The expertise to create solutions that pay for themselves

EXCEL Services Corporation consultants have the background, contacts, and up-to-date expertise to come in and implement initiatives that can drive faster approvals, fewer problems, and new ways to increase safety and raise—and sustain—performance and save costs doing so.

Management Team

Donald R. Hoffman

Founder, President, & CEO

Donald R. Hoffman established EXCEL in 1985 to provide specialized professional services to nuclear utilities and regulatory authorities. Over four decades, Mr. Hoffman has built EXCEL into a globally recognized leader in nuclear licensing, regulatory support, engineering, technical services, operations, and critical infrastructure protection — serving clients across the United States and internationally.

Prior to founding EXCEL, Mr. Hoffman served in the U.S. Nuclear Submarine Navy from 1970–1979 as a Senior Reactor Operator and Engineering Officer. From 1980–1985, he served as Manager in the NRC’s Licensing and Technical Specifications Department, where he was responsible for reviewing license applications and technical specifications for U.S. plants in the post-TMI licensing era. At EXCEL, he has provided executive oversight of 75+ ITS Conversions, 17 License Renewals, 14 Combined License Applications (COLAs), 14 Power Uprates, 30+ Fuel Cycle Extensions, and 3 Early Site Permits and more.

Ask Donald about: international regulatory development, domestic licensing pathways, feasibility studies, technology selection, reactor operations, NRC reactor oversight and inspections, rulemaking & policy development, strategic planning & business development, senior executive leadership

James Andersen

Senior Vice President – U.S. Operations

Jim Andersen brings 34 years of progressive nuclear safety and security regulatory experience spanning cyber security, physical security, licensing, inspection, and rulemaking. At EXCEL, Mr. Andersen leads client engagements focused on the design, implementation, and evaluation of physical and cyber security protection systems — including independent self-assessments, NRC inspection preparation, corrective action review, and long-term business strategy development.

Prior to joining EXCEL, Mr. Andersen held a distinguished career at the U.S. NRC, rising to the Senior Executive Service level and serving in a series of high-impact leadership roles including Division Director of Physical and Cyber Security Policy, Director of the Cyber Security Directorate, and Deputy Director of Emergency Preparedness and Response. He also served as a U.S. Navy officer on active duty and in the Naval Reserve, including as a Sonar and Electrical Officer aboard USS Pittsburgh (SSN-720) and as a Naval Analyst at the Defense Intelligence Agency.

Ask Jim about: cyber security policy & oversight, physical security programs, nuclear licensing & regulatory affairs, Reactor Oversight Process (ROP), emergency preparedness & response, fuel cycle safety & safeguards, NRC inspection & compliance, rulemaking & policy development, strategic planning & business development, senior executive leadership

Dan Lundwing

Senior Vice President, New Nuclear Services

Dan Ludwig is a nuclear engineer with 17 years of commercial nuclear experience spanning reactor operations, design engineering, new nuclear feasibility studies, and new reactor project development. At EXCEL, Mr. Ludwig leads the company’s new nuclear consulting services supporting nuclear power deployment and operations worldwide, with a focus on new and advanced nuclear technologies, site selection, Owner’s Engineer services, and regulatory agency support.

Mr. Ludwig’s career reflects a rare combination of hands-on nuclear engineering expertise and strategic business development acumen. He has developed fleet-wide innovation initiatives at major U.S. utilities; led pre-feasibility studies for new nuclear plants, supported operating plants in engineering and project roles, and developed deep expertise in advanced nuclear technologies — including Small Modular Reactors and non-light-water reactor designs; and has a proven track record developing nuclear market strategies, government funding proposals, and customer engagement programs for domestic and international clients.

He is currently leading regulatory initiatives for reactor developers, siting strategies for reactor developers, regulatory roadmaps, and

Ask Dan about: international business development, nuclear project management, regulatory strategy and roadmaps, Owner’s Engineer services, SMR & advanced reactor assessment, site selection & pre-feasibility studies, stakeholder & NGO engagement, DOE funding & grant management, regulator support

Brian Meadors

General Counsel

Brian Meadors brings a rare and powerful combination of nuclear engineering credentials, legal expertise, and hands-on regulatory experience to the role of General Counsel. A licensed Professional Engineer (nuclear), active attorney, and former U.S. Navy Nuclear Submarine Officer, Mr. Meadors has spent his career at the intersection of nuclear law, licensing strategy, and regulatory advocacy — working on some of the most consequential nuclear licensing actions in the modern era, including the Vogtle Units 3 & 4 AP1000 new builds and NuScale’s first-of-a-kind SMR Combined Operating License Application.

At EXCEL, Mr. Meadors serves as General Counsel, licensing strategist, state government advocate, and business developer. He leads EXCEL’s efforts to advance pro-nuclear legislation at the state level, serves as liaison to Bluewave AI in applying artificial intelligence to nuclear licensing and siting, and provides licensing strategy for non-light-water and Generation IV reactor projects. His career spans senior roles at Southern Nuclear Operating Company, General Electric, and NuScale Power — as well as a decade of civil litigation practice that included a successful U.S. Supreme Court certiorari petition.

Ask Brian about: nuclear regulatory licensing, legal & regulatory strategy, state-level nuclear feasibility studies NRC advocacy & representation, Gen IV & SMR licensing, high-impact technical issue resolution, Nuclear Employee Concerns (Ombudsman), data privacy & GDPR compliance, legislative & government affairs, contract & commercial law, licensing engineer training & development

Janna Saakyants

Chief Administrative Officer

Erica Combs brings 20 years of military, government, and commercial nuclear experience across reactor operations, inspection, design engineering, licensing, regulatory affairs, and new reactor development. At EXCEL, Ms. Combs leads advanced and new reactor initiatives, including feasibility studies and reactor technology selection for multiple international projects, with a focus on licensing strategy, regulatory framework development, and Emergency Planning Zone analysis.

Ask Janna about: international regulatory development, IAEA milestones, NRC licensing pathways, feasibility studies, technology selection, reactor operations, operating reactor oversight and inspections, cybersecurity

Experts

Eddie Grant

Vice President – New Reactor Technology Solutions

Eddie Grant brings over 45 years of nuclear utility, licensing, and regulatory services experience to the role. A recognized authority in new reactor licensing under 10 CFR Part 52, Mr. Grant has led some of the most consequential nuclear licensing projects in U.S. history — including serving as licensing support lead for NuStart Energy on the AP1000 reference Combined License (COL) application and spearheading Exelon Generating Company’s effort that produced the first-ever issued Part 52 Early Site Permit (ESP), submitted to the NRC in September 2003.

Mr. Grant’s project portfolio spans the full spectrum of nuclear licensing — COLs, ESPs, construction permits, operating licenses, license renewals, ITS conversions, and uranium enrichment facility licensing — in both the United States and Canada. He has provided ongoing licensing support for Vogtle Nuclear Generating Station Units 3 & 4 since 2012, supported X-energy’s Xe-100 advanced reactor construction permit application, and represented clients on multiple NEI task forces including the COL Task Force, Early Site Permit Task Force, Seismic Issues Task Force, and the proposed Part 53 New Regulatory Framework Task Force. At EXCEL, he leads new and advanced reactor technology licensing strategy for domestic and international clients.

Ask Eddie about: new reactor licensing (10 CFR Part 52), Combined License (COL) Application development, Early Site Permit (ESP) Application development, Construction Permit Application development, ITAAC Completion & Compliance, License Basis Document Maintenance, Technical Specifications & ITS Conversion, NRC Interface & Regulatory Advocacy, NEI Task Force Representation, Advanced & Generation IV Reactor Licensing, Canadian Nuclear Regulatory Affairs (CNSC), Uranium Enrichment Facility Licensing, ACRS & ASLB Process Support, Licensing Program Development & Procedures

Brian Mann

Vice President – Licensing and AI Applications

Mr. Mann has over 45 years of experience in the commercial nuclear industry and is the industry’s subject matter expert on technical specifications (TS) and related regulatory processes. Since he joined EXCEL in 1997, he has supported the PWROG Licensing Committee, the BWROG Licensing Committees, and their antecedent organizations. Brian is the program manager of the Technical Specifications Task Force (TSTF), a joint activity of the PWROG and BWROG, and is the principal author of over 600 TSTF travelers, including all of the risk-informed travelers and many first-of-a-kind TS improvements. Mr. Mann acts as the point of contact for the industry on Technical Specifications-related issues.

Mr. Mann believes strongly in preparing the next generation of Regulatory Affairs professionals. He provides training to EXCEL’s domestic and international clients. He created Nukapedia, an online resource for Regulatory Affairs information. Mr. Mann is the principal author of the Writer’s Guide for Plant-Specific Improved Technical Specifications, and led the team that revised NEI 06-02, “License Amendment Request Guidelines,” as part of an initiative to standardize the license amendment process.

Mr. Mann is also responsible for investigations into Artificial Intelligence (AI) as a method to facilitate and enhance EXCEL’s support of our customers.

Before joining EXCEL, Mr. Mann held positions in Management, Licensing, Project Management, and Reactor Engineering at several utilities, where he developed a number of innovative approaches. Mr. Mann was a utility member of the TSTF and its predecessor organizations since their inception in 1993.

Ask Brian about: Technical Specifications Development & Improvement, Nuclear Licensing & Regulatory Affairs, License Amendment Requests (LARs), ISTS/ITS Conversion & Authorship, Risk-Informed Technical Specifications, Digital I&C Technical Specifications, NRC Interface & Regulatory Advocacy, Owners Group Program Management (PWROG, BWROG, TSTF), NEI Committee Leadership, Knowledge Management & Nukapedia

Tim Abney

Senior Director – International New Build Services

Tim Abney serves as Senior Director of International New Build Services at EXCEL Services Corporation, bringing one of the most distinctive and consequential careers in international nuclear licensing to the role. With over 45 years of nuclear industry experience, Mr. Abney is best known for his landmark achievement as Director of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs for the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant in the UAE — the first nuclear power plant in the Arab world. He managed all licensing and regulatory affairs for the 4-unit project from inception in a country with no existing nuclear law or regulations through the successful issuance of operating licenses for all four units in 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023.

Mr. Abney’s approach to the Barakah project exemplifies his career-defining strength: developing innovative licensing strategies in complex, first-of-a-kind environments. He built the licensing and regulatory affairs organization from the ground up, obtained all 30 licenses and permits required for construction and operation, managed the regulatory activities of prime contractor KEPCO in their first project outside South Korea, and developed a novel limited construction license strategy that enabled first safety-related concrete to be poured three months ahead of schedule — with no project delays attributable to licensing. Prior to Barakah, Mr. Abney held senior licensing and regulatory roles at GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy and spent 25 years at Tennessee Valley Authority, where he led licensing for Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant, including the restart of Unit 1 after a 17-year shutdown.

Ask Tim about: international new build licensing, nuclear regulatory framework development, license & permit strategy (construction & operating), regulatory affairs management, NRC & international regulator interface, regulator inspection management, license basis document compliance, new reactor feasibility studies, technology selection & evaluation, BWR fleet licensing & regulatory support, power uprates & license renewal, Quality Assurance oversight, Corrective Action Program Management, project management & scheduling

Gregg Ellis

Senior Director – ITS Services

Gregg Ellis brings over 30 years of experience in commercial nuclear plant operations, regulatory and licensing, training, and engineering support. A licensed BWR Senior Reactor Operator and certified instructor, Mr. Ellis has developed, reviewed, and revised hundreds of regulatory submittals across the full spectrum of nuclear licensing activities — including Technical Specification amendments, ITS conversions, design certification applications, and combined license applications.

He has provided licensing and training support to a broad range of domestic and international clients, including NuScale, Southern Nuclear Company, Progress Energy, ANSTO (Australia), and the U.S. NRC Technical Specifications Branch.

Prior to his consulting career, Mr. Ellis served in the U.S. Navy as an Electrical Supervisor aboard a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier

Ask Gregg about: nuclear licensing & regulatory affairs, technical specification development & ITS conversions, License Amendment Requests (LARs), Design Certification Applications (DCA), Combined License Applications (COLA), UFSAR & Technical Specification Bases, Extended Power Uprate (EPU) Support, 10 CFR 50.59 & 50.92 Evaluations, regulatory & operations training, small modular reactor (SMR) licensing, NRC interface & advocacy

Erica Combs

Director – Special Projects

Ms. Combs brings a uniquely multidimensional background to her role — having served as a U.S. Navy Reactor Operator, a U.S. Air Force Reserve specialist, an NRC Resident Inspector, a regulatory affairs engineer at Dominion Energy, and a licensing engineer at NuScale Power. She is currently contracted with the U.S. Department of State supporting new nuclear deployment in Eastern European countries. Domestically, she supports state-level nuclear feasibility studies and licensing for new and advanced reactor technologies. Her breadth of experience across military, regulatory, and commercial sectors makes her a versatile nuclear industry professional.

Ask Erica about: international regulatory development, IAEA milestones, NRC licensing pathways, feasibility studies, technology selection, reactor operations, operating reactor oversight and inspections, cybersecurity

Bruce Crabbs

Senior Director - Engineering/24 Month Services

Bruce L. Crabbs brings over 40 years of Instrumentation and Control expertise to EXCEL Services Corporation, with a career spanning design engineering, licensing services, and project management across the U.S. nuclear industry. He has served as Project Manager for high-profile engagements including the Fermi 2 24-Month Cycle Extension and the San Onofre Decommissioning License Services project and has led or contributed to cycle extension and setpoint calculation projects at more than a dozen major nuclear facilities. His deep specialization in surveillance procedure failure analysis, instrument setpoint and uncertainty calculations, and regulatory compliance makes him a trusted technical resource for complex nuclear licensing challenges.

Ask Bruce about:

Instrumentation & Control Engineering, Design Engineering & Licensing Services, Surveillance Procedure Failure Analysis, Instrument Setpoint & Uncertainty Calculations, 24-Month Cycle Extension Projects, Decommissioning License Services, Project Management, Regulatory Guide 1.97 Compliance, Technical Specification Reviews, Nuclear Industry Standards (NUREG, IEEE, NEI)

Steve Clair

License Renewal Lead

Stephen E. Clair is a mechanical engineer with extensive experience in nuclear License Renewal (LR), License Renewal Implementation, and related inspections for both PWR and BWR nuclear power plants. Since 2007, Mr. Clair has supported License Renewal applications at multiple Entergy and non-Entergy nuclear facilities, including Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station, Grand Gulf Nuclear Plant, Waterford Nuclear Generating Station, Riverbend Station, DTE Fermi, Cooper Nuclear Station, and TVA Sequoyah Nuclear Plant. Since 2015, he has provided on-site License Renewal Implementation support including program development, procedure writing, inspection coordination, and NRC assessment support. Mr. Clair has also contributed to subsequent license renewal feasibility and scoping studies at Browns Ferry, Enrico Fermi, Sequoyah, Waterford Unit 3, and Arkansas Nuclear One, and provided peer review for Duke Energy’s Oconee Nuclear Station Subsequent License Renewal. He has additionally supported Cyber Security evaluation and implementation at Arkansas Nuclear One and Palisades Nuclear Generating Station.

Ask Steve about: license renewal (LR) applications, License Renewal Implementation, Subsequent License Renewal (SLR), Non-Class 1 Mechanical Aging Management Reviews, NUREG-1801 (GALL Report) Evaluations, Procedure & Program Writing and Development, Site-Specific LR Databases (SSCs), Scoping & Screening Studies, NDE & Visual Inspection Coordination, Cyber Security Evaluation & Implementation, NRC Assessment Support, Preventive Maintenance

Chris Robinson

Power Uprate Lead

Chris Robinson brings 16+ years of commercial nuclear experience spanning licensing, operations, engineering, and project execution across the full nuclear lifecycle. A licensed Senior Reactor Operator and registered Professional Engineer (Nuclear), Mr. Robinson has led multi-discipline engineering teams from conceptual through preliminary design phases of advanced reactor programs and is a recognized thought leader for developing novel regulatory solutions.

He currently leads major capital projects at a U.S. nuclear power plant undergoing operational restart through his firm, Mesos Technical Consultants LLC, and previously served as Engineering Manager (Director) at GE Vernova/GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy, where he oversaw an ~80-person globally matrixed engineering team and a $5B project pipeline.

Prior to his commercial career, Mr. Robinson served six years as a nuclear propulsion plant operator aboard U.S. Navy submarines.

Ask Brian about: nuclear plant operations (SRO), engineering management, capital project oversight, design basis & safety analysis, 24-month fuel cycle extensions, license renewal & amendments, NRC advocacy & representation, Gen IV reactor development, risk-informed decision making

Additionals

Ismael Yabda

Vice President – Business Development EMEA

Ismael Yabda serves as Vice President of Business Development for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA), bringing 20 years of experience in nuclear safety, licensing, regulatory strategy, and new-build feasibility across some of the world’s most complex nuclear projects. Mr. Yabda brings rare global reach and cultural fluency to every client engagement, advising governments, Nuclear Energy Program Implementing Organizations (NEPIOs), and regulatory bodies on technology selection, compliance strategies, and regulatory frameworks for both SMRs and large NPPs.

Mr. Yabda’s project portfolio spans Gen III+ reactor technologies including the AP1000, EPR, CAP1400, and APR1400, with landmark engagements including Head of Licensing for the Sinop Nuclear Project in Turkey (4-unit NPP), Project Manager for KACARE’s first NPP siting and feasibility study in Saudi Arabia, CAP1400 due diligence for Turkey, Periodic Safety Reviews for Belgium’s Doel and Tihange fleet, and regulatory support for the Moorside AP1000 project in the UK. At EXCEL, he leads EMEA business development while advising clients on SMR and large NPP deployment, PSR and LTO strategy, and regulatory framework optimization.

Ask Ismael about: Business development (EMEA), licensing & regulatory strategy, new-build feasibility studies, technology selection, site characterization & external hazard assessment, SMR & large NPP deployment, EPC & vendor negotiations, stakeholder & government engagement

James Voss