By Ethan Lott – Data Editor, Pittsburgh Business Times

Mar 11, 2026

20 People to Know connects the Pittsburgh business community with influential individuals in their fields. These are not meant to be comprehensive or a ranking, but rather an introduction to some of the behind-the-scenes players, key leaders and up-and-comers. 

David Roop, Vice President of the Power Systems Engineering Division, Mitsubishi Electric Power Products Inc.

David Roop is the division head for the Power Systems Engineering Division at MEPPI, meaning he is responsible for strategy, overall performance and connecting business needs with engineering execution. His day-to-day work involves delivery on MEPPI project commitments, communicating priorities, aligning teams, setting direction, planning and tracking performance, supporting technical discussions and removing barriers. Roop has almost 13 years with Warrendale-based MEPPI, which is building an $86 million factory in Beaver County. He was elevated to his current role in August 2024 after starting as a design engineer in 2013.

How has your role changed since you took on the new position in 2024?

I have shifted from leading technical consulting work to guiding the overall business performance and strategic direction of the division. We have an incredibly talented team, and my focus now is making sure our business systems and organizational structure enable their impact while positioning us for the future needs of the industry. I am an engineer at heart, so I still enjoy contributing to strategy and staying close to critical projects involving grid impacts, emerging technologies and advanced analytics.

Besides data centers, what are other industry demands that you are watching?

Beyond data centers, we are observing forces that are reshaping fundamentals of power system reliability. Rapid growth and the behavior of new load and resources is adding complexity to how we plan, operate and protect the grid. At the same time, the industry’s infrastructure needs are outpacing both supply-chain capacity and workforce availability. Supporting this transition will require new modeling approaches, evolving talent strategies and novel analytical tools. These areas align closely with the work our division is doing.

What’s something people wouldn’t guess about you from your job? 

I had the opportunity to work for 2.5 years in Japan with Mitsubishi Electric Corp. through MEPPI’s Rolling Start Program. I am grateful for the colleagues and mentors who invested in me. They broadened my thinking, encouraged my curiosity and shared their culture with me.

What’s something you’re learning or trying outside of your job? 

After spending time in Japan learning the language, I paused my studies when I returned to the U.S. as life became busy. My wife, Emily, and I now have two wonderful children, Grayson and Genevieve, and I am focused on being a present father and modeling healthy habits. Recently, I have picked my Japanese studies back up, and it has been rewarding to reconnect with something that ties me to Japan’s culture and that I can use in personal and professional relationships.

You can view the article at "20 People to Know in Energy: David Roop, Mitsubishi Electric Power Products Inc."