David Schepperly, 29

As a control room supervisor at the Indian Point Energy Center in Buchanan, David Schepperly monitors all operations and functions of the nuclear plant to keep it running safely and according to regulations. Some might find such responsibilities daunting, but the White Plains resident knows he’s well prepared. After earning his BS in mechanical engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute — where he also played football — he went through three full days of aptitude testing and two years of full-time on-the-job training to qualify for his senior reactor operator (SRO) license from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Schepperly accomplished this feat at just age 27 — making him one of the youngest in his industry to earn that distinction. “I’m a hard worker and have confidence in myself,” he says humbly. Prior to his current assignment, Schepperly proved himself as an engineer by being responsible for the plant’s auxiliary feedwater system, which must remain in continual operation were the plant to shut down. He is currently pursuing his MBA at Marist College.