Erroll B. Davis Jr. began his first term as chair of the National Academy of Engineering on July 1, 2024. He is a retired senior executive presently engaged with board, philanthropic, senior executive counseling, and consulting work. He most recently served as superintendent of Atlanta Public Schools from July 2011 until his retirement in July 2014. Prior to Atlanta Public Schools, Mr. Davis served as chancellor of the University System of Georgia from February 2006 to June 2011; president, chief executive officer, and chair of the board of Alliant Energy Corporation, an energy holding company, from 1998 to 2006; and president and chief executive officer of WPL Holdings, which merged with two other companies to form Alliant Energy, from 1990 to 1998. Mr. Davis also previously served as president, chief executive officer, and vice president of finance of Wisconsin Power and Light Company from 1978 to 1990.

Mr. Davis previously served as a member of the board of directors of: PPG Industries Inc., a global supplier of paints, coatings, and specialty materials, from 1994 to 2007; BP plc, a multinational oil and gas company, from 1998 to 2010; Union Pacific Corporation, a transportation company, from 2004 to 2020; and General Motors Corporation, a multinational manufacturer and distributor of vehicles and vehicle parts, from 2009 to 2015. He retired from the PBS board in Washington, DC, in 2020 but continues to serve on the board of councilors of the Carter Center. He is on the advisory boards of the Institute of Nuclear Power Operations, Atlanta Ballet, and Chautauqua Foundation. Mr. Davis holds a BSin electrical engineering from Carnegie Mellon University and an MBA in finance from the University of Chicago.