• Born in Kingston, New York.

• Inspired by his wife of 24 years, Nanci, and his four children.

• Described by his coworkers as the “smoothest lineman God ever created” because of his confidence and hard work ethic.

• His favorite boss was Bill Tilton, a chief lineman for Seattle City Light, because he was a great organizer and taught him how to set up a job and understand the needs of his crew. His favorite coworker was Bob Gordon from Seattle City Light, because he was an influential and skilled lineman.

• Enjoys spending time with his family, playing golf and hockey, skiing, doing yard work, and practicing and participating in the Lineman's Rodeo.

Early Years

When I was 17, I decided that I would go into the Army as a power line specialist. At the time, it seemed like a very interesting job. In that position, I learned the basics of line work, such as climbing poles and making transformer connections.

After my wife gave birth to our first son in 1992, the economy wasn't doing too well, and I got laid off from my job as a lineman in Maryland. Because I now had a family to support, it was especially important that I find a job. Thankfully, I was able to send out résumés to power companies all over the country. I was called to interview at Seattle City Light, and I got the job. In December of 1992, we relocated from upstate New York to Seattle. I feel that Seattle is where I really learned how to be a lineman. At this job, I discovered how to give direction to other lineman and apprentices.

In the Field

I now work at Connecticut Light & Power, and my crew does both single-phase and three-phase 27-kV overhead and underground distribution work. We are currently working on a road-widening job at a local high school, and transferring some poles and running new wire.

Challenges and Rewards

It's a challenge to try to keep up with the demand for electricity. Every proposed new line is met with anger from customers whom the line might affect in a negative way. We also struggle with trying to be environmentally friendly while still producing power that society needs.

The most rewarding part of being a lineman is working during times of disasters, such as hurricanes and blizzards. I get tremendous job satisfaction by restoring power to a community in need.

Safety Lesson

The moment in which I learned the importance of safety is when I attempted to remove a tree lying on three-phase covered primary wire. The tree had burned through the insulation and went phase to phase right in front of me. The wire burnt down and tripped the recloser. The tie recloser closed back in, and we had 100 feet of brush on fire. The other lineman tried to rush to the recloser to open it when the downed wires went phase to phase and created a fire ball 30 feet around. All the lights went out. In awe, I sat there in the pouring rain saying, “They're right. We don't make enough money.” It was a valuable lesson.

Working Storms

The most memorable storm I worked on was Hurricane Wilma. We spent 19 days straight in Florida working 16 hours a day. Helping people during this disaster was very rewarding. I was especially touched by the appreciation shown by the people affected. They fed us, threw a barbeque for us and even sent us shirts after we returned home.

Life as a Lineman

I can't think of another career that would have given me the life experiences and ability to provide for my family the way that being a lineman has. My career has taken me through seven states and eight power companies. Working with new people and exploring new parts of the country have been very enjoyable for my wife and me.

Looking Ahead

I am currently attending Capella University and plan to graduate with a bachelor's degree in project management in 2012. This is the next step in my career. My post-degree goal is to continue working outside managing transmission projects for Connecticut Light & Power.