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Potomac Institute for Policy Studies Names New Executive Leadership

12 October, 2001

Arlington, Va. - The Potomac Institute for Policy Studies, a nonpartisan technology policy research institute in Arlington, Va., announced on October 11, 2001 the appointments of Michael Swetnam as Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Dr. Dennis McBride as President, and two new Vice Presidents.

"The Institute has doubled in size and dramatically increased its presence in the Washington Policy arena over the past year," said Swetnam. "These appointments serve to address the requirements of the Institute's new, larger, and more dynamic stature."

Swetnam founded the Potomac Institute for Policy Studies in 1994 and has served as its president since that time until today’s appointments. Under his leadership, the Institute has broadened its scope and become one of the nation's leading authorities in technology study, analysis, and debate. An eminent authority on technology policy with extensive executive-level background in engineering, strategic planning, and intelligence operations, Swetnam continues to serve as Chairman of the Board, a position he has held since the Institute’s inception.

Dennis K. McBride, Ph.D., M.P.A., who had served as Executive Vice President since joining the Institute in April of 2001, has now assumed the position of President. In this role, he is responsible for all day-to-day activities of the Institute. McBride has been a key advisor to the Institute for many years and has also served on its Board of Regents.

Prior to joining the Institute, Dr. McBride was the Executive Director of the Institute for Simulation and Training, and a professor of both Psychobiology and Engineering, at the University of Central Florida, positions he had held since concluding a distinguished 20-year career with the Medical Services Corps, U.S. Navy.

In conjunction with these appointments, the Institute's Board of Directors approved RayCole as Vice President for Technical Operations and Diane Larriva as Vice President for Administration. Both titles are effective immediately.

Cole joined the Institute in 1999 following a 26-year career with the U.S. Marine Corps. During his active duty service, he served as an officer at all levels of command, from platoon through regiment, with specific concentration in the fields of research, analysis, and assessment. Since coming to the Institute, Cole had served as a senior government official as the Demonstration and Technical Manager of the Extending the Littoral Battlespace (ELB) Advanced Concept Technology Demonstration (ACTD). As Vice President for operations, he now assumes responsibility for the Institute’s technical support to government agencies.

Larriva's appointment is the latest in her five years of service with the Institute. Her most recent position was Director of Operations, from April of 2001 until the announcement. Prior to that, she worked for the Institute on several off-site government contracts. Most notably, as Assistant Director for Program Management with the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), her management of a $400 million budget garnered her the Office of the Secretary of Defense's Award for Excellence. As Vice President for Administration, she is responsible for all financial, contractual, human resources, facilities, communications, and security efforts at the Institute.

For further information and for biographies of the Institute's executive leadership, please contact Craig Bannister, Director of Communications, at (703) 525-0770.

The Potomac Institute for Policy Studies is an independent 501(c)(3) not-for-profit policy research institute that provides nonpartisan analysis of science and technology and technology policy to leaders in government, industry and academia. With a reputation for fierce objectivity, the Institute has conducted studies on a wide range of technology and technology policy issues, including defense acquisition reform, dual use technology, space commercialization, and all facets of terrorism, from cyber-terrorism and biological terrorism to terrorist organizations such as Usama bin Laden's al-Qaida.