Chicago Quantum Exchange Appoints Aaron Fluitt as CEO

Insider Brief

• Aaron Fluitt has joined the Chicago Quantum Exchange (CQE) as its second CEO, succeeding Kate Timmerman, who led the consortium for eight years.
• Fluitt previously held leadership roles at Argonne National Laboratory and PsiQuantum, where he worked on quantum research partnerships, manufacturing initiatives and workforce development.
• He joins the CQE as it advances regional initiatives in quantum manufacturing, workforce development and research commercialization, including the $55 million Bloch Quantum Tech Hub.

PRESS RELEASE — Aaron Fluitt, a science and technology leader who helped drive Argonne National Laboratory’s successful effort to secure a $115 million award from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to launch the Q-NEXT quantum research center, joined the Chicago Quantum Exchange today as the University of Chicago-based consortium’s second CEO. He succeeds Kate Timmerman, who oversaw the CQE’s growth from a nascent research collaborative to a 70+-member/partner organization that is building the world’s premier discovery-to-deployment quantum ecosystem. 

A Quantum Prairie veteran known for his ability to rally diverse stakeholders, Fluitt brings a rich background that includes a PhD in molecular engineering from UChicago; leadership and strategy roles with PsiQuantum, Argonne, and the Boston Consulting Group; and a belief that strong partnerships accelerate innovation and growth for the emerging quantum economy.