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Jim Blankenhorn has been appointed the new president and CEO of United Cleanup Oak Ridge (UCOR), effective April 1, 2026, succeeding Ken Rueter, who retires on March 30, 2026. Blankenhorn has extensive experience in the Department of Energy's environmental management sector, previously serving as chief operating officer for the Amentum-led Nuclear Waste Partnership at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant in New Mexico.

His past roles include deputy project manager for West Valley Environmental Services and program director at Los Alamos National Laboratory. Blankenhorn, a former Brigadier General in the U.S. Army, has received numerous awards including the Legion of Merit. His leadership is expected to strengthen UCOR's focus on the DOE environmental cleanup mission across the Oak Ridge Reservation.