Future Retirement Success
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Investing
  • Stocks
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Investing
  • Stocks

Future Retirement Success

Business

Power, Water, and Resilience: A Q&A with David Johnson

by August 6, 2025
August 6, 2025
Power, Water, and Resilience: A Q&A with David Johnson

David Johnson is a seasoned technology executive with over two decades of experience leading IT and cybersecurity across the utility sector.

Born in north Texas and raised by his grandparents on the family farm in southern Oklahoma, David’s early life taught him hard work and resourcefulness—qualities he carried into his career.

David’s path to leadership was not typical. He started in IT operations at American Airlines in the late 1980s and worked his way up through key roles at Solid Systems, Deloitte & Touche Outsourcing, and the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT). At ERCOT, he played a key role in modernising Texas’ electric grid during its early deregulation phase.

He later joined EPB in Chattanooga, Tennessee, helping to build one of North America’s first fully automated electric grids. His work there gained national attention and led to a decade-long tenure as CIO and CISO, where he partnered with national labs and helped shape smart grid technologies.

Most recently, David served as Chief Information Officer at Austin Water, where he oversaw enterprise systems and led digital transformation for the city’s utility services. He managed large budgets, implemented hybrid cloud strategies, and introduced new governance frameworks.

David is known for building strong teams, leading with integrity, and keeping a sharp focus on strategic goals. He holds a B.S. from Covenant College and has sat on multiple technology boards across education, government, and non-profits.

When he’s not working, he’s back on the family farm in Texas, raising cattle and remembering where it all began.

Q: David, let’s start at the beginning. What first drew you into technology?

I grew up on a farm in southern Oklahoma. We didn’t have much, but we made do. I didn’t even realise we were poor until school lunch programmes and food stamps came into the picture. I was always curious about how things worked. That turned into a fascination with technology. After high school in Rockwall, Texas, I got into data centre operations with American Airlines. That’s where my IT career really took off.

Q: How did your early roles shape your leadership style?

At American Airlines, I learned the importance of uptime, planning, and discipline. Later, at Deloitte & Touche and Solid Systems, I got a taste for managed services and client delivery. Those years taught me the value of accountability and communication. I’m naturally introverted, so I had to work hard to connect with people—learning that looking someone in the eye wasn’t a challenge, just respect.

Q: Your work at ERCOT sounds pivotal. Can you talk about your time there?

ERCOT was a turning point. It was the early 2000s, and Texas was undergoing deregulation in its electricity market. I led IT operations and joined market task force groups that were shaping the system. We processed over 35 million transactions a day. We had to bring integrity and structure to something that had been siloed and outdated. That’s where I first applied ITIL principles and got serious about operational governance.

Q: Then you moved to EPB in Chattanooga. What stands out from that chapter?

EPB was exciting. We were building one of the first fully automated electric grids in North America. We worked closely with national labs, pushed smart grid technologies, and brought high-speed internet to homes. I spent 11 years there, leading global teams and building out data centres. We focused on high availability systems—failovers, disaster recovery, hybrid environments. It was hands-on innovation.

Q: And most recently you’ve been with Austin Water. How was the transition from electric to water utilities?

Different challenges, but many of the same principles apply. At Austin Water, I was both CIO and CISO. I led digital transformation across departments—finance, HR, operations. We introduced enterprise resource planning systems, moved to cloud-based platforms, and tightened security standards. We aligned with HIPAA, PCI, and data privacy regulations. I also pushed for better data governance and strategic planning.

Q: Any challenges in driving change in public sector environments?

Plenty. Public agencies are naturally cautious, and rightly so. You need to build trust and explain the “why” behind each decision. For example, when we shifted to remote work infrastructure, I had to ensure security, uptime, and usability were aligned. Change management isn’t just about tech—it’s people, training, and culture.

Q: How do you define success today?

It’s not just hitting targets or saving money. For me, it’s the positive impact—on teams, communities, and the organisations I’ve served. I’ve been lucky to build strong teams and retain top talent for years. Seeing people I’ve mentored grow into leaders themselves—that’s the real win.

Q: Finally, how do you stay grounded?

I keep working the family farm. Raising cattle reminds me where I came from. I stay curious, always learning. Technology never stops, and neither should we.

Read more:
Power, Water, and Resilience: A Q&A with David Johnson

0
FacebookTwitterGoogle +Pinterest
previous post
Why Manual Grant Tracking Can Impact Outcomes
next post
Insider Trading Bans Are Ineffective

You may also like

You can literally feel Apple’s new ‘F1: The...

June 13, 2025

Renters’ set to get protection as watchdog launches...

March 1, 2023

Meta pays £149m to end lease of London...

September 27, 2023

British Airways to cancel further flights up to...

August 23, 2022

Almost half of workers would turn down a...

October 30, 2023

3 places your business is haemorrhaging money –...

November 24, 2022

Businesses representing over 1M employees urge Chancellor to...

September 5, 2023

World’s biggest offshore wind farm to be built...

December 21, 2023

Netflix to launch cheaper ad-supported subscription tier in...

September 5, 2022

Forex Trading in Dubai: How It Works With...

October 28, 2024

    Get free access to all of the retirement secrets and income strategies from our experts! or Join The Exclusive Subscription Today And Get the Premium Articles Acess for Free

    By opting in you agree to receive emails from us and our affiliates. Your information is secure and your privacy is protected.

    Recent Posts

    • The Tax Bill’s Success Will Turn on Regulatory Implementation

      August 6, 2025
    • Why I Helped Organize the Department of Energy’s Climate Report

      August 6, 2025
    • Anand Lalaji on Building Trust in Healthcare Leadership

      August 6, 2025
    • Nine Examples of Waste in the New Markets Tax Credit Program

      August 6, 2025
    • Insider Trading Bans Are Ineffective

      August 6, 2025
    • Power, Water, and Resilience: A Q&A with David Johnson

      August 6, 2025

    Categories

    • Business (8,689)
    • Investing (2,178)
    • Politics (16,318)
    • Stocks (3,228)
    • About us
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms & Conditions

    Disclaimer: futureretirementsuccess.com, its managers, its employees, and assigns (collectively “The Company”) do not make any guarantee or warranty about what is advertised above. Information provided by this website is for research purposes only and should not be considered as personalized financial advice. The Company is not affiliated with, nor does it receive compensation from, any specific security. The Company is not registered or licensed by any governing body in any jurisdiction to give investing advice or provide investment recommendation. Any investments recommended here should be taken into consideration only after consulting with your investment advisor and after reviewing the prospectus or financial statements of the company.

    Copyright © 2025 futureretirementsuccess.com | All Rights Reserved