- Born in Hays, Kansas, as the youngest child of five.
- Married to Amber. They have two sons, 12-year-old Michael and eight-year-old Collin.
- Enjoys coaching his kids’ activities, especially baseball and football. He also loves deer archery hunting, bird hunting and fishing.
- Honored as the champion of the annual PLP Armor Rod Install Challenge at the 2024 International Lineman’s Expo.
Early Years
When I was young, a neighbor inspired me to one day join the line trade. I didn’t realize I really wanted to do it until I graduated from high school.
Day in the Life
In 2005, I started with Midwest Energy, and I’m currently a line foreman. The greatest thing about our job is the variety of work that we get to do from transmission to overhead distribution to underground. The main reward of our job is stepping back, taking pride in your work, teaching the apprentices, and of course, keeping everybody’s lights on.
Safety Lesson
There have been several instances throughout that years that have definitely opened my eyes to safety and the reasons we work in the first place — which is our family. I think the way we all react to situations is all different. If we can take one thing to help someone else from doing the same thing and preventing the same accident, we did our job in the process even though we are the ones that made the mistake.
Memorable Storm
Most memorable storm would’ve been the May 2006 ice storm in Western Kansas. I believe we worked for 27 restoration days before our first day off. The worst part about the ice storm was the ice laid on the ground. Then we repeatedly got snow on top afterwards.
Working in the Field
Right now, we are working on FEMA projects from previous year’s storms and new connects near our town of Hays, Kansas. I hopefully plan on being a foreman at Midwest energy for a long time and to remain doing the same type of work that I do now.
Tools and Technology
Cordless tools from compression tools to impacts have absolutely changed every aspect of our job. There’s no way we could be as efficient without them as we are. Also, the means of the cordless technology from digger trucks to cut off tools being able to run machinery and equipment from remotes definitely helps with safety and also eliminate added stress on our bodies.
Plans for the Future
I would not trade what I do for anything, and I am so glad I joined this industry. I hopefully we’ll be able to retire from the company that I work for and keep working diligently until then.
