The day we interviewed Warehouse Manager Chris Evans, he was working on short- and long-term solutions for GUC to the worldwide supply chain issue. And who better to predict what our crews will need in the coming year or two than someone with varied Greenville Utilities experience.   

Chris joined Greenville Utilities in 2000 as a Technician in our Warehouse, also known as Stores. In 2003, he transferred to the Electric Department where he worked for 14 years serving on a variety of crews including Line Clearing, Underground Construction, Maintenance, and Service Crews. In 2017, Chris went back to the Warehouse as Assistant Warehouse Manager and was promoted to his current role earlier this year. 

Chris manages a staff of eight and approximately $9.7 million worth of inventory that our crews use daily, plus whatever is needed in emergencies like snowstorms, hurricanes, and cut mains. Chris also works closely with our engineers and Purchasing Section on bidding out materials for upcoming projects and shares the responsibility of managing GUC’s supply vendors alongside our Assistant Warehouse Manager.  

On an average day, our Warehouse receives 5 to 10 large truck shipments of inventory from tiny nuts and bolts to utility poles and pipe. GUC’s new Warehouse is 30,000 square feet with 4.5 acres of outdoor storage (aka “the yard”).  

“The Warehouse is a centralized spot,” he said, “and I like the opportunity we have to interact with so many of the employees at GUC. There is never a dull moment over here.” 

Like many of us, the biggest change that Chris has seen in his time at the Warehouse is technology. “Our materials requests are now done through iPads instead of paper,” he said. “Crews can send us a request from out in the field, and it can be ready for them by the time they get back to the Warehouse.” In addition to his Warehouse responsibilities, Chris is now serving on the new CSI Program Team, which you can read more about in the November issue of Spotlight.  

Born and raised in Greenville, Chris graduated from JH Rose High School and went on to receive a degree from Pitt Community College (PCC). He and his wife, Lauri (Water Treatment Plant Staff Support Specialist III) have two sons. Their oldest, Dylan, attends Pitt Community College in the Industrial Systems program and serves as a Student Ambassador. He also participates in the Building and Maintenance Co-Op program at GUC. Their youngest son, Logan, is a sophomore at Greenville Christian Academy and enjoys playing baseball. 

Chris and Lauri attend Parkers Chapel FWB Church and stay busy with their sons’ extracurricular activities such as sports and hunting. “I didn’t grow up hunting,” Chris said, “but the boys have taken an interest in it so it’s fun to spend time with them.” They also enjoy traveling and spending time with local family.  

Favorites

Restaurant: Sam Jones BBQ
Sports Team: Tar Heels
TV Show: Andy Griffith Show