David Christian has spent a lifetime fostering innovation, creativity and development of people, processes and strategies. He most recently retired from Dominion Energy as executive vice president and chief innovation officer. During his tenure, Christian was head of the utility’s multi-state, multi-megawatt power-generating arm, responsible for $8.7 billion in operational and capital budgets.
Christian joined Dominion (formerly Virginia Power) in 1976 as an engineer at the company’s Surry Power Station; he rose through the ranks to become the nuclear plant's site vice president and eventually served as chief nuclear officer and chief executive officer at all three of Dominion’s principal operating units.
During this time, Christian led Dominion Virginia Power’s equipment improvements, called “up-rating,” increasing efficiency of power stations and adding to electric-generation capacity without additional fuel costs. He helped transform the company’s North Anna and Surry power stations into the most efficient nuclear plants in the country, with the lowest operating costs. He also oversaw the effort to extend the licensing of Dominion Virginia Power’s four in-state nuclear power plants.
Following through on a childhood commitment to being a productive member of society, Christian has given much of his time to industry and community initiatives. An active participant in Dominion’s volunteer programs, Christian once rappelled down the 290-foot Dominion Resources skyscraper in downtown Richmond to raise funds for Boy Scouts of America, on whose executive board he served. He has served in board capacities for the National Nuclear Accrediting Board, the Institute for Electric Innovation, the Foundation for Nuclear Studies, the Dominion Energy Charitable Foundation, CultureWorks and the Virginia War Memorial. He also has served on the advisory board for the College of Engineering at Virginia Tech and on the advisory board for Virginia Commonwealth University's nuclear engineering department.
Christian holds a degree in mechanical engineering from Virginia Tech and a master’s degree in business administration from Averett College. He graduated in 1990 from the Institute of Nuclear Power Operations senior plant management course and completed the Executive Program of the Darden Graduate School of Business Administration at the University of Virginia. He also is a graduate of the Harvard Business School’s Advanced Management Program.