Former NREL Director Richard Truly’s Achievements Spanned the Military, NASA, and Georgia Tech

By Martin Keller, Director of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory

As the National Renewable Energy Laboratory’s (NREL) ninth lab director, I have drawn heavily on the experience and wisdom of my predecessors.

When I joined NREL in 2015, I turned to Richard Truly and the other former directors for their thoughts on matters large and small. I was especially fortunate to have retired Admiral Truly, who led from 1997 to 2005, so close at hand in Genesee, Colorado, and willing to answer my questions. But he was equally happy to let me find my own way.

Richard never disappointed when asked his opinion. One of his first insights he shared: whether running a large organization such as NASA or a smaller one such as the 1,000-person lab he inherited, a leader’s job is always about finding the right people. Then, you get out of the way and let those folks make decisions.

That clear-eyed vision helped NREL transition from its role as a startup laboratory founded in 1977 into the research powerhouse it has become. His direct leadership approach fostered trust, which allowed others to progress.

During his time at NREL, some staff collected what they called “Truly-isms,” things he’d say to make a point. One was “don’t peak too early.” I tried to take that to heart when I began.

He made a lasting imprint at NREL. It was sad news indeed when we learned that he passed away in his Genesee home on Feb. 27 at the age of 86, surrounded by family. As one NREL staff member said, Richard Truly was a true American hero. Tributes have come from all parts of the country and the world.

He is life is worth celebrating

Richard, who attended Georgia Tech on a Reserve Officers' Training Corps scholarship, had risen in the ranks of the military, becoming a vice admiral in the Navy. Along the way, he made more than 300 carrier landings as a naval aviator, piloted the space shuttle on its first night landing, and led NASA back to flight following the Challenger disaster on Jan. 28, 1986, that killed all seven crew members. Prior to joining NREL, Richard served as director of Georgia Tech Research Institute for five years.

When he arrived at NREL, he told the assembled staff that he didn’t know anything about energy, and asked that they take his hand and lead him. They responded. He once said that those early days were “a steep learning curve for me,” but he was determined to absorb the new knowledge. The fact that he had been a fighter pilot and astronaut carried a lot of weight in Washington, D.C., and in the political realm.

One characteristic that stood out was his humility. Bob Noun, a longtime NREL leader said, "As much as Richard accomplished in his life, he never seemed to take himself too seriously.” Bob told of being with Richard at a congressional event one night in Denver when a U.S. senator mistakenly introduced that admiral as "Colonel Trulack." Some in the crowd who knew Richard gasped, but Richard kept a smile on his face and spoke to the group as though nothing happened. On the way back to NREL, Bob asked him if he was upset. Richard said, “I never sweat the small stuff, and it's all small stuff, though I suppose it could have been worse—I could have been introduced as Private Trulack."

He had a deep understanding and appreciation of technology.

Another former laboratory director, Charlie Gay, recounted a panel discussion at NREL's 25th anniversary celebration. "He told a story of being interviewed for the director's job," Charlie said. "The question was posed to him, 'Why is an astronaut qualified to serve as director?' Richard replied that his life depended on the technologies that saved the Apollo 13 astronauts 32 years earlier. That he was totally grounded in those same technology foundations established by the space program, dating back to 1958. All of which was part of the continuum from space to earth."

He was a grounded astronaut who constantly looked to the future. He became passionate about renewable energy and energy efficiency. He absolutely believed that we couldn’t duck the challenge of climate change—but had to figure out ways to fight it.

"He firmly believed it was not an option to ignore the problems of climate change," his son-in-law, NREL Senior Fellow Garry Rumbles, said. "We had to pursue alternative energy power for the world. He understood all the challenges. He was a realist."

Richard did so in part because he thought of not only his children, but his grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He did so also out of a sense of duty to his country as well as the planet.

Garry said that he always looked forward, never backward. He added, “we all admired his naval and space exploits, but if you met him, he would never tell you about them. He'd ask what you're doing next."

Richard Truly was both a believer and a realist who inspired others to keep taking on the challenges that are NREL's mission. I send my deepest condolences to his wife, Cody, and their family. I along with many, many others will miss this man who was, truly, an NREL—and an American—hero.