Fermilab announces new chief operating officer

Leadership appointment enhances team at Fermilab with extensive
operations experience

Batavia, Ill. – The U.S. Department of Energy’s Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory welcomes Greg Stephens as the lab’s new chief operating officer beginning May 6, 2024.

Stephens brings more than 35 years of experience in commercial, academic, international and U.S. government operations, working in project management, business administration, environment, safety and health, and engineering. He has served at 11 of the 17 U.S. national laboratories. At each lab, Stephens took on a wide array of roles including project and program manager, chief engineer, chief information officer, chief technical officer and operations director.

“We are delighted to have Greg Stephens join Fermilab in leading the operation of the lab,” said Fermilab Director Lia Merminga. “His extensive experience, including at many of the national laboratories, and leadership roles, will be a huge asset in his leadership of our laboratory operations toward the safe, secure, efficient and effective execution of our mission.”

Most recently, Stephens was vice president for Amentum’s Technical Services. Here he led a diverse staff that delivered operations, engineering, maintenance, safety, quality assurance, risk assessment, business and project optimization, and management services.

Under his leadership, the division supported a wide array of high-hazard chemical, biological and nuclear operations customers from around the world, including U.S. and international laboratories, research and development entities, commercial companies and emergency preparedness institutions. 

“I am excited and honored to join the Fermilab team, the premier particle physics laboratory in the U.S.,” Stephens said. “I look forward to collaborating with the talented Fermilab employees to drive innovation and continue the excellent scientific research. I believe there is an exciting future at Fermilab and look forward to bringing my passion and expertise to this team as we capture the opportunities ahead.”

Stephens is an electrical engineer with a degree from Clemson University. He began his career with DuPont de Nemours, Inc. in the Engineering Services Division and with General Electric in the Simulation and Space Systems Manufacturing Management Program. He also had numerous project and program management assignments at Westinghouse, Washington Group International, URS, AECOM and Amentum.

Stephens has served on the Board of Directors for Helping Hands of Aiken and the United Way of Aiken County while also on the Engineering Advisory Board for the University of South Carolina at Aiken. He and his wife Jane have three grown children and one grandchild.

Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory is supported by the Office of Science of the U.S. Department of Energy. The Office of Science is the single largest supporter of basic research in the physical sciences in the United States and is working to address some of the most pressing challenges of our time. For more information, please visit science.energy.gov.