Jay Bodnar
Senior Project Manager, Security
Nuclear Energy Institute
Mr. Jay D. Bodnar currently serves as Senior Project Manager for Nuclear Security and Incident Response at the Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI). On loan from South Texas Project Nuclear Operating Company, he leads national nuclear industry initiatives involving physical security, critical infrastructure protection, threat preparedness, emergency response, and regulatory modernization. In this role, Mr. Bodnar coordinates industry positions on Design Basis Threat policy, force-on-force programs, security oversight, and emerging threats. He also serves as a senior industry interface with the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission and other government stakeholders.
Prior to joining NEI, Mr. Bodnar served as Senior Manager of Plant Protection and Emergency Services at the South Texas Project, where he was responsible for nuclear security, corporate security, emergency preparedness, medical response, and beyond-design-basis response programs. He previously served as the station’s Emergency Preparedness Manager and Security Manager. During his tenure, he led significant security and emergency preparedness improvement initiatives, major security infrastructure projects, force-on-force exercise preparation, and the modernization of the station’s emergency response organization and Emergency Plan.
Mr. Bodnar began his commercial nuclear career with FirstEnergy Nuclear Operating Company in 2001. Over the next 15 years, he progressed through positions including security officer, instructor, shift supervisor, training supervisor, superintendent, and manager of nuclear security operations at the Perry and Davis-Besse nuclear power stations. His responsibilities included nuclear security operations, training, regulatory compliance, workforce leadership, protective strategy implementation, and force-on-force readiness.
A United States Marine Corps veteran, Mr. Bodnar served as an infantry squad leader, sniper team leader, and Special Reaction Team member. His military experience included leadership roles in anti-terrorism, physical security, convoy security, recapture, and high-risk response operations. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration, magna cum laude, from American Public University System and completed the Naval Postgraduate School Center for Homeland Defense and Security Executive Education Program in Radiological Emergency Preparedness.
