About

Donn [Dears] is a retired GE Company senior executive specializing in power generation, with extensive international experience. 

He personally visited countries to assess the need for GE Equipment and related services. Some of these were well-developed countries, such as The Netherlands and Australia, while others were developing countries, including, Egypt, Malta, Algeria, and Thailand, to name a few.

In each country where a GE subsidiary was to be established, he worked with government officials to obtain the necessary permissions. In one instance, he met with the Amir of Bahrain, which had only recently become an independent nation, to obtain a charter for a joint venture with a local investor. Later, Donn was involved with the establishment of a subsidiary in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia, the center of its oil-producing and export facilities adjacent to Bahrain.

While he never proposed establishing a subsidiary in Iran, Donn investigated key areas, such as Ahwaz and Tehran, over a three year period.

Over a four year period, he established GE joint venture companies at twelve locations in eight countries.

Donn began his career at General Electric testing large steam turbines and generators used by utilities to generate electricity. He then spent three years on GE’s prestigious Manufacturing Management Program in diverse businesses, including locomotives, DC motors, medium steam turbines, small jet engines, and naval ordnance. This was followed by five years in manufacturing and marketing assignments at the Transformer Division. 

He then led organizations servicing GE power generation and large equipment in the United States and around the world. 

He also worked with the Nuclear Power Division, which had extensive facilities for demonstrating refueling and the handling of other specialized equipment. The business for which Donn was responsible provided engineering and specialized technicians during the construction of nuclear power plants, and then for services after the plants were operational.

While on active duty in the Navy, he attended the Navy’s Damage Control School, which included instruction on Atomic, Biologic and Chemical warfare, including defending against both above-ground and underwater nuclear explosions. While much has changed, the fundamentals of radiation have not.

Donn was involved with work done at customer locations, such as steel mills, electric utilities, refineries, oil drilling, and open pit and underground mining operations.

He subsequently led an engineering department supporting GE organizations and subsidiaries around the world.

Following his retirement as a senior GE Company executive, he continued to study and write about energy issues. He established TSAugust, a 501 (C) 3 think tank consisting entirely of volunteers. 

He has written six books as well as various papers and articles. He has also spoken on energy issues at professional meetings, conferences, and on cruise ships.

Donn has been active in the community, serving two terms on the Reston Association’s Board, a large association with over 60,000 residents.

As noted, Donn has traveled extensively, beginning with a year at sea while a 19-year-old midshipman on merchant vessels, where he visited countries in Asia, Europe, and South America. He saw some of these countries while they were just recovering from the war where damage was still highly visible. Bremen, Germany, where vast areas of bombed out buildings had been removed and rebuilding was just beginning. Manila harbor, where the masts and funnels of sunken vessels poked above the surface of the water. 

And Taiwan, where the Nationalists had just retreated from the Mainland with the Communists threatening air raids and invasion.

He continues to travel and has visited over 60 countries on business and for pleasure.

Donn is an engineering graduate, with honors, from the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy and served on active duty in the US Navy, first as Damage Control Officer, then as Engineering Officer during the Korean war.

Donn blogs, writes articles, and speaks on the issues of climate change and the vital need for low cost, reliable electricity.

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