The Board of Directors of the Potomac Institute for Policy Studies is pleased to announce the promotion of Dr. Jennifer Buss to Chief Executive Officer, and selection of General Al Gray as the new Chairman of the Board. Dr. Buss will immediately assume all duties and responsibilities that accompany the CEO position at the Institute. She was also named a member of the Board of Directors.

“I am incredibly humbled and honored to lead the Institute. I’ve been invested in its mission since I arrived,” Dr. Buss said. “I am committed to progressing the Institute and its contributions to policy in ever-changing science and technology."

Dr. Buss replaces Mike Swetnam, who passed away in September. “Mike challenged and inspired me every day. It is because of his mentoring, and the leadership of General Al Gray, that I am ready for this new opportunity.”

Since joining the Institute as Research Fellow in 2012, Dr. Buss has written and won dozens of proposals, created several new centers and in her most recent role as President, Dr. Buss has overseen all day-to-day business and operating functions of the Institute. She has also previously served as Assistant Vice President and Vice President. Dr. Buss said, “I am grateful to the Board for having the confidence in my work and abilities to select me for this role. I look forward to proving my worth every day to them, our customers and our team.” Dr. Buss earned her B.S. in Biochemistry with a minor in Mathematics from the University of Delaware, and a Ph.D. in Biochemistry from the University of Maryland.

“Dr. Buss has proven herself as a leader with a savvy mind for business. I’ve seen her grow the Institute and grow with it. She is responsible for the contracts we have today and manages the research teams that perform our crucial work. She has earned this opportunity to guide us into the Institute’s next chapter,” said General Al Gray, USMC, (Ret.), now Chairman of the Board of Directors, who was part of the selection process.

General Gray has been with the Potomac Institute since its inception in 1994. He’s served as Chairman of the Board of Regents and Member of the Board of Directors. He served 41 years in the United States Marine Corps, and from 1987-1991, he served as a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, was the 29th Commandant of the Marine Corps, and was advisor to Presidents Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush.

In Memoriam: Michael S. Swetnam, Founder, CEO, and Chairman of the Board, Potomac Institute for Policy Studies

It is with extreme sadness that we share the passing of our leader, colleague, and friend Michael S. Swetnam. He was the Founder, CEO, and Chairman of the Board of the Potomac Institute for Policy Studies. Words cannot express the sorrow upon losing someone so important to the PIPS family.

Mr. Swetnam dedicated his life to the service of our country, spending nearly a quarter century in the U.S. Navy, both as an active and reserve officer. He then worked for the Director of Central Intelligence as a Program Monitor on the Intelligence Committee Staff. He developed and presented the National Security Agency Budget to Congress. He also helped develop, monitor, and present the DOE Intelligence Budget to Congress. From 1990-1992, Mr. Swetnam served as a Special Consultant to President George H. W. Bush’s Foreign Intelligence Advisory Board. There, he provided expert advice on Intelligence Community issues and assisted in authoring the Board’s assessment of Intelligence Community support to Desert Storm and Desert Shield. Before founding the Potomac Institute, Mr. Swetnam worked in the private sector as a Vice President of Engineering at the Pacific-Sierra Research Corporation, Director of Information Processing Systems at GTE, and Manager of Strategic Planning for GTE Government Systems.

Mr. Swetnam was passionate about national security. He authored and co-authored several books and edited many articles on the subject, including: Al-Qa’ida: Ten Years After 9/11 and Beyond, Cyber Terrorism and Information Warfare, and Usama bin Laden’s al-Qaida: Profile of a Terrorist Network. “There have always been small groups and individuals who have threatened societies and nations around the world. The difference today is that advanced technologies, particularly the spread of advanced technologies of mass destruction are enabling these groups to threaten us in a way that, in the past, was reserved only to nation states,” Swetnam once told the Nuclear Threat Initiative Project.

Mr. Swetnam also served on several boards and committees. He’d been a member of the Technical Advisory Group to the United States Senate Select Committee on Intelligence where he provided expert advice to the U.S. Senate on the research and development investment strategy of the Intelligence Community. He was also Chairman of the Term Limits Referendum Committee (1992-93); President (1993) of the Montgomery County Corporate Volunteer Council, Montgomery County Corporate Partnership for Managerial Excellence (1993); and the Maryland Business Roundtable (1993). He was on the Board of Directors of Space and Defense Systems Inc., Dragon Hawk Entertainment Inc., and the Governing Board of the Potomac Institute of New Zealand.

“Mike’s influence spanned decades, both in and out of government. His many contributions to our national security were, at times, concrete and, at times, intangible, but equally significant. He addressed so many issues that his full influence can never be fully measured but is certainly consequential. The Potomac Institute will shine as a lasting symbol and enduring influence. It is his true legacy.”

- Gary L. Sojka, Secretary/Treasurer and Member of the PIPS Board of Directors

One could say the creation of the Potomac Institute for Policy Studies was one of Mr. Swetnam’s “Bold Ideas.” He recognized the importance of Science and Technology and the crucial role they play in our nation’s security. “We are advocating Science and Technology as a part of the full solution that includes economic and social values and indicators because they really do go together,” Swetnam once said. His philosophy for PIPS was to always maintain objectivity and credibility, remaining independent of any federal or state agency, political party, or private concern. He said PIPS is proud to call itself “fiercely objective” by divorcing political issues from policy challenges. He believed the challenge at PIPS is to anticipate the problems our society will face in the future and work toward establishing meaningful policy options for addressing these problems before they come to fruition. He expected a lot from the PIPS team, set a very high bar, but also knew the value of surrounding himself with smart, driven people who he knew would only make the work better.

“Mike always pushed us to do our best. He was very proud of our work in the S&T field, and was happy to stay behind the scenes, while providing invaluable support and advice to the many sectors of government. He always wanted to go the extra mile for our staff."

- Gail Clifford, Potomac Institute VP for Financial Management and CFO

“Mike made sure we had the tools needed to do our jobs and take care of our families at the same time. He was my mentor and friend. He influenced all those he came into contact with, looking to always change things for the better. I can speak for all of us at PIPS when I say Mike was family. He will be truly missed."

- Dr. Jennifer Buss, Potomac Institute President

"Our thoughts, prayers, and condolences are with all of Mike’s family and loved ones as well as his multitude of friends. As we cope with the tragic loss of our beloved leader, and colleague Mike, we at the Potomac Institute for Policy Studies must continue to go forward as Mike would expect us to do. Let's all stick together and make that happen as a lasting tribute to a great American Patriot."

- General Al Gray, USMC (Ret.), Senior Fellow; Chairman, Board of Regents; and Member, Board of Directors

Mr. Swetnam is survived by his son Alex, his daughter Kelly, and his grandchildren, Tommy, Alex, Josh and Bella, and a great-granddaughter, Zoey. Our thoughts and best wishes go out to his family.

The Potomac Institute for Policy Studies (PIPS) is excited to announce the return of Dr. Robert (Bob) Hummel as Chief Scientist and Vice President of Research. Dr. Hummel has been with the Institute since 2009, but on assignment under an Intergovernmental Personnel Act (IPA) agreement with the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) for the past four years.

In his role, Dr. Hummel will ensure the studies, reports, and publications of the Institute reflect the highest standards in science, technology, and policy. As Editor-in-Chief of the STEPS (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Policy Studies) journal, he will be soliciting and publishing meaningful articles to address topics of significance and highlight the ongoing work the Institute. “I am looking forward to working with our talented staff in conjunction with oversight by our Board of Regents, Fellows, Senior Fellows, and management at the Institute to amplify our impact in these times of great challenges for national science and technology policy,” said Dr. Hummel.

Dr. Hummel has a storied history and background. His doctorate is in Mathematics, but his academic career spans various aspects of computer science, engineering, and mathematics, especially in the computer vision subfield of artificial intelligence. He was a faculty member at New York University’s Courant Institute for Mathematical Sciences from 1980 to 1997, when he joined the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) as a program manager. At DARPA, he managed a variety of projects ranging from automated sensing and surveillance systems, automatic target recognition, and Ladar data exploitation. He was also, famously, the technical coordinator and emcee for four consecutive DARPA Tech symposia.

The timing of this announcement is not lost on Dr. Hummel as he and the PIPS family mourn the loss of Founder and CEO, Michael Swetnam. “I am shocked and saddened at the sudden death of our leader and mentor. I had spoken with Mike about my return, and we had wonderful conversations and exchanges concerning plans for new activities at the Institute. Both he and I shared an excitement concerning future initiatives. I intend to carry out the vision that Mike described in our discussions to the best of my ability.”

Potomac Institute President, Dr. Jennifer Buss said, “Dr. Hummel has been an invaluable member of our team for years. His research, publications and constant push for excellence help make us who we are. We warmly welcome him back to the Institute and look forward to working closely with him once again.”

It with heavy hearts we mourn the passing of a member of our Board of Regents, and Senior Research Fellow at PIPS, Dr. Fred E. Saalfeld.
Dr. Saalfeld received his B.S. degree cum laude with majors in Chemistry, Physics and Mathematics from Southeast Missouri State University in 1957. He was awarded his M.S. and Ph.D. degrees with a major in Physical Chemistry with minors in Inorganic Chemistry and Mathematics from Iowa State University in 1959 and 1961.

Dr. Saalfeld dedicated his life to Science and Technology and spent 40 years in civil service. He may be best known for his role as the Technical Director and Deputy Chief of Naval Research for ONR. His was a career filled with scientific firsts and achievements. He joined the National Research Laboratory in 1962. While there, he and his team lead pioneering research, developing the Central Air Monitoring System (CAMS) that makes recycled air breathable in submarines. That research into atmospheric monitoring and life support is used today in nuclear submarines, firefighting gear, spacecraft and other equipment using recirculated air. Potomac Institute CEO Michael Swetnam said, “Dr. Saalfeld was one of this country’s foremost supporters of science, technology, and policy based on science and technology. He was responsible for decades of US Navy research that became the foundation of our national defense. He is a hero in every sense of the word.”

Four U.S. Presidents recognized Dr. Saalfeld’s achievements. He became a charter member of the Senior Executive Service, SES, under President Carter. President Reagan named him to the Presidential Meritorious Executive Rank in 1986, named to the Presidential Distinguished Executive Rank by President Bush in 1989, and Presidential Distinguished Executive Rank for a second time by President Clinton in 1996.

The honors didn’t stop there. Several civilian employees have received the Dr. Fred E. Saalfeld Award, which recognizes lifetime achievements in science for those with the Department of the Navy, members of the military service on active duty, or contractors funded by the Department of the Navy.
Dr. Saalfeld and his wife Elizabeth were a frequent presence at PIPS. Those who knew him say he always gave sage advice and pushed PIPS staff to be bold and to think outside the box.

His contributions to PIPS are too many to list. PIPS CEO Michael Swetnam describes Dr. Saalfeld as a mentor and friend whose contributions to Potomac Institute are immeasurable. “Dr. Fred Saalfeld encouraged and supported the creation of the Potomac Institute for Policy Studies and he mentored us throughout our early years ensuring that we began and remained focused on national service, science, technology, and education. He was a visionary and leading voice in the development of science and technology that our freedoms so depend on today. The human race is measurably better because of him and diminished with his passing,” Swetnam said.

Upon his retirement from ONR, Dr. Saalfeld was honored and thanked on the floor of the U.S. Senate. The official record reads: “In times of adversity and challenge, America has always been blessed with men and women who have stepped forward to fight our battles and serve our country. Dr. Fred Saalfeld is such a man, much like those Founding Fathers who were patriot scientists and dedicated public servants. I wish we had more like him.”