Rhude is responsible for the financial operations of ORNL, including those purchased from Lockheed Martin Energy Systems. Rhude's previous responsibilities at Sanders included the management and oversight of nine business units and 1,400 contracts ranging to $700 million.
In addition to serving as CFO for Sanders, Rhude was the CFO of the Communications Company in Camden, New Jersey.
Rhude joined the Lockheed Martin Corporation in 1980 as an estimator in Orlando's Electronics, Missiles and Information Group. He held various estimating and program cost management roles and was the Joint Venture Business Manager when he left Orlando in 1988.
The Lockheed Martin Corporation selected Rhude to perform risk assessments for new business proposals and acquisitions and for major Program Contract Status Reports. He was chosen as Director of Estimating and Cost Control for the Astronautics Group in Denver, Colorado. Rhude then returned to Orlando where he served as Director of Estimating and Cost Control for the Electronics, Missiles and Information Group.
Rhude served in various fighter aviation and intelligence assignments with the US Marine Corps and retired from the reserves as Lieutenant Colonel in 1996. He studied psychology at Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville. He and his wife have one son.
ORNL, one of DOE's multiprogram national laboratories, is managed by Lockheed Martin Energy Research Corporation.