John Chernowski Named Manager of Contract Assurance

Associate Laboratory Director for Operations David McGraw has announced that John Chernowski, an assessment program specialist in the Environment, Health and Safety Division, will become manager of the new Office of Contract Assurance for Berkeley Lab. Chernowski will direct efforts to provide oversight of the Lab's management systems and operating processes to ensure that compliance, operational support for science, best management practices, and continuous improvement are achieved at Berkeley Lab, as defined in the new University of California management contract.

"John has done an outstanding job developing systems and programs for assessment within EH&S," said McGraw. "In fact, we consider some of his efforts as models for this new institutional performance assurance process."

This office will address the 13 elements of assurance established for DOE contractors.   These assurance elements involve corrective action management; independent (outside) and self-assessments in areas such as EH&S, finance, and operations (procurement, property management, etc.); and development of performance metrics to gauge the effectiveness of laboratory operations.  

Chernowski came to Berkeley Lab in 1997 from an environmental services company in Hayward. He started with the Lab's Waste Management group and moved to the Office of Assessment & Assurance after three years.   In the Office of Assessment & Assurance, Chernowski led the effort to achieve DOE certification of the Lab's ES&H Self-Assessment program.   Berkeley Lab is the only DOE site to achieve this certification.   Chernowski earned his bachelor's degree in chemistry and religion from Bucknell University, a master's in environmental management from the University of San Francisco, and is currently completing an MBA from Saint Mary's College.