• Born in Pueblo, Colorado. He is the youngest of eight children.

• Married to Debra for 34 years; father of Jamin, Justin and Aubry. Their oldest son works also for Black Hills Energy and just passed his journeyman meter technician test with a score of 100%. His other two children are in banking.

• Inspired by individuals who have a positive outlook on life and who are go-getters. He describes himself as always ready for a challenge.

• Enjoys doing activities with his family, tinkering around in his garage, and buying collector vehicles and restoring them.

• His favorite boss over his 35-year career was Dick Graham. He has also worked under some great foremen including Don Skala and Joe Legan. They taught him the trade along with the importance of quality and pride.

Early Years

I became interested in the utility industry nearly 35 years ago. I was recently married and applied for an opportunity at the power company, which had great benefits. I began my career like most in the utility industry as an entry-level meter reader. The one experience that stands out for me, and likely for others in this industry, is when I passed my journeyman test.

Day in the Life

Presently, our department is involved in assisting and overseeing the construction of major substations in Colorado, so my days are very busy. Though I am currently involved in many key projects, one of my favorite projects was building the Anglogold substation. I wasn't confident I could manage such a large project, but my supervisor, Wayne Franz, thought otherwise. I completed the project, and it built up my confidence.

Safety Moment

Safety is a top priority for me, my colleagues and Black Hills Energy. One instance that really emphasized the importance of safety was when I was working as a groundman. I witnessed an incident in which a switch in a substation became energized accidently while men were working on it. Fortunately, no was hurt.

Working Storms

My most memorable moment occurred during a storm in 1997, which caused several outages in the area. I was with another journeyman called to assist with some of the outages. The snow storm was so severe that a colleague had to drive a backhoe to plow the snow ahead of my truck.

After restoring some outages, we came across two young ladies who were half frozen. They had gotten stuck in the storm the night before and slept all night in their car, covering themselves with floor mats. One of the girls was a mother and had left her baby back at the house with the grandmother. They asked us if we could drive them back to their house. We complied, and even though it was difficult and dangerous, we made it through. It was a good feeling knowing we helped reunite this family and restored their power. They were very appreciative, and it's a fond memory for me.

Tools and Technology

I would have to say without a doubt, the most important tools we are provided with are our protective tools such as grounds, voltage testers and hot sticks. All the other tools you could live without, but these you cannot.

Life in the Field

I am classified as a substation construction foreman and this has been a very rewarding experience that I would recommend to anyone. It's been nearly 35 years and my hope is that I can break the record of 55 years of service at Black Hills Energy.

Transmission & Distribution World is looking for utility professionals who have made a valuable contribution to the industry. If you would like to nominate someone for a future profile, please e-mail Amy Fischbach at afischbach@tdworld.com with the person's contact information and a brief description about what makes him or her stand apart from the rest of the field crew. This department profiles only field personnel; no vendor nominations will be considered.