Austin serves as Vice President of Gas Operations for Pennsylvania and Maryland, where he is responsible for overseeing the safe, reliable, and efficient delivery of natural gas service across both states. He leads the operation and maintenance of the gas distribution system and is accountable for operational performance, system reliability, and execution of infrastructure investment programs. Austin also ensures alignment with regulatory requirements while advancing operational excellence and long-term strategy.

He is a seasoned energy leader with nearly 20 years of experience at NiSource, bringing deep expertise across natural gas and electric utility operations. Over the course of his career, he has led critical functions including system operations, transmission and distribution planning, control center operations, regulatory compliance, system reliability, and field execution, consistently advancing a strong culture of safety, accountability, and performance.

PROFESSIONAL HISTORYAustin began his career with NIPSCO in 2008, where he held roles of increasing responsibility panning transmission and distribution system planning, real-time monitoring and dispatch, emergency response, NERC compliance, and critical infrastructure reliability. This experience provided him with a comprehensive understanding of integrated energy systems and operational resilience.

Prior to his current role, Austin served as Director of Gas Operations for Columbia Gas of Ohio, where he was responsible for end-to-end operational performance, system reliability, and the safe delivery of natural gas services across the state.

Previously, he led Gas Control and System Planning, overseeing the real-time operation of NiSource’s natural gas system serving approximately 3.5 million customers across six states. In this role, he was responsible for ensuring safe and reliable system operations, emergency response, and operational coordination across a multi-state footprint.

EDUCATION
Austin earned a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from Purdue University and an Executive MBA from the University of Notre Dame. 

COMMUNITY/FAMILY
David is based in Bridgeville, Pennsylvania.