Mike also received the Washington Group International 2005 "Presidents Award" for accomplishment of one million consecutive exposure hours of accident free work.
Mike served in the US Army Reserves from 1971 to 1977. He and his wife of 25 years have one daughter.
Duane Schmoker
Vice President – Marketing and Business Development
Duane is Vice President of Marketing, Sales, and Business Development for THOR Treatment Technologies. Duane was the principle architect in developing the THOR Treatment Technologies’ joint venture business relationship between Washington Group International and Studsvik, Inc. He has over 30 years of experience in the nuclear industry serving in both the government and commercial market sectors.
Duane began his career with Westinghouse Hanford Company, and he has held executive positions in companies serving the global nuclear industry. He has been responsible for the design and development of a variety of systems used extensively throughout the nuclear industry for waste treatment, transportation, and disposal. He has patents for remote and robotic inspection systems, dry spent fuel storage systems, and cargo security systems.
In addition to his responsibilities for THOR Treatment Technologies, Duane is Vice President of Business Development for Washington Group International’s Energy and Environment business unit. In this role, Duane has won several awards for his leadership and contributions to the company’s receipt of over $5 billion in new business. He was the recipient of the company’s “New Business Award of the Year” in 2004 for his contributions to the company’s winning bid for the Idaho National Laboratory management contract.
Duane has a Bachelor of Science degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Washington with advanced studies at Oregon State University.
Ken Reuter
Chief Operating Officer
Ken Rueter has more than 20 years of project management and senior engineering management experience on federal and commercial projects in which 16 years are with Washington Group International and 5 years with Thor Treatment Technologies. Ken has a degree in Chemical Engineering from Cleveland State University. Ken has managed up to 200 personnel on large-scale projects and facilities ranging from $10 million to $5 billion. Currently, Ken has a dual role serving as the Chief Operating Officer (COO) for the E&E Business Unit affiliate company Thor Treatment Technologies (TTT) and as Director of the Closure Sites project operations and integration for the E&E business unit. In the respective roles, Ken is responsible for TTT leadership and direction for project management, execution, delivery, and ultimately facility operations. Regarding closure sites, Ken has responsibility for providing senior/key leadership for the Closure Sites E&E organization in the areas of business development interface, strategy development, project operations under the Washington Way, and Integration between projects relative to cross complex initiatives.
Brad Mason
Chief Engineer
Mr. Mason is a licensed Chemical Engineer with over 30 years of experience. He is currently Chief Engineer for THOR Treatment Technologies, LLC and Studsvik Inc. He was responsible for all design, engineering, process qualification testing, and startup of the Studsvik Processing Facility now operating commercially in Erwin, TN. He is the holder of numerous patents related to chemical decontamination of radioactive systems and thermal processing of radioactive and hazardous wastes.
He developed the THOR® pyrolysis/steam reforming process for volume and weight reduction of high-organic content LLRW with contact radiation levels of up to 400 Rad per hour. He developed the THOR® steam reforming process for denitration of sodium nitrates and conversion of sodium wastes to mineralized solids. He serves as the Chief Engineer for design and demonstration testing of the THOR® process system for use in processing Sodium Bearing Waste to a solid carbonate product for the Idaho Cleanup Project for INL. He designed, built and successfully operated a ceramic-lined, cold-wall melter used for vitrification of surrogate Hanford high sodium wastes.
Kevin Ryan
Testing and Operations Manager
Kevin Ryan is TTT’s Testing and Operations Manager. He has over 30 years of experience in operations, project, and technical management in the nuclear industry. He has experience at the INL, Hanford, and Rocky Flats Sites, where he managed major nuclear facilities and projects dedicated to nuclear fuel handling and processing, plutonium treatment, and waste processing. He has managed all pilot plant testing and demonstration activities involving the THORÒ fluidized bed steam reforming and autoclave pyrolysis technologies. Key among these was the demonstration of the integrated THORÒ technology for the processing of INL SBW, which facilitated IWTU process design and the granting of required environmental permits for construction of the production facility. He also led the pilot plant test campaigns that demonstrated:
- The processing of SRS Tank 48H waste simulant into a waste form suitable for final treatment at DWPF.
- The processing of INL SBW waste simulant into a fully mineralized, non-leachable waste product, should an alternate disposition path be required.
- The processing of a high-organic chloride drummed TRU waste simulant into a waste form acceptable for disposal at WIPP.
- The processing of misc. debris drummed TRU waste simulants into a waste form acceptable for disposal at WIPP.
