Around his 21st birthday, Garon Yamashita knew he wanted to be part of something bigger than himself. A visit to his local recruiting office launched a 10-year military career defined by leadership, accountability, and integrity. What he didn’t know at the time was just how much this experience would translate to the work he now leads at Oncor.
A Decade of Dedicated Service
Yamashita’s military career started in Goose Creek, South Carolina where he attended Naval Nuclear Power Training Command (NNPTC). This program is extremely prestigious and known for its intensity, demanding both technical excellence and mental resilience. After just 18 months in the program, he qualified to fully operate and manage an entire nuclear power plant.
Following his training, Yamashita was sent to Kings Bay, Georgia where he was stationed on the USS Wyoming for the next four years and led a talented division of 10 electricians. Beneath the surface of the ocean, in one of the most complex environments imaginable, his team consistently relied on his steady leadership. “It taught me to take ownership and responsibility,” said Yamashita. “Plus, there is nothing more exciting or rewarding than getting a billion-dollar warship out to sea and taking it underwater.”
A few years later, Yamashita’s grandfather was diagnosed with cancer and he moved his family back to San Diego. While there, Yamashita served as a nuclear field coordinator, leading a team of 12 recruiters and over 200 future sailors. “The most important lesson I learned was taking ownership and accountability, which is now the cornerstone of who I am today,” Yamashita said. “I had to process a lot of information and make decisions very quickly with imperfect information.”
In 2018, Yamashita was transferred back to submarine duty and was stationed on USS Annapolis until he was medically discharged despite always envisioning his entire career being with the military. “The military taught me how to trust myself and is where I really discovered who I was as a person, as a father, and as a leader.”
Finding the Perfect Fit
Transitioning into civilian life wasn’t easy, but it forced him to rely on the instincts and discipline the military had instilled in him. Once he discovered Oncor, he knew he was on the right path. “I am really grateful that Oncor aligns perfectly with my values and it’s a place where my background comes into play every day,” said Yamashita. “It gave me the sense of belonging and purpose I needed once outside of the military.”
His career began at one of Oncor’s distribution operations center where he spent his days helping maintain the Texas electric grid. “My first job at Oncor was very similar to my job on the submarine where I distributed power from the nuclear reactor to my submarine, powering the pumps and turbines,” explained Yamashita. “At Oncor, I got to do the same thing, taking power from the transmission lines and then delivering it to our customers.” Fast forward to today, Yamashita is the supervisor of a team of 10 project managers who manage commercial projects across Texas.
Outside of leading an impressive team, Yamashita continues to give back to the veteran community within Oncor, serving as the volunteer chair for the veteran employee resource group and being a key player in establishing SkillBridge, a program that provides vital support for veterans transitioning into civilian careers while also supplying a steady pipeline of highly skilled, disciplined, mission-driven talent. “Oncor does a really good job of acknowledging the skills that veterans bring, and that aligns perfectly with the values of veterans and the work they are capable of doing,” said Yamashita.
Adopting Oncor’s spirit of giving back, Yamashita volunteers at Habitat for Humanity of Ellis County, Texas where he serves on the board of directors. And in his free time, he enjoys playing soccer and competing over a game of trivia with his three children. “I’m extremely proud of the work, the trust, and the family I built during my time in service, and now I’m just as proud to be a part of Oncor.”
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