Dave has worked in the coal industry since 1983 when he began working as an engineering intern at North American Coal’s (NAC) Falkirk Mining Company in North Dakota.  After graduating from NDSU in construction engineering, he accepted a job with Boeing Commercial Aircraft where he worked for 2 years.  He returned to the Falkirk Mine in 1990.  After working in ND for 8 years, Dave moved his family to south Texas to work at NAC’s San Miguel Mine.  In 2000 he accepted a transfer to east Texas to work at the Sabine mine as a Maintenance manager and later was promoted to Operations Manager.  In 2008, Dave earned an Executive MBA from University of Texas – Dallas.  In February of 2010, Dave moved to Mississippi to work at North American Coal’s, Mississippi Lignite Mining Company as Operations Manager.  Later that year, he was promoted to General Manager & President of Mississippi Lignite Mining Company.  Earlier this year, he moved into his current roles as NAC’s Director of Mississippi Operations and as the Director of Innovation and Technology for the corporation.

Dave is passionate about workplace safety and the impact positive leadership can have on individuals, organizations and regions.  His leadership provides consistently in safety achievements as indicated by his management f one of the safest mining operations in the nation.  Dave believes that developing individual responsibility, awareness and the willingness to STOP is the cornerstone to safety success.  Effective STOP’s positively impact injury prevention in addition to ensuring the highest pre- op inspection standards.  Moreover, his leadership has supported nearly 50 individual co-op students and funded 103 semesters of co-op study.  These students, along with collaborative researching programs conducted with Mississippi State University, allow Mississippi Lignite Mining Company to maintain fresh perspectives in many operational areas which include safety.

Dave and Nancy, his wife of 33 years, have 3 grown boys, 2 daughter in-laws and 3 grandchildren.  They are active at the United Methodist Church Starkville.  They enjoy MSU Bulldog sports, time at the lake, golfing and travel.

Dave is our Awards Banquet speaker, April 16, 2019 at the SCJMHSC annual conference, his topic is:

“The Magic of Zero”