Skip to content
  • Nuclear Careers
  • Nuclear News
  • Join
  • Donate
  • Sign In
American Nuclear Society
  • About ANS
      • Mission and Vision
      • Governance
      • Public Policy & Engagement
      • Donate
      • Advertising
      • ANS Store
      • Contact Us
    • About ANS

      ANS is committed to advancing, fostering, and promoting the development and application of nuclear sciences and technologies to benefit society.

  • About Nuclear
      • About Nuclear
      • K-12 Programs
      • K-12 Educator Resources
      • Outreach Resources & Volunteer Opportunities
      • Professional Development & Certification
    • About Nuclear

      Explore the many uses for nuclear science and its impact on energy, the environment, healthcare, food, and more.

  • Membership
      • Professionals
      • Students
      • Organizations
      • Trustees of Nuclear
      • Find Your Community
      • Mentor Match
      • Honors & Awards
      • Scholarships & Grants
    • Membership

      Explore membership for yourself or for your organization.

  • Events
      • Upcoming Conferences
      • Conference Calendar
      • Past Conferences
      • Webinars
      • Nuclear 101 Course
      • Resources
    • Conference Spotlight

      Nuclear Energy Conference & Expo (NECX)

      September 8–11, 2025

      Atlanta, GA|Atlanta Marriott Marquis

  • Standards
      • What's New
      • Purchase Standards
      • How to Get Involved
      • Resources
      • ICONS
      • Nuclear Standards News
      • Inquiries
      • Errata
    • Standards Program

      Standards

      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!

  • Publications
      • ANS Library
      • Magazines
      • Journals
      • NST Open Research
      • Books
      • Newsletters
      • Proceedings
      • Transactions
      • Special Reports
      • Subscriber Access
    • Latest Magazine Issues

      Sep 2025

      Jan 2025

      Latest Journal Issues

      • Nuclear Science and Engineering

        September 2025

      • Nuclear Technology

        September 2025

      • Fusion Science and Technology

        August 2025

  • Nuclear Newswire
      • Latest News
      • Buyers Guide
      • Ukraine Taskforce
    • Latest News

      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.

  • Search
  • Nuclear Careers
  • Nuclear News
  • Join
  • Donate
  • Sign In
  • Home
  • Conferences
  • 2021 ANS Winter Meeting and Technology Expo
Banner Image

2021 ANS Winter Meeting

2021 ANS Winter Meeting
  • Meeting Home
  • Schedule
  • Registration Fees
  • Hotel/Travel
  • Organizational Participants
  • Exhibitors
  • Search Papers
  • Attendee Directory
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Resources
  • Organizers
  • Contact Us
  • Live Chat

Winter Meeting Program

Winter Meeting Program
  • Plenary Sessions
  • Executive Sessions
  • Technical Sessions
  • Committee Meetings
  • Networking, Social Events, & Tours
  • Student Program
  • Presenter Resources
  • Honors and Awards

DESD RRSD Program

DESD RRSD Program
  • DESD/RRSD Home
  • Plenary Sessions
  • Technical Sessions
  • Presenter Resources

Acc App Program

Acc App Program
  • AccApp Home
  • Acc App Organizers
  • Plenary Sessions
  • Technical Sessions
  • Acc App Presenter Resources

Official Show Issue

Official Show Issue
  • November Nuclear News — PDF

Exelon Generation

Logo
Receive Nuclear News Daily
Join ANS Today
Donate Today
Trustees of Nuclear
AMS
Clearpath
Constellation
Core Power
Dominion Engineering
GE Hitachi
Global Laser Enrichment
Hogan Lovells
Last Energy
Lightbridge
Mirion Technologies
Nuscale
Oklo
Paragon
Southern Nuclear
Studsvik
Urenco
X-Energy
American Nuclear Society

Advancing nuclear science and technology for the benefit of humanity

  • Advertising Opportunities
  • Navigating Nuclear
  • Contact Us
  • FacebookFacebook
  • TwitterTwitter
  • LinkedInLinkedIn
  • InstagramInstagram
  • YouTubeYouTube
  • PinterestPinterest
  • Nuclear NewswireNuclear Newswire
  • Email ListsEmail Lists

© Copyright 2025 American Nuclear Society

  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Invoices
  • Media