News & Notes | UCOR’s Ken Rueter retiring at the end of March 2026
The Kitchen Incubator of Chattanooga wins a national award.
From Oak Ridge:
After more than four decades in the environmental cleanup industry, United Cleanup Oak Ridge’s (UCOR) President and Chief Executive Officer Ken Rueter has announced he will retire at the end of March 2026. Following his retirement, Rueter will continue to serve UCOR and its mission in a part-time capacity as Executive Board Director beginning in April.
Rueter has led UCOR, the Department of Energy’s (DOE) prime environmental cleanup contractor for the Oak Ridge Reservation, through more than a decade of transformational success. Under his leadership, UCOR safely completed the largest Superfund cleanup in U.S. history ahead of schedule and under budget, reducing taxpayer liability by billions of dollars. The project enabled the creation of a next-generation nuclear innovation hub in Oak Ridge, attracted billions in private investment, and delivered significant land for conservation and historic preservation.
“Leading UCOR and working alongside our talented workforce and community partners has been the greatest honor of my career,” said Rueter. “Together, we have not only advanced DOE’s critical cleanup mission, but we have also built partnerships that will benefit Oak Ridge and our nation for generations to come.”
Stephen Streiffer, Director of the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory, has received an American Nuclear Society (ANS) Presidential Citation in recognition of his leadership and contributions to advancing nuclear energy and innovation.
ANS Presidential Citations honor individuals who demonstrate outstanding effort for the benefit of the society. Streiffer was recognized for his commitment to advancing material science, enabling large-scale scientific infrastructure and advancing national laboratory science and nuclear innovation.
“This recognition from the American Nuclear Society, under the leadership of President (H.M. “Hash”) Hashemian, is a profound honor,” said Streiffer. “The coming years will be a transformative time for nuclear energy, and advanced scientific resources — from AI-driven supercomputers to powerful accelerators and tools of materials science — are critical to nuclear progress. As a national lab director, it is my privilege to lead the many talented people at ORNL whose ingenuity and dedication is shaping a future of abundant, reliable energy.”
From Chattanooga:
The Kitchen Incubator of Chattanooga (KIC), powered by LAUNCH, was awarded the Golden Whisk “Community Impact Award” at the Shared Kitchen Summit, the only national celebration of shared kitchen innovation and leadership, hosted by The Food Corridor.
KIC was also a finalist at the 2024 Golden Whisk Awards in New Orleans for Shared Kitchen Industry Champion of the Year, underscoring sustained excellence and national impact.
“We’re honored to receive this national award. The Kitchen Incubator of Chattanooga (KIC) contributes so much to the Chattanooga community,” said LAUNCH Co-Chief Executive Officer Hal Bowling. “Whether it’s more than doubling the presence of food trucks in Chattanooga, serving over 100 food business owners through shared kitchen space, or engaging schools in our community with entrepreneurship training, our work continues to impact thousands of lives here.”
This award comes as LAUNCH nears celebrating having assisted 1,000 aspiring or current entrepreneurs in the Chattanooga region since the organization first opened in 2011.
From Nashville:
Launch Tennessee (LaunchTN) has opened applications for its annual summer internship program that pays a stipend of $8,160 for 12 to 14 weeks of work for eligible currently enrolled college students or very recent graduates.
There are opportunities available in three categories: start-up companies, venture capital firms, and entrepreneur centers. They can choose from LaunchTN’s applicant pool or suggest student candidates they identify on their own. Host companies are responsible for intern payment throughout the duration of the internship period. LaunchTN will supplement up to 60 percent of the stipend.
Application deadline is 5 p.m. CST on February 13. To apply, click here.
From Across Tennessee:
121 Tech Hub in Knoxville-s Old City across from Barley’s is one of the co-working sites featured in a lengthy article in both the Knoxville and Nashville editions of the Tennessee Ledger.
Founded by serial entrepreneurs Brandon Bruce and John Bruck, who’d been talking about a coworking space for tech-oriented companies for several years, Bruce says in the article that the impetus came from Techstars Industries of the Future Accelerator.
“We wanted to continue that momentum and create a space for all that energy,” he explains, adding that unlike other spaces, the revenue model at 121 Tech Hub is built primarily on full memberships versus day passes or other short-term usage options. Bruce says that works, with 60 committed members to date.
Like what you've read?
Forward to a friend!