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Dr. Akers currently serves as the President and CEO of Oak Ridge Strategies Group, Inc. (ORSG), a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned (SDVO) Small Business specializing in technology discovery, exploitation of disruptive technologies, customer relationship development, and strategic planning. In this capacity, he is responsible for identifying and creating strategic alliances and partnerships, both public and private sectors, in support of ORSG’s mission. Dr. Akers also assesses the current mission and strategic vision for corporations and develops recommendations for future implementation. He also sits as a board member for numerous commercial, business, governmental and charitable organizations. Dr. Akers is the past Chairman of the Army Science Board, past Chairman of the Board of the General Henry H. Shelton Leadership Center and past Member of the Board of Draper Laboratory at MIT. He currently Co-Chairs the Mars Science Advisory Council for Mars, Incorporated and is a board member for Rapiscan Laboratories in Sunnyvale, CA, and The Great Smoky Mountain Council of the Boy Scouts of America.

Prior to founding ORSG, Dr. Akers was Associate Laboratory Director for National Security at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). In this capacity, he was responsible for managing a focused research and development portfolio that included nonproliferation and threat reduction, arms and export control, homeland security, and counter terrorism technologies for the U.S. National Nuclear Security Administration and the U.S. Department of Energy. Dr. Akers also coordinated ORNL activities with the U.S. Department of Defense and other federal agencies with a mission involving national security, homeland security, law enforcement, and public safety.

After retiring as a Brigadier General from the United States Army and prior to joining UT-Battelle, Dr. Akers served as Vice President, Advanced Technologies, for BWXT Y-12, L.L.C., and Lockheed Martin Energy Systems. In those positions, he had leadership and management responsibilities for business units with a technical focus that included the National Prototype Center, Advanced Computing Technologies (ACT), Advanced Infrastructure Management Technologies (AIMTech), National Security Program Office (NSPO), and Oak Ridge Centers for Manufacturing Technology (ORCMT).

During his more than 30 years of distinguished military service, General Akers held numerous prominent positions. His multiple combat tours include service in the Republic of Vietnam, Grenada, Panama, Southwest Asia, Haiti, and numerous special operations activities.

Dr. Akers is a graduate of the United States Naval Academy and Duke University (PhD and MS); he also holds a graduate degree in Military Arts and Sciences and has attended several executive development courses at Harvard University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the University of Michigan, and the Center for Creative Leadership.