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Conference Spotlight
Nuclear Energy Conference & Expo (NECX)
September 8–11, 2025
Atlanta, GA|Atlanta Marriott Marquis
Standards Program
The Standards Committee is responsible for the development and maintenance of voluntary consensus standards that address the design, analysis, and operation of components, systems, and facilities related to the application of nuclear science and technology. Find out What’s New, check out the Standards Store, or Get Involved today!
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From operator to entrepreneur: David Garcia applies outage management lessons
David Garcia
If ComEd’s Zion plant in northern Illinois hadn’t closed in 1998, David Garcia might still be there, where he got his start in nuclear power as an operator at age 24.
But in his ninth year working there, Zion closed, and Garcia moved on to a series of new roles—including at Wisconsin’s Point Beach plant, the corporate offices of Minnesota’s Xcel Energy, and on the supplier side at PaR Nuclear—into an on-the-job education that he augmented with degrees in business and divinity that he sought later in life.
Garcia started his own company—Waymaker Resource Group—in 2014. Recently, Waymaker has been supporting Holtec’s restart project at the Palisades plant with staffing and analysis. Palisades sits almost exactly due east of the fully decommissioned Zion site on the other side of Lake Michigan and is poised to operate again after what amounts to an extended outage of more than three years. Holtec also plans to build more reactors at the same site.
For Garcia, the takeaway is clear: “This industry is not going away. Nuclear power and the adjacent industries that support nuclear power—and clean energy, period—are going to be needed for decades upon decades.”
In July, Garcia talked with Nuclear News staff writer Susan Gallier about his career and what he has learned about running successful outages and other projects.
To add or remove a session from your itinerary, please check the circle to the left of its title.
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Cumberland South|Session Chair: Brita Helmersson
Monday, October 6, 2025|10:00–11:40AM CDT
Brentwood/Franklin|Session Chair: Nathan Capps
Salon A|Session Chair: Rosemary A. Montgomery
Salon B|Session Chair: Christopher Matthews
Cumberland South|Session Chair: Viorel I. Arimescu
Monday, October 6, 2025|1:00–2:40PM CDT
Brentwood/Franklin|Session Chair: David W. Kamerman
Salon A|Session Chair: Jinzhao Zhang
Salon B|Session Chair: Joakim K. Karlsson
Cumberland South|Session Chair: Uffe Bergmann
Monday, October 6, 2025|3:15–4:55PM CDT
Brentwood/Franklin|Session Chair: Cristina Munoz-Reja Ruiz
Salon A|Session Chair: Ian E. Porter
Salon B|Session Chair: Sven O. Bader
Cumberland South|Session Chair: Cristina Munoz-Reja Ruiz
Tuesday, October 7, 2025|8:00–9:40AM CDT
Brentwood/Franklin|Session Chair: Edward J. Lahoda
Salon A|Session Chair: Zeses E. Karoutas
Salon B|Session Chair: Nathan Capps
Cumberland South|Session Chair: Peter R. Diller
Tuesday, October 7, 2025|10:00–11:40AM CDT
Brentwood/Franklin|Session Chair: Paul Clifford
Salon A|Session Chair: Juri Stuckert
Cumberland South|Session Chair: Peter G. Newby
Tuesday, October 7, 2025|1:00–2:40PM CDT
Salon A|Session Chair: Dong-Joo Kim
Salon B|Session Chair: Darren J. Skitt
Salon A|Session Chair: Shinichiro Yamashita
Tuesday, October 7, 2025|3:15–4:55PM CDT
Brentwood/Franklin|Session Chair: Kenneth J. Geelhood
Salon B|Session Chair: Peter G. Newby
Cumberland South|Session Chair: Brady D. Hanson
Wednesday, October 8, 2025|8:00–9:40AM CDT
Brentwood/Franklin|Session Chair: Jerome G. Bigot
Salon A|Session Chair: Daniel R. Brown
Salon B|Session Chair: Daniel R. Brown
Cumberland South|Session Chair: Mahmut N. Cinbiz
Wednesday, October 8, 2025|10:00–11:40AM CDT
Salon A|Session Chair: Antoine Boulore
Cumberland South|Session Chair: Daniel M. Wachs
Wednesday, October 8, 2025|1:00–2:40PM CDT
Brentwood/Franklin|Session Chair: Jason Medina
Salon A|Session Chair: libing zhu
Salon B|Session Chair: Gary Bell
Wednesday, October 8, 2025|3:15–4:55PM CDT
Salon A|Session Chair: Kurshad Muftuoglu
Salon B|Session Chair: Steven R. Biegalski
