September 2023 Newsmakers

September 2023 Newsmakers

September 28, 2023

Service Awards

Liz Brown / 30 Years
Liz Brown, Support Analyst II in Customer Relations, is celebrating her 30th anniversary with GUC. Her main responsibility is checking the Customer Care and Billing (CC&B) system each day to verify that customers are being billed correctly. This includes monitoring and occasionally adjusting the rates for interruptible gas customers (large commercial and industrial customers). Liz also handles special invoices for Finance. For example, she would generate the invoice for someone who has a vehicle accident that damages a GUC electric pole. When asked what she likes about GUC, she replied “I like how flexible GUC is for its employees.” She also says that she likes how GUC goes “above and beyond for its customers.”

Blake Horton / 20 Years
Blake Horton is celebrating 20 years of service with GUC. As an Electric Meter Specialist, Blake is part of the team that performs maintenance tests on all electric meters that are brought back to the Meter Shop from the field. Often, these meters were set up for temporary service and have to be reset and quality-checked before they are put back into service. Blake also works on field testing industrial and commercial meters, as well as wiring new large commercial meter services. In addition to his Meter Section responsibilities, Blake was the first Lighthouse Process Facilitator in 2013. “I like my coworkers,” said Blake. “I also like that every day is different, and that I get to be outdoors.”

5 Years
Sharon Camacho, Control Room Operator I

10 Years
Matthew McLawhorn, Tree Trimmer Crew Leader

15 Years
Brandon Jones, Meter Field Technician II 

Promotions

Timothy Beddard, Gas Systems Technician III
Kyle Bird, Water Resources Systems O/M Technician III
Joey Breeden, Gas Engineering Assistant II
Dylan Clark, Water Resources Systems O/M Technician II
Kim Coggins, Business Analyst III
Carol Colville, Fleet Staff Support Specialist III
Josh Harrell, Gas Systems Technician III
Nathan Johnson, Customer Contact Representative II
Dylan Moore, WWTP Maintenance Mechanic II
Jean Ricks, Customer Contact Representative II
Justin Williams, WWTP Maintenance Mechanic II
Robin Wyrick, Customer Contact Representative II

Congratulations

Congratulations to Bobby Lewis, Lineworker Third Class, and his wife, Virginia, on the birth of their baby boy, Walker Reid.

Condolences

Our condolences to Tony Haywood, Water Resources Systems O/M Technician III, as he mourns the loss of his brother, Chris Haywood.

Our condolences also to the family of Gail Meeks on her passing. Mrs. Meeks was a former Greenville City Manager and GUC Board of Commissioner.

Our sympathies are extended to IT GIS Technician II Chris Cyphers and WTP Water Quality Specialist I Luke Hagee on the passing of Gas Operations Business Analyst Jason Cyphers, their brother and brother-in-law respectively. Read Jason’s tribute here.

Our sympathies are also extended to IT Senior Systems Analyst II Aaron Johnson on the passing of his mother, Deborah Cunningham.

Thank You's

Recently, Lineworker First Class Billy Owens and Underground Electric Crew Leader James Forrest, Jr. were complimented for their heroic actions during an incident they came across recently. As Mitchel Tractor employee Chris Costanzo was driving in the area of 10th Street and Greenville Boulevard, his truck suddenly caught fire. When he pulled over, he was met by Billy and James, who helped him put out the fire with both a fire extinguisher and a water cooler that was on their GUC truck, saving around $100,000 worth of equipment. “There was no hesitation for them to help,” he said.

Recently, Jamin Gardner extended his heartfelt appreciation to Customer Contact Representative I Jean Ricks for her “excellent service” during a difficult time in his life. He mentioned that "she was incredibly kind and helpful.”

Mrs. Laura Becker commended Staff Support Specialist II Karyn Wilson for providing excellent customer service while handing a meter issue. Mrs. Becker stated that she “really appreciated” Karyn’s efficiency while handling the matter and further expressed her gratitude by saying that Karyn was a “breath of fresh air.”