Doug Boone’s journey to GUC wasn’t a linear one. It was one that took him from Fayetteville to Iraq and Afghanistan to Pinetops and finally to Greenville.
Born and raised in Fayetteville, his perspective of the world was always expanded. His mother is Korean, so Doug grew up with a foot in two cultures. “I was able to introduce my friends to cultural things that were normal in my household, but not so much for them – like kimchi,” he said smiling.
He had aspirations of joining the army, but he ultimately became a defense contractor right out of high school. “I was a mechanic and armorer in Iraq and Afghanistan. I did that to save money for college,” Doug said.
His time in Iraq and Afghanistan was during a strained era, after 9/11 and with tensions high. Doug said what he remembers most fondly are shopping the bazaars for locally-crafted wares and teaching others about vehicle repair and maintenance.
When Doug came back stateside, he earned his degree in engineering then worked for Hyster-Yale as a test engineer and then later a design engineer. From Hyster-Yale, he went on to ABB, in Pinetops, one of the world’s leading suppliers of switchgear and medium-voltage transformers for the utility industry. He then joined GUC’s Electric Department in 2022.
In his current position as Electric Engineer II, he oversees construction projects building new transmission lines and serves as a liaison between GUC and contractors along with planning for future construction. What he enjoys the most about his work is being out in the field and watching his colleagues work on our system.
“I enjoy going out and seeing what amazing work our people do. They go out when it’s dark and raining to fix outages. I have a lot of admiration for what they do, and I enjoy being a part of it,” Doug said.
Fun Fact! I can say the alphabet backwards better than anyone who can say it forward. I learned how to do it to win $5 in contest in school.
What did you want to be when you were younger?
When I was a little kid, I wanted to be an astronaut and a doctor, but when I got into high school I wanted to go into the army.
What motivates you to work hard?
I work hard for my family. Everything always comes full circle. My parents worked hard to raise and support me, and now I do it for my daughter, Emma Grace. She is 6 years old.
What is your proudest career accomplishment?
That would be when I got my Professional Engineer (PE) license. I thought I was done solving math problems on tests, but in 2023 I did it again and earned my license.
What was your first job?
I worked at McDonald’s. I also delivered pizza.
What advice would you offer to those who are new to the utility industry?
For anybody coming into the utility industry, I would encourage them to ask questions and don’t make assumptions. Learn from someone else who has been there and done it before.
What would you like us to know about your family?
I have a daughter who is 6. I have an older brother who is an interpreter for the Air Force in Korea, and a sister who is a professor at the University of Florida. My mom and dad still live in Fayetteville.
What is your favorite family or holiday tradition?
Every Halloween, I make gumbo.
What is your favorite band or singer?
I don’t know about a favorite band or singer, but I do listen to classic rock, 90s and early 2000s rap, and I am recently getting into country.
What have been your favorite travel destinations?
Anywhere there is a beach. I’d like to go on a cruise one day.
What would you do if you won the lottery?
Split it in my lottery pool.
Do you collect anything or have any hobbies?
I enjoy fishing. I also collect fishing rods; any chance I get I will buy a new one.
Are you a morning person or a night owl?
Both
Any advice on turning a bad day into a good day?
Remember the reason why you are here and do the things you do. A bad day is exactly that, a day. Try to have a better day tomorrow.
If you wrote a memoir about your life, what would you title it?
The Extraordinary Adventures of an Ordinary Man
What’s your favorite thing to do when not at work?
Fishing, of course. But I also like spending time with my daughter and taking her to new places.
What’s at the top of your bucket list?
Fishing in the Amazon River
What’s your favorite season of the year?
Fall
What is your favorite movie?
Tombstone
What’s your biggest pet peeve?
When people pass the buck and don’t have any accountability for themselves. If you mess something up, be accountable for that and do better in the future.
What instantly makes your day better?
If I find myself in a stressful situation, and find something that makes me laugh, I feel a lot better.
What are you really good at?
Multitasking
If you could give your younger self advice, what would it be?
I would tell myself it is important to take advantage of the time that you have now. You don’t get any of that time back.
