National Gas Utility Workers’ Day
#thankagasworker
Celebrating the exceptional work our team members perform every day to deliver reliable, affordable and safe natural gas in the communities we serve.
Join us in observing the seventh annual national National Gas Utility Workers’ Day on March 18, 2022. We’re honoring the employees who work tirelessly to serve more than 300,000 customers across our nine-state service territory. These men and women respond 24 hours a day, seven days a week, on weekends, holidays and in challenging conditions to keep gas flowing for our customers.
Gas Utility Worker Spotlights
Meet some of the valued members of our team!
Charlie Buckalew
Title: Operations Technician I
Business Unit: Aspire Energy
Years of Service: Six years
What is most rewarding within your role, or what are you most proud of within your role or in general?
It’s always rewarding to restore gas service after a customer outage that affects several customers. People will stop by and thank me for working so hard to restore their gas service. It really means a lot to me, and I am proud we are able to rectify customer issues.
Please share one of your more memorable moments while working with customers or being out in the community:
We once had an outage in the winter that resulted in some of customers being without heat for a time. We promised those customers we wouldn’t stop working until their service was restored. Our work continued until we were able to identify the issue and restore service to our last customer at 1:00 a.m..
We also had a brush fire that ignited one of our producer settings. The entire team came together to quickly isolate the fire and let it burn out. We repaired the setting and confirmed there was no damage to our pipeline, and retored service to over 30 customers in just over eight hours. It was a late night, but I was proud we could get our customers’ service restored so quickly and safely.
What was the moment that you knew that you made the right decision to work here?
I realized Aspire Energy was a great choice when my father passed away about a year into my time here. People in both Athens and Orrville reached out to me, and I knew I was working for a good company.
Please describe a day in the life within your role:
Every day is a little bit different. Compressor maintenance, MRU maintenance, leak repairs, customer outages, pipeline maintenance, etc. When I am on call, I make no other plans. I get my meals delivered or pick up takeout. I know at any time that the phone could ring, and I may need to respond to an emergency, a line strike or a simple meter freeze-off.
In general, regarding work and/or life outside of work, what means most to you?
Family means the most to me. My son is going to be sworn into the police force in Parkersburg, West Virginia next week, and we had to limit the attendance to eight people. That was difficult, and we really had to tell family members that I’m sorry, but you can’t come because they just don’t have enough room. That kind of support is what makes our family so special.
Rob Smith
Title: Operations Technician I
Business Unit: Aspire Energy
Years of Service: Two years
What is most rewarding within your role, or what are you most proud of within your role or in general?
I like to work with the operations team on a daily basis. I especially like the teamwork when we have an issue, and the whole team works together to solve it. It’s great to work with a lot of good people. We had an outage last January that resulted in over 70 homes losing their gas service, but we were able to correct the issue, and relight all 70 customers within six hours.
Please share one of your more memorable moments while working with customers or being out in the community:
It’s exciting to help turn-on gas service for someone who has been cutting wood for fuel their entire life. They are so happy to not be cutting and hauling wood anymore that they sometimes get emotional and are so grateful for the ease of use that comes with our service.
What was the moment that you knew that you made the right decision to work here?
I was nervous coming into the Company at more than 50 years old. Jerry Knox trained me and really did a great job, which put my mind at ease. Now I am able to share that training with others.
Please describe a day in the life within your role:
I feel like my feet hit the ground and I am running from start to finish. A typical day has all kinds of tasks, from locating lines, service turn-ons, checking compressors and stations, to working through gas outages, and teaching others how to do these tasks. There is no rest for the weary.
In general, regarding work and/or life outside of work, what means most to you?
My world is my job, my family and my farm. I really put everything I have into those things.
Paul Eric Schmidlin
Title: Distribution Tech I
Business Unit: Beaver Run
Years of Service: 3.5 years
What is most rewarding within your role, or what are you most proud of within your role or in general?
Our job is very important as we control the flow of gas, and there is a great feeling of achievement and significance when going to emergencies and making a safer.
Please share one of your more memorable moments while working with customers or being out in the community.
I love talking to customers about my job. It is very intriguing to many of them, and they often give thanks for the work we do. Customers know surprisingly very little about how our utility works, so any information I can give them helps us and increases their understanding.
What was the moment you knew that you made the right decision to work here?
My varied construction experience, especially in HVAC, plumbing, boilers and converting appliances allowed me to learn things very quickly and comfortably in my first few months. I felt right at home, and my co-workers are some of the best people I have ever worked with.
Please describe a day in the life within your role:
In the morning, we all help each other load material and plan our jobs for the day. There’s usually a long drive to the job, which is often nice becausethere’s time to think about any unexpected conditions or extra planning needed. Everyone always works together and helps one another to complete our goal. There’s also a sense of satisfaction after a productive day’s work while driving home.
In general, regarding work or outside of work, what means most to you?
During work, I am glad to see my coworkers doing well and able to make a lighthearted joke every now and then. Outside of work, I enjoy spending time with my family and friends and going home to my dog who is always eagerly waiting to greet me.
Detione Jones
Title: Meter Technician 1
Business Unit: Elkton Gas
Years of Service: One year
What is most rewarding within your role, or what are you most proud of within your role and/or in general?
What I find the most rewarding within my role is the ability to consistently learn something new every day.
Please share one of your more memorable moments while working with customers or being out in the community.
While performing a service establishment in Elkton MD, I got to engage with a group of customers in the community who had questions about who Chesapeake Utilities is as a natural gas provider and as a company.
What was the moment that you knew that you made the right decision to work here?
I knew I made the right decision first time I went to repair a leak on a call by myself and was able to confidently assure the customer that the leak was repaired properly, and a potentially hazardous situation was made safe.
Please describe a day in the life within your role:
A day in the life of a meter tech is fast-paced, always expecting the unknown to happen. From performing reads and customer turn ons/offs, to a getting a call from dispatch saying someone thinks they smell gas. It’s very rewarding to know you’re helping people.
In general, regarding work or life outside of work, what means most to you?
My family means the world to me. I get up every day with a smile on my face knowing I’m loved unconditionally just as I love them.
Duane Harrell
Title: Compressor Tech II
Business Unit: Eastern Shore Natural Gas Co.
Years of Service: Nearly 40 years
What is most rewarding within your role, or what are you most proud of within your role or in general?
The most rewarding part of my role is maintaining the reliability of our compressor stations and the ability to resolve the unique challenges that each station presents. I am very proud of the knowledge I have gained from the start of my employment as a gas controller, moving into engineering and design, to the construction department, to the measurement department and finally to the compression department. I have had the opportunity to work with some amazing people in these different roles and have gathered a plethora of knowledge. I use all that I have learned daily in my current position, and I am very grateful for that.
Please share one of your more memorable moments while working with customers or being out in the community.
It’s always been a pleasure to talk with customers, vendors and even the investors about the complexity of our compressor stations and the process they provide to our pipeline systems.
We frequently are asked about our engines and the type of fuel that they run on. Our response is always the same, “Natural gas, because we have plenty of it.”
What was the moment that you knew that you made the right decision to work here?
I knew that early on I made the right decision to work for ESNG. I like challenges and variety, and this company has definitely provided that. I would not like it any other way.
Please describe a day in the life within your role:
A typical day working at any of our compressor stations can be from one extreme to another, depending on the season. I could be troubleshooting engine issues, addressing auxiliary equipment issues, taking care of annual requirement issues, to working on capital projects such as installing new units. It can change daily and often does.
In general, regarding work or outside of work, what means most to you?
I have benefitted from a long and prosperous career with ESNG, and enjoyed working with talented coworkers in many different departments. Working here for over 39 years, I have seen many changes throughout the company, and the growth has been amazing. I am counting on this to continue and feel sure it will. The opportunities are endless and I look forward to the future.
Gerald Hynson
Title: Pipeline Integrity Technician
Business Unit: Cn100
Years of Service: 5
What is most rewarding within your role, or what are you most proud of within your role or in general?
Since joining the integrity department I am most proud of the atmosphere and coworker relationship that I’ve created. Being able to make them feel comfortable to ask me to be apart of different day to day duties as well as being able to offer my ideas that can help better the department as a whole is very rewarding.
Please share one of your more memorable moments while working with customers or being out in the community.
There was a customer that I had to do a pipeline locate for which was located in his front yard. He was an 83 year old Army veteran that took a lot of pride in his new hobby which was carpentry work. After finishing up my locate I took the time to sit and talk with him as he showed me all of his carpentry work that he created in his pole barn. It was so memorable to me because not only did I get to see his great carpentry work, I also heard a few army war stories from a seasoned veteran. Just to see the smile on his face and a good conversation that we had made my day.
What was the moment that you knew that you made the right decision to work here?
The moment that I knew that I had made the right decision to work here was when I attended my first Chesapeake cares event and noticed how it was one big family. I remember walking in the room and everybody was greeting everybody, everybody was smiling, everybody was laughing, shaking hands and hugging. It was just different than what I’ve ever experienced at any other company that I’ve worked for.
Please describe a day in the life within your role:
I currently have different roles. I could be locating our pipeline for various contact companies. Then the next day I could be doing a standby and inspecting contractors as they dig near our pipeline. I also perform various surveys day by day such as aerial pipeline surveying, ground surveying, exposed main surveying, water crossing surveying, cathodic protection surveying and much much more.
In general, regarding work or outside of work, what means most to you?
Nothing means more to me then being able to be the best father and biggest inspiration that I can be to my two sons.
Nick Pereira
Title: Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) Administrator
Business Unit: Eastern Shores Natural Gas
Years of Service: 10 years
What is most rewarding within your role, or what are you most proud of within your role or in general?
I am proud of the steps we have taken to help advance the SCADA environment in upgrading technology and security with minimal downtime to operations. This is a critical role to ESNG operational advancements.
Please share one of your more memorable moments while working with customers or being out in the community.
The most memorable moment was working on the SCADA multiprotocol label switching (MPLS) upgrade project; this was the first of many upgrades in the SCADA environment. I learned an enormous amount of information working on this project that helped me grow in my role today. This project was completed with minimal outages to operations with the help from numerous groups involved.
What was the moment you knew that you made the right decision to work here?
The people I work with are the reason why I chose to work here. I appreciate the support I receive from management and coworkers, whether on- or off-duty.
Please describe a day in the life within your role:
I am proud of the steps we have taken to help advance the SCADA environment in upgrading technology and security with minimal downtime to operations. This is a critical role to ESNG operational advancements.
In general, regarding work or outside of work, what means most to you?
The most memorable moment was working on the SCADA multiprotocol label switching (MPLS) upgrade project; this was the first of many upgrades in the SCADA environment. I learned an enormous amount of information working on this project that helped me grow in my role today. This project was completed with minimal outages to operations with the help from numerous groups involved.
George Freeman
Title: Operations Tech II
Business Unit: Winter Haven
Years of Service: 14 years
What is most rewarding within your role, or what are you most proud of within your role or in general?
The most rewarding part of my role is working with great people and helping our customers.One memorable moment: I was working on leak survey and as I was walking down a side road, I came up on an elderly man who just started to install a new mailbox. I stopped to ask if he need any help and he accepted my offer, so I took it upon myself to install the entire mailbox myself. He was so excited and appreciated my help so much. That makes for a great day.
What was the moment you knew that you made the right decision to work here?
The moment I knew this was the right place to work was my first day. Everyone was so accepting, and I saw the leadership this company has. Everyone works together and it’s feels like a big family.
Please describe a day in the life within your role:
A day in my role starts off heading to the office or sometimes straight to a job. At the office I go through work orders in IFS and assign work to the techs. Then go through any emails, answer them accordingly. Check on our DCU and star program for alerts. In the field I do CP (Cathodic Protection) reads, rectifier reads, find gas lines, get called when lines are hit and check on all systems.
In general, regarding work or outside of work, what means most to you?
The one thing that means most to me is my wife, grandchildren, and our families. Making many memories and spending time with them all is a blessing.
Marielle Cameron
Title: Gas Utility Worker
Business Unit: South Florida Operations
Years of Service: 5 years, 8 months
What is most rewarding within your role, or what are you most proud of within your role or in general?
The most rewarding part of my role is that I can physically see the difference I make. Whether that be for my coworkers or our customers, I am helping someone be safe, helping complete a job or helping someone be able to cook at the end of the day.
Please share one of your more memorable moments while working with customers or being out in the community.
One of the most memorable moments is when I was on my way into work and I had my Florida Public Utilities (FPU) lanyard on my dash of my personal vehicle. A man in a dump truck leaned out and asked if I worked for the gas company and he stated how great it was, that FPU was a good company and thanked me. Someone who didn’t know me appreciated what we do here at FPU
What was the moment you knew that you made the right decision to work here?
The moment I knew I made the right decision to work here was within my first week of being hired to work in the dispatch office. I really appreciate the sense of family. I made a mistake and was eager to fix it. Instead of being ridiculed or embarrassed, I was guided and allowed to correct my own mistake. When someone, anyone, within our office was going through a hard time, the others got together and helped. There’s comfort, advice and sentiment. No other company had ever shown me it
could be like that.
Please describe a day in the life within your role:
Each day is new – brand new. Coming to work, I know my responsibilities and the expectations; however, my job is always different and exciting. I love to learn and progress, so being in a field that is constantly moving forward and changing makes me happy in my job every day.
In general, regarding work or outside of work, what means most to you?
What means most to me is my family. Obviously, my children will always come first, but by extension, my coworkers are my family. I will defend them, I will assist them and would not leave them behind.
Jose Flores
Title: Distribution Tech II
Business Unit: South Florida Operations
Years of Service: 27 years
What is most rewarding within your role, or what are you most proud of within your role or in general?
It’s rewarding to have the opportunity to work for Florida Public Utilities, and to learn from what we’re working on and hopefully have the opportunity to pass it on.
Please share one of your more memorable moments while working with customers or being out in the community.
One of my most memorable moments was when I had a work order to find out why a water heater wasn’t working at this elderly couple’s house. The water heater was very old. They had a limited income and weren’t able to replace the unit. I took the water heater apart, cleaned it up, did some repairs and got it going for them. They had a big smile on their faces. That made my day. My work continues.
What was the moment you knew that you made the right decision to work here?
I love the challenges and having the great team who works with me. It feels like family – committed, caring and loyal, from the manager to my co-workers.
Please describe a day in the life within your role:
Everyday is a different task, with different experiences. Keeping myself and my customers safe is my No.1 goal!
In general, regarding work or outside of work, what means most to you?
I’m happy to work for a good company that makes it possible for me to support my family. Thank you so much for the opportunity. This is my last year after 29 years working for this company. Keep growing strong. God Bless you.