Mr. Lagdon was appointed Chief of Nuclear Safety for Energy in January 2006, Mr. Lagdon is responsible for representing the Under Secretary in nuclear safety matters for Energy, Environmental Management and Science facilities. He reports to the Under Secretary and supports the Department’s mission by ensuring the nuclear safety requirements are consistently implemented and appropriately applied to its hazardous operations.

Mr. Lagdon previously served as the Director for the Office of Quality Assurance Programs with responsibility for Department’s Implementation Plan for DNFSB Recommendation 2002-1, Software Quality Assurance. He also served as the Deputy Director for Special Projects and Investigations where he was responsible for the Operational Readiness Review program, Criticality Safety, Safety Concerns, and the Accident Investigation Program. Mr. Lagdon conducted several Accident Investigation Training courses as well as serving as Board Chairperson for Type A and Type B Accident Investigations. He was one of the original authors of the Operational Readiness Review Order and has been involved with over 100 operational readiness reviews and readiness assessments since 1992.

Prior to joining the Department in the Office of Nuclear Safety in 1992, Mr. Lagdon served as a Reactor Plant Shift Test Engineer at Newport News Shipbuilding & Drydock Company. He was certified as a Shift Test Engineer by Naval Reactors on S6G and A4W reactor plants. He conducted the overhaul of the USS Eisenhower (CVN-69) and the construction of the USS Roosevelt (CVN-72). Mr. Lagdon also has commercial nuclear power experience having held the position of Operations Supervisor at Georgia Power Company’s Hatch Nuclear Power Plant where he shut down unit 2 from a world record run for boiling water reactors. His tenure as the Senior Nuclear Licensing Engineer for Florida Power & Light’s Turkey Point Nuclear Plant involved project management of the security and emergency diesel upgrades as well as conducting containment analysis for hydrogen buildup following an accident. He was licensed by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission as a Senior Reactor Operator and also served as Fire Brigade Commander and Emergency Director.

Mr. Lagdon graduated from the U. S. Merchant Marine Academy where he received a Bachelor of Science in Marine Engineering with a Nuclear Engineering minor. He holds a Master’s Degree in Engineering Administration from George Washington University and completed the Senior Executive Fellows Program at Harvard University. Mr. Lagdon is an Engineering Duty Officer in the US Naval Reserve where he holds the rank of Captain and was recalled to active duty to support Operation Noble Eagle and Enduring Freedom following September 11, 2001.