On August 11, 2015, President and CEO, Dr. Kris Singh, honored Mr. Oliver D. Kingsley Jr. (pictured below) with the “Energy Statesman” award, which is given to the most transformative figure in the nuclear power industry. The ceremony drew leadership of a majority of nuclear units in the U.S. as well as top executives from major architect engineers, constructors and the Nuclear Energy Institute.
In a distinguished career that spanned five decades, Oliver revived the nuclear programs of TVA and ComEd, which later became Exelon, the largest privately owned nuclear fleet in the world. This played a crucial role in revitalizing the commercial nuclear power industry in the United States. “Every industry stands on the shoulders of its giants; our industry stands on the shoulders of Oliver Kingsley,” declared Dr. Singh, to a thunderous applause from the assembled industry’s elite.
Young Oliver served in the United States Navy, Nuclear Submarines after graduating from Auburn University joining the commercial nuclear industry in 1971. Over the ensuing 44 years, Oliver worked at a number of nuclear plants honing his insights on how to raise their performance metrics. Being summoned by TVA to rescue its prostrate nuclear program gave Oliver the first opportunity to apply his management principles. Outstanding success at TVA begat the even bigger challenge to fix Exelon’s nuclear fleet, the nation’s largest, beset by poor performance. Oliver succeeded splendidly in revitalizing Exelon, creating a lasting personal legacy, and retiring in 2004. The Kingsley management principles that made Exelon America’s premier operator have spread to other nuclear units lifting the overall industry.
The attendees at the ceremony, amongst the most influential in the present nuclear industry, feted Oliver with aphorisms and anecdotes that showed the respect and affection in which the grand old man is held over a decade after he left office.
In retirement, Oliver continues to work to lift the nuclear industry establishing a much admired nuclear plant training program at Auburn. In 2009, Auburn honored its prodigal son with an honorary doctorate. He is also a prominent supporter of local (Birmingham, Alabama) and national charities.
You must be logged in to post a comment.