Kimberly Ohrum always gets the job done, no matter how Herculean the task may seem. Need to feed 500 linemen three square meals a day in a region that has been devastated by a hurricane and the majority of the service area is without power? No problem. Want to organize employees to help construct houses for Habitat for Humanity or teach low-income families how to weatherize their homes? Mission accomplished.

A 12-year veteran of Dominion Virginia Power, headquartered in Richmond, Virginia, U.S., Ohrum gladly acts as the go-to person both on and off the job when undertakings that seem impossible to many must be achieved.

A Dominion Volunteer of the Year who describes herself as “just a regular old country girl,” Ohrum began her career at Dominion in the accounting department, followed by a stint in IT before landing her current position in the company's distribution operations center. According to Ohrum, her experience in construction helped prepare her for success in what is still a predominantly male-oriented field.

“My family has a background in construction, and I grew up learning the ins and outs of the industry,” she said. “I also worked for an electrical contractor for many years who taught me quite a lot. Back then, you didn't see women on job sites pulling wire, managing warehouses, or estimating and bidding on projects, but my boss encouraged me to do all those things. It seemed a natural evolution for me to go from the commercial side of the business to the utility side.”

In addition to her normal duties at Dominion, Ohrum assumes a logistical role when the utility goes into storm response mode, handling everything from data input to feeding the lineman crews and staff. One storm that stands out in her mind is Hurricane Isabel, which struck the area in September 2003.

“Hurricane Isabel knocked out power to 1.8 million of our 2.3 million customers for several weeks,” she recalled. “I worked from 3 a.m. to 10 p.m. to make sure the 500 crew members were fed three healthy meals a day for more than two weeks. I also made sure the necessary supplies made it to the crews working in the field. Keep in mind our caterers and vendors had no power during this time either.”

Ohrum's ability to overcome the odds in times of crisis was learned the hard way through financial difficulties early in adulthood and then again when her house burned down 15 years ago.

“We lost everything in the fire,” she said. “The Red Cross stepped in and did quite a lot to get us back on our feet. In my mind, I resolved to do the same for other people. Since then, I try to give back as much as I can.”

For Ohrum, giving back includes participating in Dominion's Habitat for Humanity, weatherization and Central Virginia food bank programs. In addition, she coordinates the company's junior achievement (JA) project.

“We do several ‘JA in a Day’ classes where we recruit a group of volunteers to go into an elementary school and spend a day teaching students economics-based lessons,” she explained. “We cover subjects such as how to run a business, what a mayor does, and why police are important to the community. It's a great program, and the kids just love it. They hate for us to leave at the end of the day.”

Another company program Ohrum runs is the Cell Phones for Soldiers initiative — a cause near and dear to her heart.

“I have one stepson in the Navy currently overseas, one who just got out of the Army and one who is entering into the Army,” she said. “I know how difficult it can be to communicate with our soldiers who are stationed in another country. At Dominion, we collect cell phones and parts that we send to a company that recycles them. They, in turn, send us 60-minute phone cards that are specific to the country that soldiers are stationed in. This helps eliminate some of the communication issues.”

It is obvious Ohrum has instilled her passion for volunteering in the people around her. In addition to her sons who serve in the military, her youngest child, 14-year-old Damon, recently was accepted into the Naval Sea Cadet Corps.

“The Naval Sea Cadet Corps is a program for kids between the ages of 11 and 17,” she noted. “Retired Navy and Marines play a huge role in the program. When my son graduates at 17, he will go straight into the Navy or Naval Academy if appointed. We're very proud of him.”

In her free time, Ohrum likes to fish with her husband, Scott, spend time with her family and garden. She also plans to continue her volunteer work as well as her climb up the Dominion ladder of success.

“This is an exciting field to be in right now,” she said. “My advice to someone considering a job in the utility or power industry is to learn as much as you can, ask as many questions as you can, get as involved in as much as you can and hold on for the ride.”