Shelby Brewer Shelby Templeton Brewer is an American nuclear energy sector executive in private and public positions since 1978 . He was Chief Executive Officer of ABB - Combustion Engineering Nuclear Power , one of the world ' s leading nuclear companies for ten years ( 1985 – 1995 ) . He was the top nuclear official in the Reagan Administration from 1981 – 1984 . Early year and personal information . Shelby Brewer was born and raised in Little Rock , Arkansas , and attended public school there . He is the son of Fay Templeton Brewer and Donald Brewer , an aviation pioneer in the 1920s and 1930s . He has one sister , Janet Templeton Riggs who is married to B . Lawrence Riggs , MD . In his teen years Shelby was well known in the south as a junior tennis champion , winning numerous tournaments and achieving a place on the 1953 Junior Davis Cup Team . He married Marie Ulfsdotter Anesten of Sweden in 1966 . They have two children ( Jens and Sara ) and three grandchildren ( Hannah , Hayden , and Matilda ) . The Brewers live in Alexandria , VA . Education . Brewer earned these degrees : Military service . Brewer served in the U . S . Navy as a commissioned officer during 1961 – 64 . He was a division head on the USS Randolph ( CVS 15 ) during 1961 – 62 , supervising several hundred personnel . He participated in Mercury astronaut recovery , the Bay of Pigs and Dominican Republic engagements . During 1963 – 64 , he was Dean of the U . S . Naval Reactors School at New London , Connecticut and Bainbridge , Maryland . , a training school for naval officers entering the nuclear fleet . Career posts . Nuclear Chief in Reagan Administration ( 1981 – 84 ) . Brewer was appointed by President Ronald Reagan and confirmed by the US Senate . in 1981 to the top U . S . Government post in nuclear energy , where his management responsibilities included : all civilian nuclear research , development , and demonstration programs ; U . S . Navy nuclear reactor development and deployment ; the U . S . Uranium Enrichment Enterprise ( for both civilian and military purposes ) ; nuclear waste management ; special applications of nuclear technology , such as power isotope and reactor systems for space missions . His fiscal responsibilities included managing assets of over $ 20 billion , with annual outlays of about $ 1 . 5 billion , and uranium enrichment outlays and revenues of about $ 2 billion . When Brewer was appointed in 1981 , nuclear power in the US was in a slump . Many nuclear plants in the licensing and construction pipeline had been terminated , and new orders had ceased . The Carter administration had banned breeder reactor development and commercial reprocessing in the US , and had characterized nuclear as an energy source of last resort . Brewer ’ s orders from the Reagan administration were to reverse the Carter policies and to reinvigorate the US nuclear option . Shelby Brewer set down in his confirmation statement to the US Senate an agenda for a nuclear reformation . Rather than administer a large amorphous technology program , Brewer elected to focus sharply on several large policy deliverables necessary for configuring nuclear power as a mature business . His statement stressed ( 1 ) nuclear licensing reform , streamlining and standardization of nuclear designs offered by the vendors ; ( 2 ) closure of the backend of the nuclear fuel cycle , with an option ultimately for reprocessing , and deployment of a national system for disposition of spent nuclear fuel ; ( 3 ) remobilization of the US Breeder Reactor Program ; and ( 4 ) reforming and making more responsible the role of government in domestic nuclear power development , while reducing government spending . Brewer ’ s confirmation statement formed the basis of President Reagan ’ s Nuclear Policy Statement in October 1981 . Nuclear power was a very contentious issue , and Brewer was the administration ’ s lightning rod , receiving and counterpoising the attacks of those in Congress opposing nuclear power . Congressional hearing appearances by Brewer were heated and confrontational . Brewer is credited with a score of historically significant achievements : Brewer served as “ Nuclear Czar ” until October 1984 when he resigned to become President of the Nuclear Division at Combustion Engineering . Commenting on Brewer ’ s record during his first term , President Ronald Reagan said : " In each of these cases , as well as many more , I have relied on your wise and expert guidance , and I want to thank you personally for a job well done . " President & CEO ABB - Combustion Engineering ( 1985 - 95 ) . Brewer joined Combustion Engineering in 1985 as President of its Nuclear Power Division . In 1990 , Combustion Engineering was acquired by Asea Brown Boveri ( ABB ) , and Brewer ’ s responsibilities were expanded . Nuclear power was in the throes of a severe nuclear recession which had set in during the mid - 1970s . There had been no sustained plant orders in over a decade , and the entire industry including plant manufacturers and fuel cycle companies were overcapacitied , in both personnel and facilities , for the served market . Combustion Engineering as whole as well as its Nuclear Power Division were surviving on contingent reserves set aside years past for nuclear liabilities . Brewer believed it imperative that his division be downsized and aligned with current realities , to become a net cash generator on current operations . Combustion Engineering Nuclear underwent a rapid repositioning during his service as its Chairman , President and CEO , including the following benchmark events : Controversies and Brewer ’ s besponses . As the top nuclear energy official in the Reagan Administration , and as a corporate executive in a down market , Brewer was not immune from controversy . While known for cool , understated demeanor , and an analytic mind , Brewer could in a split nanosecond respond with a volcanic laser - beam focused ferocity . He did not suffer fools gladly .