Pros
As a non-profit, Battelle has a vision and mission that separates it from a traditional for-profit entity. At the end of each year, profits are re-invested in facilities as well as distributed to charities, specifically STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) education. The cause is noble and for the past several years, two of the 3 "legs" have been performing well. The division that oversees the national lab contracts remains profitable and well-run. The investment portion of the business has seen some recent improvements with a major course correction implemented in just the last few years. The contract research division has struggled the last several years. Within the last year, Battelle's contract research division underwent a major strategy overhaul which resulted in a focusing of resources. Many individuals were impacted and some have expressed concern that the cuts were too deep, but only time will tell if the "back to the roots" strategy will help right that part of the business. The people who work at Battelle are highly motivated and very attuned to government customers. Battelle has built a "machine" that can service government contracts very well. Some new leadership at the executive level has provided much-needed fresh perspective. Specifically, the CFO and the Executive Vice President of Marketing and Communications are strong additions.
Cons
The most dramatic impact of the recent strategy implementation has been the loss of a strong commercial team. Many of the people with the most commercial experience, including but not limited to those in senior roles, lost their jobs as part of the changes. There are some exceptions to this rule, but there appears to be a lack of commitment to grow the commercial business. As there is a strong focus on government business, many of the internal processes are geared toward government, not commercial clients. Admittedly, some very arcane processes were improved in the last few years, but opportunity remains for more improvement. At the most senior levels, CEO and President of the Contract Research business, there is an overdue need for change and inspiration. Generally speaking, most employees do not know why they should follow these leaders. From an employee's perspective, the Board of Directors is also weaker than it should be.