“Staying close to the evolution of new scientific ideas is fun because you can imagine where it will lead—and sometimes it’s even greater than you could imagine.” - Kent Kresa

NuScale is pleased to announce that Kent Kresa has joined our Board of Directors. “NuScale is honored to have Kent Kresa join our Board,” said NuScale Chairman and Chief Executive Officer John Hopkins. “His keen insight and strong record of leadership, service, and industry experience will be invaluable to NuScale as we forge new U.S. and international relationships and head into these exciting years of production and operation of the first-ever NuScale power plant in America.”

Kresa’s journey as an engineer began with his love of airplanes and airplane design. He went on to earn B.S., M.S., and E.A.A. degrees in Aeronautics and Astronautics from M.I.T. In addition to his education and training as an engineer, Kresa is known for his business acumen and leadership. Kresa directly connects the two during a 2012 interview with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine when he first joined the organization’s Presidents’ Circle:

“To me, business is like engineering; it takes careful thought and experimentation. You need to try various theories and see how they work out, and if they appear to be working out well, you go with them. If not, you terminate them and think of new theories.”

Kresa’s innovative thinking and leadership presence permeates his approach to most everything he does. As Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of Northrop Grumman from 1990 to 2003, Kresa transformed the company into one of the most prosperous leaders in the aeronautics and defense industry by diversifying its portfolio of products.

Kresa has an impressive history of service that spans leadership roles on the Boards of Fluor Corporation, General Motors Company (GM), several non-profit organizations and universities, and more. At GM, Kresa served as the interim Chairman during a challenging time for the company, and was praised by Ed Whitacre, Jr. (former Chairman and CEO of GM) for his calm leadership and stable guidance during a time of uncertainty for the company.

An active philanthropist, Kresa gives back to the places that influenced his life path. Through his endowment to the Leadership Chair for Caltech's Division of Physics, Mathematics, and Astronomy, Kresa wanted to “express gratitude for his rewarding career in engineering and science and to provide similar opportunities for future generations.”

To those who dedicate themselves to walk the path as a leader, Kresa’s words offer accessible inspiration along the way. In a UCLA Anderson School of Management “Leaders on Leadership” interview, he shares his perspective that leaders have a presence, along with command of their space in which they’re comfortable. They are knowledgeable about whatever issues are being discussed, yet keep an open mind when they’re speaking with someone. The mind of the leader may start on a particular trajectory, but if someone asks, “Have you considered this?” the leader keeps an open mind.

While Kent Kresa's awards for leadership include prestigious examples such as Caltech Management Association's Excellence in Management Award for demonstrating extraordinary vision and leadership and a 2002 Forbes magazine "Company of the Year" recognition, it is also his perspective on what makes a person an effective and trusted leader that has become an inspiration to so many, including to everyone here at NuScale Power.

We are thrilled to have Kent Kresa join our Board of Directors, and we are grateful for his wisdom and imagination as NuScale ushers in a powerful new era of energy and technological innovation to benefit all of humankind.