Briley Sutton, Gas Systems Technician I, understands the value of hard work and fulfilling responsibilities, as well as honoring his family and roots.
He was raised in Stokes, and before GUC, he worked on a family-run farm for three years.
“Working on the farm is a lot of hours and not a lot of time at home,” he said.
He was hired in 2021 at GUC and left briefly to return to the farm. He has been back to work at GUC as a Gas Systems Technician I for about a year now.
“I’ve always wanted to work at GUC,” Briley said. “When I was little, I always liked seeing the trucks and watching everybody working.”
In his current role, he spots utilities, fuses pipes, keeps the trucks stocked, and is a member of a crew that installs large gas mains or extends pipe from the mains to industrial and residential developments.
“I am proud of the work we did on Joe Stocks Road and what we are doing at Boviet Solar,” he said. Back in the summer of 2025, his and other Gas crews extended 7,600 feet of 4-inch polyethylene gas pipeline to serve 33 homes in the Granville Acres subdivision on Joe Stocks Road off of NC 43 South.
He has also worked on the project of extending the gas pipeline to the Boviet Solar facility. Boviet will have 4MW of natural gas-powered peak shaving generators. When you combine this with their other gas usage, their anticipated usage will be approximately 104,500 cubic feet of natural gas per hour to be supplied by an 8-inch main.
He said the people he works with make the job enjoyable.
“There are a lot of things I like about my job. I enjoy working with the crew and my supervisor and crew leader,” he said.
He also likes working outside and the security that GUC employees are afforded with benefits and scheduling. At the end of the day, whether on a farm or at GUC, his driving motivation to work hard is his family, which includes his young son, Beckett, and wife, Kennedy.
What is your proudest career accomplishment?
That would be getting my CDLs when I came back to work at GUC.
What advice do you offer to those who are new to the utility industry?
It’s important that you stick with it and don’t give up too early.
What is your favorite family or holiday tradition?
I like the 4th of July because it’s during the summertime, and we have a cookout and shoot fireworks.
Have you ever had a nickname?
My nickname is Sparky. It came from when I used to do electrical work with my uncle.
Who is your favorite band or singer?
Jason Aldean
What have been your favorite travel destinations?
I like the beach.
What would you do if you won the lottery?
If I won the lottery, I’d buy a ranch out west, probably in Kansas.
Is there a celebrity you’d like to meet?
Cody Johnson
Do you collect anything or have any hobbies?
I like to hunt. I hunt deer, rabbit, and raccoons.
Are you a morning person or a night owl?
Morning
What’s your favorite thing to do when not at work?
I like to hunt and spend time with my family.
What is at the top of your bucket list?
I want to go rabbit hunting out west.
What’s your favorite season of the year?
Fall
What is your favorite movie?
Oceans 12. I will watch the whole movie every time it comes on.
What’s your biggest pet peeve?
Smacking when you are eating or eating really loud.
What is one thing that instantly makes your day better?
When other people around me are in a good mood.
If you could give your younger self advice, what would it be?
I would tell myself to be more serious about my career here.
What is your favorite memory from childhood?
The first deer I ever got. I was 9 or 10 years old, and it was a little doe.
