2023 Carolinas Regional Conference

Join local chapter members and industry professionals for the annual NAYGN Carolinas Regional Conference on Monday, November 6th, 2023 in Charlotte, NC! The conference is free to attend for NAYGN members from the Carolinas region. Enjoy professional development and networking sessions with peers from all around the Carolinas!

The conference includes a welcome networking event the evening of Sunday 11/5, a full day of activities on Monday 11/6, and we are tentatively working on a nuclear site tour for the morning of Tuesday 11/7. Breakfast and lunch will be served at the conference, and networking events will include light dinner options.

The conference is free to attend, however advance registration is required. Registration closes on Monday, October 23rd (2-weeks prior to the conference), so please register ASAP!

Registration link: 2023 NAYGN Carolinas Regional Conference (11/6/23) Microsoft Forms Registration Survey

Travel/Lodging:

Out-of-town guests need to work with their local NAYGN chapter to determine specific travel details. Ask your local officers if they will be covering travel with their NAYGN budget or if you will need to negotiate the travel with your supervisor.

Main Conference Location:

The conference venue is the new Duke Energy HQ, named Duke Energy Plaza. Note that this is a brand new building (with "Duke Energy" on top) and is across the street from the tall white & blue Wells Fargo Building with the handle on top (which served as the previous Duke Energy HQ).

Pedestrians and commuters who are not employees at Duke Energy should use the front lobby entrance off of Tryon St (see image link below). Unfortunately, the parking garage is still under construction and is not open to external guests.

Duke Energy Plaza | 525 S Tryon St, Charlotte, NC 28202

Google Maps Link | Link to Image of Front Entrance

Parking:

The parking garage at Duke Energy Plaza is only open to Duke Energy employees due to ongoing construction. Consider the following options if you are an external guest:

- Walk from your hotel (12 min, 0.5 mile from Hampton Inn Charlotte - Uptown)

- Take public transportation (5 min, 0.2 mile from Stonewall Light Rail Station)

- $21: The Green Garage | 435 S Tryon St, Charlotte, NC 28202

- $21: Levine Center for the Arts (old Duke Energy Building) | 550 S Tryon St, Charlotte, NC 28202

- Street parking is metered with a max time of 2 hours

Security:

Upon entering Duke Energy Plaza, head to the security desk on your left for registration. Outside guests (non Duke Energy employees) must provide a photo ID and be escorted by an employee. Duke Energy NAYGN members will escort you to the conference center on the 7th floor.

Schedule:

Sunday, November 5

6:00 pm - 9:00 pm | Kickoff Networking Event | Urban District Market | Registration Required

Registered attendees will receive a calendar invite with additional details

Monday, November 6

8:00 am - 4:30 pm | Carolinas Regional Conference | The Plaza Conference Center (Duke Energy's New HQ) | Registration Required

8:00 am - 9:00 am | Breakfast & Registration

Breakfast catering from the restaurant "milkbread" 

9:00 am - 11:15 am | Morning Sessions

9:00 am - 9:05 am | Welcome Message

9:05 am - 10:00 am | Introduction to Integrated Resource Planning

Ravi Mujumdar, Duke Energy - Click here for full Bio

10:00 am - 10:15 am | Break

10:15 am - 11:15 am | Successes and Setbacks in Global Nuclear Reactor Construction

Christopher Slaughter, Moderator, Dominion - V. C. Summer

Dan Pierce (GE Hitachi Nuclear) - Click here for full Bio

Dr. Luca Oriani (Westinghouse Electric Co.) - Click here for full Bio

Paul Rodi (GE Hitachi Nuclear, formerly Vogtle 3&4) - Click here for full Bio

11:15 am - 12:45 pm | Extended Lunch & Tech Demonstrations

Tech Demonstration Participants TBD

Lunch catering from the restaurant "milkbread" 

12:45 pm - 4:30 pm | Afternoon Sessions

12:45 pm - 1:45 pm | Nonprofit partnership

LaToya Faustin, Executive Director, She Built This City

Sarah Cover, Workforce Development Manager, She Built This City

Jasmine Vincent, Business Development Manager, She Built This City

1:45 pm - 2:00 pm | Break 

2:00 pm - 3:00 pm | Exploring the Traits That Draw Companies and Talent Together

Rivvy Kundarapu & Andrew Mulrenin, Moderators, GE Hitachi Nuclear

Ashley Trosman, GE Hitachi Nuclear - Click here for full Bio

Rebecca Parks, Westinghouse Electric Co - Click here for full Bio

Duncan Robinson, Duke Energy - Click here for full Bio

3:00 pm - 3:15 pm | Break

3:15 pm - 4:15 pm | Increasing Nuclear Megawatts in the Carolinas

Geoff Pihl, Moderator, Duke Energy

Jeff Abbott, Duke Energy - Click here for full Bio

Eric Geyer, Duke Energy - Click here for full Bio

Chris Smith, Duke Energy - Click here for full Bio

Michael Boone, Westinghouse Electric Co - Click here for full Bio

4:15 pm - 4:30 pm | Closing Message

Monday, November 6

4:30 pm - 7:30 pm | Post-Conference Networking Event | Ink N Ivy | Registration Required

Registered attendees will receive a calendar invite with additional details

Tuesday, November 7

8:00 am - 12:00 pm | Site Tour (TBD)

Those who expressed interest in a site tour will receive additional information ASAP.

Participation in a site tour requires a background screening and PPE.

Questions:

Reach out to Tyler Andrews with any questions:

-Tyler Andrews, carolinas@naygn.org
NAYGN Carolinas Regional Lead