Ten teams. Ten pigs. One shot.

Member for

1 year 6 months
Oct 01, 2025
Pitmaster Challenge

The GUC Pitmaster Challenge is the kickoff to Public Power Week, Public Natural Gas Week, and Customer Service Week to celebrate the work we do as a public-owned utility.  

This year, the Challenge will be on Wednesday, October 8th, at the Operations Center.  

Employees are invited to come eat the teams’ cooking from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. 

Sides of baked beans, mac & cheese, and strawberry pudding will be provided by Sam Jones Barbecue. 

Parker’s will provide fried chicken, corn sticks, hushpuppies, sweet and unsweet tea.  

Sam Jones will also offer up strawberry pudding for dessert and Simply Natural Creamery will be onsite as well. 

Charlie Martin, Whole Hog Cook-Off Master Judge; Nick Haase with Sam Jones BBQ, and Matt Jones with Jones Southern BBQ will begin judging the teams’ pigs at 11 a.m. They will determine which teams have the best taste, appearance, BBQ sauce, and skin along with 1st, 2nd, and 3rd places. 

Winners will be announced at 1 p.m.  

Ribbons will be won on best taste, best skin, best sauce, and best appearance.  

There will also be 1st, 2nd, and 3rd, overall recognitions.  

The competition is steep with Electric, Gas, and Water having three teams a piece, and the Downtown Office with one team. 

Electric Department Teams 

  • Wyatt Blackburn, Captain; Luke James; Dylan Evans; and Sidney Cotherman;
  • Larry Chambliss, Captain; Josh Owens, Jay Pigford; and Charlie May;
  • Adam McRoy, Captain; Dustin Jenkins; Leon Kornegay; Brandon Jones; and Brandon Vernelson. 

Gas Department Teams 

  • Justin Oakes, Captain; Tony Richards; Blake Beddard; Briley Sutton; and David Telfair;
  • Ron Cullipher, Captain; Paul Edwards; Chris Wallace; Chris Bright, and Hugh Mills;
  • Chris Rouse, Captain; Butch Mills; Mickey Dawson; and Glenn Crumpler. 

Water Resources Department Teams 

  • Corbin Congleton, Captain; Kyle Veneski; Hayden Hardy; George Fuller; and Matthew Gupton;
  • Justin Elks, Captain; Dylan Moore; Adam Garris; Bryce Harrison; and John Legget;
  • Brook Nobles, Captain; Davis Andrews; Julius Patrick; Zach Hamilton; and Brad Dunn. 

Downtown Office Team 

  • (Finance) Amanda Wall, Captain, and Jessica Hardy; (Customer Relations) LeAnne Wetherington; and (Pub Info) Erin Walton and Melinda Sampson.