Jeffrey Wadsworth, President and CEO of Battelle Memorial Institute, Joins Achieve Board

NEWS STATEMENT

CONTACT:

Sandy Boyd, (202) 419-1542, sboyd@achieve.org

WASHINGTON – June 11, 2009 – Achieve announced today that Jeffrey Wadsworth, President and CEO of Battelle Memorial Institute, has agreed to join its Board of Directors. Dr. Wadsworth leads the world’s largest independent research and development organization with a history of scientific discoveries in the fields of energy, security, health and life science that can be found in everyday products such as copiers, bar codes and airplane de-icers. Battelle reinvests its profits into advancing the quality of education through unique public/private partnerships with educators, school districts, foundations and state educators across the United States to accelerate the spread of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education.

Dr. Wadsworth joins the Achieve Board at a critical time in education reform when the nation's attention is focused on improving the performance of all students so they can compete and excel in college and careers. "We are extremely pleased to have Jeff join the Achieve Board," said Mike Cohen, Achieve's president. "Jeff's—and Battelle's—longstanding commitment to investing in the innovators of the future and encouraging excellence in STEM education for all students will serve Achieve well as it continues its work to make college and career readiness for all students a national priority."

"Achieve and Battelle share a common objective of enhancing education quality and relevance as the key to success for all students," said Dr. Wadsworth. "I am very excited to join Achieve and bring my perspectives on science, technology, engineering and math as core foundations to college success and careers in all fields, well beyond the traditional jobs associated with science and engineering."

After joining Battelle in 2002, Dr. Wadsworth served as a member of the White House Transition Planning Office for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. From 2003 to June 2007, he was director of Oak Ridge National Laboratory, the Department of Energy's largest multipurpose science laboratory, and later served as Executive Vice President for Battelle’s Global Laboratory Operations business. His previous work includes positions at Stanford University, Lockheed and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. Dr. Wadsworth has authored or co-authored more than 285 papers in the open scientific literature, one book and four U.S. patents. His many honors and awards include three honorary doctorates, two honorary professorships from Chinese universities and election to the rank of Fellow of three technical societies. He was elected a member of the National Academy of Engineering in 2005.

Dr. Wadsworth joins the following distinguished Achieve Board members: co-chairs Governor Tim Pawlenty (R-MN) and Craig R. Barrett, Retired CEO/Chairman of the Board, Intel Corporation; Governor Jennifer Granholm (D-MI); Edward B. Rust, Jr., Chairman & Chief Executive Officer, State Farm Insurance; Governor Donald L. Carcieri (R-RI); Governor Edward G. Rendell (D-PA); Mark B. Grier, Vice Chairman, Prudential Financial, Inc.; Governor Phil Bredesen (D-TN); Governor Dave Heineman (R-NE); and Governor Deval Patrick (D-MA).

Created in 1996 by the nation’s governors and corporate leaders, Achieve is an independent, bipartisan, nonprofit education reform organization based in Washington D.C. that helps states raise academic standards and graduation requirements, improve assessments, and strengthen accountability. Achieve is leading the effort to make college and career readiness a national priority so that the transition from high school graduation to postsecondary education and careers is seamless. To make college and career readiness a priority, in 2005 Achieve launched the American Diploma Project Network. Starting with 13 original states, the Network has now grown to include 35 states educating nearly 85 percent of all U.S. public school students. Through the ADP Network, governors, state education officials, postsecondary leaders and business executives work together to improve postsecondary preparation by aligning high school standards, assessments, graduation requirements and accountability systems with the demands of college and careers. For more information about the work of Achieve, visit www.achieve.org.