Human Resources (HR) Business Partner Cortney “Cort” Bazemore joined GUC in February 2023. In this role, she is the primary HR support contact for our Gas, Finance, and Customer Relations Departments. This involves helping with interviewing and onboarding new employees, answering benefits questions, assisting with personnel matters, and much more. Prior to joining GUC’s HR Department, Cort was a manager at Walgreens for nine years and an HR professional at Smithfield Foods for seven years. 

FUN FACT! Cort says she is goofy and fun-loving outside of work and knows how to balance professionalism with a playful side. “While I am serious and focused when necessary, especially in my HR role,” she said, “not everyone gets to see my lighter side.” For instance, not many people know that Cort has long wanted a motorcycle! She’s enjoyed riding dirt bikes with her son and is planning for her future motorcycle.

What are some favorite things about your job? The people and the work they do. I enjoy learning about the work our employees do and what it involves. It’s amazing, and I like experiencing that with them.  

What did you want to be when you were younger? An architect. When I was younger, I would draw little blueprints and drawings of my house. 

What motivates you to work hard? My family. Every single one of them. They work really hard to support me and did as much as they could to help me be successful in my career.  

What is your proudest career accomplishment? Surviving full-time employment at Walgreens while earning my master’s and raising my son. It took me three years. I also had to do an internship the last year. I had to pick up night shifts for my full-time job and do my internship in the morning, while my son was at school. I was able to move to an HR career immediately after graduating. It was hard work, but it was worth it.  

What was your very first job?  Ingles Nook - a retail store in Virginia Beach Mall (similar to a Hallmark gift shop). 

Any GUC projects you’re working on that you’d like to share? I’m always working on Wellness for GUC. It’s an ongoing project to build that up and make it a sustainable program for GUC.  

What advice do you offer to those who are new to the utility industry? Ask questions. Be vulnerable and know it’s okay to not know everything. I’ve built relationships by asking people to explain things to me. There are tons of people who are waiting for opportunities to teach you what they know.  

What would you like us to know about your family? I have a growing family. It was just me and my son, Andy (14), for the longest time. Now, I also have a fiancé, Will, and his three children, Starr (21), Iam (12), and Skye (9).      

What is your favorite family or holiday tradition? Collecting nutcrackers with my son. We have a Nutcracker for almost every year.  We also drive around looking at Christmas lights.  

Have you ever had a nickname? Bazemore. I played basketball for a lot of years and was always known as Bazemore. When I went to college and joined Airforce ROTC, I was also known as Bazemore. When I transitioned into management, I was known as Bazemore.   

Given a chance, who would you like to be for one day? An NFL player. I’m amazed at the things they do on that field. I want to know what it feels like to be in a stadium with all those people, and the way they get excited after plays and cheer for each other. As a professional adult, I miss the wins from childhood sports.  

What have been your favorite travel destinations? Cherokee Mountains and Florida. I love the clear water and islands in Florida and the clear water streams in the Cherokee Mountains.  

What would you do if you won the lottery? Buy a whole bunch of tiny homes. We have family land in Windsor, and I would like to put tiny homes on that land. Our goal is to always have that land remembered, so during family reunions, everyone can stay on the family land.   

Do you have any hobbies? My hobbies are working out and listening to podcasts. I like the “Optimum Living Daily” podcast or NPR’s “Short Wave” and “Life Kit” podcasts.  

What emoji do you use the most? I use the kissy face because I text my fiancé the most. 

Which apps do you use the most? Apple Podcast app and FitOn – a workout app that saved my sanity during COVID.  

Coke or Pepsi? Both. As long as it has caffeine, I’m good. 

What’s your favorite thing to do when not at work? Sit outside. Anything outside. 

What is at the top of your bucket list? Tiny home living and owning a motorcycle.  

If given the chance, what time period would you want to want to live in? I want to be in the present. I don’t have a desire to go back in time, and time-hopping forward is too questionable.  

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

What’s your favorite snack? Double-stuffed Oreo’s.  

What is your favorite local restaurant? Giddy-Up Coffee House. 

What is your favorite movie? Transformers movies. 

Beach or mountains? Mountains. 

What’s your favorite quote? “This is hard, but it doesn’t mean I can’t do it.” 

What is one thing that instantly makes your day better? Sunshine. Seeing sun outside and blue clouds is a beautiful thing. The universe and the world should blow anybody’s mind.