Jeff Whitt is the President of Framatome U.S. Government Solutions LLC, and head of Customer & Stakeholder Affairs for Framatome North America. He is responsible for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and U.S. National Laboratories engagement, while leading North America’s strategic alignment and customer-centric culture. He supports the company’s growth objectives with focus on developing the advanced reactor business that contributes to the nation’s clean energy future.

With over 30 years of nuclear energy experience, Jeff held positions with increasing responsibility in fuel fabrication, design, and technical management, holding patents related to the fabrication of nuclear fuel.

As a member of Framatome’s U.S. Fuel team, Jeff was responsible for strategic business development that positioned Framatome as a leader in the Accident-Tolerant Fuel program. Through his strategic relationships, Jeff was instrumental in promoting Framatome as a key partner for the future of nuclear in the U.S. He successfully implemented a plan for the growth of Framatome’s government-related business and developed a strategy to position and grow the company’s advanced reactors business.

Contributing to his leadership and engineering talent, Jeff broadened his expertise outside of the nuclear industry. He supported the deployment of cellular technology and was the founder and president of a specialized program-management firm that directed the implementation and certification of digital 911 systems.

Jeff started his career as a journeyman machinist apprentice and holds a business degree from Averett University. He is vice chairman for the VERTical Board in Washington state and chairman of the Virginia Innovative Nuclear Hub. He serves on the Virginia Nuclear Energy Consortium, Texas A&M Nuclear Engineering Advisory Council and participates in working groups for the Nuclear Energy Institute, United States Nuclear Industry Council and represents Framatome on the U.S. International Trade Association Working Group for SMRs.

Jeff currently lives in the Forest, Virginia, area and enjoys spending time on Smith Mountain Lake with his family.

Jean-Luc Palayer is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Orano USA, Orano’s operations in the United States providing commercial and federal customers with global expertise in nuclear materials management. Jean-Luc is also serving as the interim President of TN Americas, an Orano USA subsidiary.

He oversees all five of Orano's business units in the United States, including MCES for sales of uranium fuel, conversion, and enrichment services; Orano Decommissioning Services for dismantling nuclear facilities; TN Americas offering the full breadth of used nuclear fuel management (pool to pad, storage, transportation, and ISFSI management); Orano Med for the development of medical isotopes for targeted immunotherapy for fighting cancer; and Orano Federal Services supporting the development of advanced reactors and offering the full complement of engineering and technology to solve some of the more complex nuclear material processing, conditioning, and packaging for the U.S. Department of Energy.

With more than 20 years in the nuclear industry, Jean-Luc’s international leadership experience includes nuclear materials transportation and storage, front-end material production and deliveries, supply chain optimization, and industrial project development in the United States, Europe, and Asia.

He began his career in 1999 with COGEMA (now part of Orano). In 2007, Jean-Luc was named Director of Business Analysis for AREVA Enrichment Services. In 2012, he served as Managing Director of AREVA Solar India and Vice-President of Operations for AREVA Solar Inc with the responsibility to lead construction projects in the United States and India. In 2015, he joined TN Americas (Orano TN) as Vice-President of Global Supply Chain and then as Chief Operating Officer, leading the project management organization, the nuclear manufacturing plants, and the field service business line.

Jean-Luc holds a Master of Engineering degree from École des Mines and an Executive MBA from Georgetown University.