Director of Electric Systems John Worrell has retired after 38 years of service to Greenville Utilities Commission, leaving behind a legacy of shrewd relationship development and planning, masterful technical expertise, and impactful leadership.
He began his career at GUC as a Substation Engineer Coordinator in 1987 after graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Technology/Electrical from East Carolina University.
In 2000, he became the Electric Planning Engineer and in 2016 the Assistant Director of Electrical Systems. In 2021, he became Director of Electric Systems.
In his tenure at Greenville Utilities, John laid the foundation for what is now GUC’s Key Accounts Team, developed lasting relationships with industry leaders and developers, and has been an advocate for GUC and the department he led.
Assistant Director of Electric and incoming Director Ken Wade worked alongside John for 35 years said that John’s technical skills are unmatched, but it his natural ability to develop and foster relationships that sets him apart.
“A lot of people who work here, me included, are very technical people,” John said. “We have to learn how to communicate with people.”
For John, he realized early on in his career that though technical knowledge is imperative to do the work of electrical engineering, communication is also a necessity. In the 80s, John actually became known as the “phone man” by GUC staff at the different locations.
“Early on, I managed GUC’s phone and radio systems,” John said. “So, I was able to go from location to location and talk with people while I handled those systems. It was good times back then, and I got to know many employees.”
John’s technical skills and his ability to communicate and coordinate proved valuable to him in the Planning Engineer role where his ability to develop strong working relationships really shined through.
“He excelled as a planning engineer,” Ken said. “But he set himself apart from a lot of people in the company was his ability to develop relationships and friendships. For years, there was no Key Accounts team. Back then, the Key Accounts team was John. If industrial customers or developers had a problem, whether it was electric, gas, or water, they went to John.”
Under his leadership, GUC earned the Smart Energy Provider designation from the American Public Power Association (APPA) twice, earned the Reliable Public Power Provider (RP3) designation from APPA continuously since 2007 (achieving the highest level of Diamond), and constructed and built the second community solar farm in North Carolina. John also helped plan and bring redundancy to increase reliability and access to reliable power to the Greenville region.
John’s technical skills were tried and tested when Hurricane Floyd overcame GUC’s only Point of Delivery at the time.
“When I think back on my career, I’ve gotten a lot of projects done, but it was during Hurricane Floyd where we had been fighting floodwaters to get power restored as quickly as possible, is what I remember the most,” John said. “We thought it would take weeks to get the power back on here.”
John was a part of the team that rewired an entire substation lifting buswork and conductors to clear the rising floodwaters. That allowed them to get the power back on section by section for GUC customers. They began working that morning, even using a table they found floating in the water to stand on the structures while they worked above the 9-foot floodwater. By 4 p.m. that same day, Duke energized the substation.
“Everything worked. Everything held, and we got substations up one by one until the whole system was up and running again,” John said.
John was also the first at GUC to lead the charge in fiberoptic wiring in 1998, making one GUC substation the first in the state where all devices were connected with fiber.
“At that time, to figure out how to do this type of wiring, there was a lot of reading and a lot of scratching your head, but John was made for challenge. He enjoys it,” said Ken.
John’s leadership style is focused on safety and empowering those he supervises through training and autonomy.
“Safety is a priority, and the people we hire have to conform to our safety culture. That is non-negotiable. Many of our employees are young or right out of school, so training is important,” John said. “We aren’t going to let anyone do something they are uncomfortable with, or unsure of. Knowledge and training breeds confidence in your work.”
John said he is confident that the Electric Department will carry on after he retires without missing a beat because the staff has been empowered all along ,to solve problems, make decisions, and keep it going on their own volition.
“Over time, I have watched this staff learn and grow, so they are ready to take over after my retirement. I am confident that they will do very well. They are a highly capable group, and the Department is in good hands,” John said. “We are going in the right direction, and they will keep it that way.”
John’s candor, friendship, and leadership will be missed.
“John’s leadership and friendship are a lot of what shaped my career. Speaking on behalf of all the Electric Department, we are going to miss him,” Ken said.
“John has done an outstanding job,” said General Manager/CEO Tony Cannon said.
“He will always tell you what he is thinking. You don’t have to second guess when you step out of the room whether he agrees with you or disagrees with you. But also, when you come out of that room, you know that he’s got your back 100%. He’s always done that for his employees, for customers, and he’s done that for me. I have enjoyed working with him these last 20 years.”
In retirement, John plans to spend more time with his family, go fishing, go golfing, and spend time with his 88-year-old mother, Shirley.
