Chris Rouse, Gas Systems Crew Leader II, has been with GUC for 23 years. He started as a Machine Operator in Water Resources before transferring to the Gas Department as a Pipe Layer I, then Equipment Operator III and Crew Leader I and II. Chris oversees a Heavy Construction Crew that installs and repairs distribution mains that range from 2” – 8” throughout our system, as well as the building of steel industrial meter sets. Chris ensures his crew is working safely and following all federal and state regulations when installing natural gas pipelines. They also follow the Gas Department’s Operation and Maintenance Plan guidelines. Chris is one of seven certified welders at GUC who perform welding on the steel lines in our system. Before joining GUC, Chris worked with Harrelson and Smith Contractors in Ayden and prior to that he worked on a farm. 

FUN FACT! Chris owns a lawn care and landscaping business on the side, and his business won Platinum in the Community Votes for Greenville in 2023! 

What are some favorite things about your job? My coworkers - they are like my second family. I also love tackling big projects, seeing them completed, and knowing that our customers depend on us and trust us to keep them safe, especially in times of emergencies. 

What did you want to be when you were younger? I wanted to be a police officer. 

What motivates you to work hard? My family motivates me to work hard. 

What is your proudest career accomplishment? Becoming a Crew Leader II and going to college to get my welding certification. 

What advice do you offer to those who are new to the utility industry? Advice I would give to someone new in the industry is to work hard, take pride in your work, and don’t take shortcuts. 

What would you like us to know about your family? My wife and I have been together 15 years (married for 11 years in May). Our oldest son, Mason, is 7, and our youngest son, Grayson, is 4. We enjoy vacationing in the mountains of North Carolina when we can, and I also try to carry them somewhere new every year outside of North Carolina. We are usually on our pontoon boat every weekend during the dog days of summer. Our passion as a family is hunting whitetail deer (either with or without our hounds) and turkey. 

What is your favorite family or holiday tradition? Watching our boys open gifts on Christmas morning. 

Do you have a favorite family recipe? My mom’s collards are the best you’ll ever eat. 

Who is your favorite band or singer? Alabama is my favorite band. 

Who is your hero? My mom. 

What would you do if you won the lottery? I’d make sure my entire family was taken care of first and then I’d buy and move to a huge farm in the Midwest. 

Do you collect anything or have any hobbies? Boating, fishing, hunting, running hounds, and trail riding in the mountains on UTVs. 

Which apps do you use the most? I probably use Facebook the most of any app. 

Coke or Pepsi? Pepsi. 

What’s your favorite thing to do when not at work? Spending time with family and friends. 

What is at the top of your bucket list? Taking my wife and kids on a whitetail hunt in the Midwest. 

If given the chance, what time period would you want to want to live in? I’d love to live back in the early 1900’s when life was simple. No technology and no cell phones. Farming was a way of life and families lived off the land. 

What’s your favorite season of the year? Fall. 

Do have you have a favorite sports team? Duke. 

What is your favorite local restaurant? Texas Roadhouse.  

What is one thing that instantly makes your day better? Hearing my sons call me Daddy will make my day better every time.