• Born in McPherson, Kansas.

• Married for 17 years and father to a 12-year-old daughter and a 9-year-old son.

• His father worked in the field for 11 years, and his uncle retired a few years ago from line work.

• Inspired by his kids and strives to work safely so he can make it home to them at the end of every day.

• Describes himself as hardworking, level-headed and sensible. His coworkers describe him as demanding, serious, safety conscious and a friend.

• Enjoys hunting, fishing, building things with wood or metal, and coaching his kids in softball and baseball.

• Can't live without his battery-powered crimp tools.

• His favorite projects are new builds, because he likes knowing he had a hand in constructing them.

Early Years

I grew up watching my father work as a lineman. I remember watching him charge off in the night to work storm outages, thinking that was pretty cool. While everyone else was running for cover, my dad was driving off into the storms with these huge trucks with all the bright flashing lights.

When I graduated from high school, I had the opportunity to play baseball for Pratt Community College in Pratt, Kansas. While most ball players only take the general education classes, I opted for the full-day lineman program. After taking the electric line distribution classes for a year, I graduated and decided to start working to make some money. I was offered a summer internship for the city of Winfield, Kansas. My first project was cleaning up and building a one-phase line that was destroyed by a tornado that happened a week before I started.

I wanted a full-time job, but they only needed help in the summer. Fortunately, the city of Pratt had an open lineman's position. Since I knew the town and some of the people from the year I worked there during school, I decided to get some experience and move on to a bigger town. Little did I know that I would still be working for the city of Pratt 18 years later.

Day in the Life

I've spent the last four years as the electric distribution superintendent with a crew of 10 men. A typical day normally starts out in our meeting room at 8 a.m. listening to the men tell the stories of the night before. Then I plan the job for the day with my crew chief and serviceman to get them and their crews going. Next I do paper and computer work, job planning or meetings for upcoming jobs, locate calls, fill out permits, and then if time allows, I check up on progress of the crews.

Right now we are finishing up some projects for the Federal Emergency Management Association following an ice storm that hit the area in December 2007. We are also working on five substation feeders that were built during the late 1940s or early 1950s. The feeders are in front of our power plant, and we are moving them underground.

Challenges and Rewards

The biggest challenge in my career so far has been coming off the crew and moving to the office. I was not used to doing tasks like writing an annual budget. At this point, however, I have seen every aspect of the business.

It's also been a challenge to learn computer skills and get personnel specialized in certain fields.

Safety Lesson

Every day you learn more about safety and you have to pass it along to your crews. Just because you know something, doesn't mean it's common knowledge for everyone. It may be old to you but new to another.

Memorable Storm

Although there are many storms I remember, one stands alone. In May 2007, the town of Greensburg, Kansas, was destroyed by a F5 tornado. Greensburg is located only 30 miles west of Pratt, so that meant that Pratt crews were loaded up and headed there within a couple of hours after the tornado hit.

Future Plans

If I had to do it over again, I might have worked on a fishing boat in Alaska, tried to guide big game hunts or learned how to fly helicopters. Then I would have gone into the electrical field.

For now, however, I would like to continue working in the electrical distribution trade. It's been great so far, and I can't wait for the next 25 years.