The last time I saw Erroll Davis Jr. was at the BEYA STEM Conference in Washington, D.C. He didn’t waste time with pleasantries. He looked me in the eye and said,
“Sit down.”
Then, with that signature voice—calm, commanding, and razor-sharp—he told me how proud he was of what I had built.
“You’ve built an institution,” he said. “A pillar for our community.”
That moment was more than personal. It was generational. Because few people have opened more doors for Black engineers, leaders, and changemakers than Erroll Davis.
1965: Quiet Beginnings in a Loud Era
When Erroll walked across the stage at Carnegie Mellon in 1965 with a degree in electrical engineering, the Voting Rights Act had just been signed into law. Marches were happening in Selma. Cities were burning in Watts.
But in most engineering classrooms and corporate labs? Silence. No marches. No inclusion. Just the overwhelming absence of Black faces.
Erroll Davis didn’t walk through an open door. He pried it open. He was one of the very few Black students at a predominantly White institution, earning a technical degree that would change the trajectory of his life—and the field.
At a time when less than 1% of engineers in America were Black, Erroll Davis became a signal that more were coming.
1970s–1980s: Corporate Rise in a Rigid System
In the late 1970s, Davis was moving up at Wisconsin Power and Light—an industry not known for its diversity or progressive leadership.
Yet by the mid-1980s, Davis had risen to President and CEO. Not of a division. Of the company.
In 1988, we honored him as Black Engineer of the Year, and with good reason. He wasn’t just the first Black executive in the room—he was changing what leadership looked like across the utility and energy sectors.
“Leadership,” Davis has said, “is not about style. It’s about substance, and responsibility.”
As Davis ascended, the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) was scaling nationally. US Black Engineer & Information Technology (USBE) magazine was lifting new voices. And the BEYA STEM Conference, launched in 1986, was becoming a home for a growing community that Erroll helped build.
1990s: The Power of Presence
In 1990, Davis made history again—becoming President and CEO of WPL Holdings, and later leading Alliant Energy. He was now the first Black CEO of a Business Week 1000 company.
This was no symbolic victory. It was a structural change. Davis served on the boards of General Motors, Union Pacific, BP, PPG Industries, and the University of Chicago. In those spaces, he wasn’t just present—he was pivotal.
He helped shape national conversations on energy policy, higher education, and corporate governance.
When Erroll Davis entered a boardroom, he didn’t walk in alone—he carried a generation with him.
2000s–2010s: Leading Where It Matters Most
After retiring from corporate leadership in 2005, Davis did something extraordinary. He pivoted toward education.
As Chancellor of the University System of Georgia, he oversaw 35 colleges and universities—impacting over 318,000 students. Later, as Superintendent of Atlanta Public Schools, he stepped into one of the toughest education environments in America—and stabilized it.
It wasn’t about prestige. It was about preparing the pipeline.
“We have to make sure students can get in the room, and that they’re ready when they do,” Davis said.
He understood that legacy wasn’t about what you earn—it’s about what you enable.
How Many Doors?
We’ll never know how many doors Erroll Davis opened. We can count the titles, the awards, and board seats. But the real measure is the engineers, scientists, leaders, and educators who saw him and thought:
“If he did it, maybe I can too.”
Some saw him at BEYA. Some read about him in USBE magazine. Some were mentored directly. Others never met him—but felt his impact all the same.
And that’s real leadership: when your work echoes in people you’ll never meet. Erroll Davis also served as Chairman of the Board of Carnegie Mellon and Chair of the National Academy of Engineering governing Council (July 2024-June 2025).
Still Here. Still Leading.
Today, Erroll Davis remains a mentor, advisor, and compass. His name is on the Erroll B. Davis Jr. Achievement Award, established in 2006 to honor leaders who are building on his legacy.
He doesn’t just represent a past era—he’s shaping the present and preparing the future.
We don’t use the word “pillar” lightly. But Erroll Davis? He is one.
Career Milestones
- 1965: Davis graduates from Carnegie Mellon, marking a breakthrough in elite technical education.
- 1975: The National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) is founded, helping to create a pipeline for Black STEM talent.
- 1986: The BEYA STEM Conference is launched, providing the first national platform for Black excellence in technology.
- 1988: Davis is named Black Engineer of the Year, becoming a symbol of rising Black executive leadership.
- 1990: He becomes the CEO of WPL Holdings, making history as the first Black CEO of a major utility company.
- 2006: The Davis Achievement Award is established to honor excellence in leadership and education.
- Present: Davis continues to be an active mentor and advocate, with a legacy that grows across generations.
Closing Words
We built this platform—BEYA, USBE, STEM City USA—so the next Erroll Davis doesn’t have to fight to be seen. So they can lead from day one. So they can build, teach, invest, and transform.
But let’s be clear: we only got here because Erroll Davis broke through first.
And he’s still watching. Still commanding excellence. Still expecting us to keep building.
Not for praise. But for progress.
