Mitre hires Battelle vet as chief executive

Mitre has hired a new chief executive in Mark Peters, a 25-year science veteran and former Battelle executive who will join the operator of six federally-funded research-and-development centers on Sept. 3.

Peters will succeed the retiring Jason Providakes, who has led Mitre as CEO for the past seven years and altogether spent 37 years at the nonprofit organization.

At Battelle, Peters currently works as executive vice president for laboratory management and operations. Battelle operates eight FFRDC hubs including those that support national laboratories for the Energy and Homeland Security departments.

Mitre's Thursday announcement of the hire touts Peters' areas of expertise as including nuclear fuel cycle technologies, nuclear waste management and national security. The firm manages FFRDCs for departments that include Health and Human Services, Homeland Security Transportation, Treasury and Veterans Affairs.

 “(Peters) will lead our nearly 10,000-strong Mitre team to accelerate innovation and enhance creative problem solving on a range of technology challenges including artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, transportation safety, public health, and national defense," Rodney Slater, chair of Mitre's board of trustees and a former transportation secretary, said in a release.

Peters' career also includes roles such as director of Idaho National Laboratory, president of Battelle Energy Alliance, an associate director post at the Argonne National Laboratory and leadership positions at the Los Alamos National Laboratory.

During his CEO tenure, Providakes led Mitre's push to expand into other areas beyond its early roots in developing advanced air defense systems. Mitre now also works in health, cyber, veterans’ affairs, social innovation, government modernization, security and intelligence.