Our National Training Center courses are taught by expert instructors with extensive qualifications and industry experience. Led by Training Program Manager Steve Newton, our qualified team is available to conduct courses at your own facility or at our 23,000-square-foot training center. Learn more about Steve and his qualifications below.
Steve Newton, SET
Steve Newton, National Training Center Training Program Manager, is a subject matter expert for the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET), a certified National Center for Construction Education and Research (NCCER) Instructor, a Master Trainer for the Instructor Certification Training Program, and is a certified Level IV Senior Engineering Technician in electrical power testing. He is a certified instructor for Electrical, Instrumentation, Electronic, Solar and various Power curriculums. He holds several professional memberships, including IEEE and NFPA, and is actively involved in review and development of materials for the electrical industries.
David Drake, BSEE
David Drake brings nearly three decades of experience to the position of Senior Trainer. Starting his career with Florida Power & Light, then moving to parent company NextEra, David honed his skills in the operation and commissioning of power plants in Florida and Texas. He rose to the position of Transmission & Substation Operations Manager for Texas & Western Regions, where he was responsible for the operating performance of personnel and equipment for a multi-state region. He then joined Harrison Walker & Harper in Paris, Texas, where he served as Continuous Improvement Manager and Vice President of Industrial before departing in early 2017. David led the development of NextEra’s initial arc-flash hazard mitigation procedure for the unregulated business unit and gained experience as a trainer. David received a B.S. degree in Electrical Engineering from North Carolina State University and is a certified Six Sigma Black Belt.
Ryan Matthews, PE
With over a decade of experience working at National, Ryan Matthews is experienced in leading projects and crews, making sure they are safety oriented, timely and profitable. Ryan continues to expand his knowledge in the industry by attending training courses and obtaining additional certifications. He is an NCCER certified trainer and NETA Level IV Technician with training and certifications in NFPA 70E Electrical Safety, Doble Power Factor, Microprocessor Based Relay Training Distribution (AVO), and Advanced SKM Power Tools Training. In addition, he is a Registered Professional Engineer in the states of Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana and Nevada. Ryan received his bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering from Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, Texas.
Eric Beckman, PE
Eric Beckman received a bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering from Louisiana Tech University in 2003. He is a Registered Professional Engineer in the state of Texas, Oklahoma and Nevada; NETA Level IV Certified Technician; NICET Level IV Certified Technician; NCCER Certified Instructor; and a Certified Thermographer. Beckman is on the Texas State Technical College (TSTC) advisory board. He is also a member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and the Power & Energy Society (PES). He is also 2nd Vice President of the NETA Board of Directors, Chair of the Training Committee and sits on the Membership Application Review Committee and CTD Review Committee.