Mark Windham recently retired after 31.5 years of service with GUC. Mark was the Load Management/Systems Dispatch Supervisor in the Electric Department. He supervised the Load Management Technicians as well as the Dispatchers in Station One.

Mark was one of the key people involved in making load management decisions.  By reducing “peaks,” which occur when all of our customers use the greatest amount of electricity, we can hold down the cost of wholesale power we purchase. Mark kept a close watch on a lot of moving parts (weather, holidays, school closings, electric load patterns, etc.) in order to save us and our customers an annual average of $13.1 million in electrical demand costs. During his 12 years overseeing the program, Mark assisted GUC in avoiding approximately $120 million in peak demand costs.

“The family atmosphere is what I’ve enjoyed the most about GUC,” he said. “When it comes to the group I work with the closest, we probably spend more hours together working than we spend with our own families. These folks are so dedicated to each other and their jobs. I couldn’t have asked for a better group of people to work with, and it’s been a pleasure.”

Mark has also been volunteering for the last 39 years with the Eastern Pines Fire Department, and most recently joined the Grimesland Volunteer Fire Department when he and his wife, Mitzie, moved. In 2015, he was honored as the Eastern Pines Fireman of the Year and Pitt County Rural/Volunteer Fireman of the Year. In retirement, Mark hopes to enjoy more hunting and fishing along with projects around the house and spending time with his growing family. He and Mitzie have two children, Mathew and Stephanie, and eight grandchildren.

Congratulations on your retirement, Mark! You’ll be missed.