One of the main reasons Travis Lancaster loves what he does is because his professional and personal goals are aligned with the mission of GUC, especially when it comes to protecting the environment. "This is a rewarding career because I can take care of the environment and serve my community," said Travis. "I love my job and wouldn’t want to do anything else in the world."  

Travis has been an Operator at the Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) for four years. His primary responsibility is to monitor all aspects of wastewater treatment operations, making sure they are safe for our community and the environment. Travis and the team of Operators work 24/7 to check treatment, disinfection, and quality control of the treated wastewater before it is returned to the Tar River. They also collect samples from different points in the system for laboratory testing. The information gathered by Operators is entered into the Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system, which is the heartbeat of the Plant and tracks trends. All GUC remote sites are also monitored with SCADA. From time to time, Travis also helps the Maintenance staff on special projects.  

"Every day we go above and beyond federal and state requirements to make sure we achieve the highest standards for our treatment process," said Travis. "We take this job seriously, and I am very proud to be a part of this team." 

Operators are required to go through a rigorous state certification process, and Travis worked hard to receive the highest Grade 4 Wastewater Treatment Operator Certification. "One of my proudest moments was to receive that Grade 4, and my dad gave me the inspiration to achieve it," said Travis. His father has been in the wastewater industry for 44 years, and motivated Travis to start this journey and take the exams. “He knew I would succeed in this field.” 

Recently, Travis took part in an Operators’ competition on a team representing GUC – the Smooth Operators. They competed against 25 other teams at a national event organized by Water Environment Federation (WEF). Due to the COVID pandemic, this event was held remotely, but it didn't prevent our team from achieving recognition in three categories: process control, laboratory, and collections. "It is an honor to be selected to represent GUC nationwide and to show our skills in this challenging competition," said Travis. He and his teammate, Bryon Orr, placed 2nd  in Division 3 and 5th position overall. Visit page 6 to read more about this competition and how the other two-person team placed. 

Travis also graduated from GUC’s iLead program in 2018. The 10-month program includes intensive leadership classes and a group project to help participants improve their leadership skills within GUC. Travis's group is working on a pilot pollinator project related to GUC's environmental mission. "iLead helped me learn a lot about myself,” he said. “It’s a valuable experience.” 

Travis left his hometown of Butner, NC, in 2001 to join the Navy, serving as an Aviation Fuel Pump Room Supervisor. In 2010, Travis moved to back to eastern North Carolina and began his public works career with the City of Kinston as a Meter Reader. He joined GUC in 2016. 

Travis and his wife, Ashlee, have been married for ten years. Ashlee works at East Carolina University in Graduate Admissions. Their daughter, Emilee, is in 5th Grade at Trinity Christian School. Last year, Emilee participated in our "Value of GUC" campaign, helping us relay our value message in a fun video about her dad.  

In his spare time, Travis loves to read history books and watch documentaries. He also enjoys playing military strategy games and traveling with his family, especially to their favorite vacation spot, White Lake, NC.  

Love for his family and protection of the environment are what drives Travis, and his hard work as a second-generation Operator is appreciated at GUC.  

Favorites

Snack: Honeybuns and Vanilla Frappuccino
Book: Civil War by Ken Burns
Restaurant: The Seahorse
Sports Team: UNC Basketball
Movie: The Big Lebowski