GUC Electric Department Achieves APPA Diamond Level Safety Award
The American Public Power Association (APPA) has awarded the Electric Department with their Safety Award of Excellence – Diamond Level again this year.
To earn this award, the APPA considers the total number of hours worked by Electric Department employees for an entire year and how many days were lost or restricted from work due to injury. APPA’s Safety Awards have been recognized annually for more than 65 years.
The Department’s (and GUC’s) safety program continues to improve, which accounts for consistently earning the Diamond Level from APPA.
“We’ve had a lot more conversations that increased the awareness of exposures. Everyone across the department did an exceptional job of making sure we all go home the same way we came into work,” Assistant Director of Electric Systems Jacob Swink said. “The Diamond Level could not have been achieved without the dedication of the employees of the Electric Department.”
Leaders engaged in conversations that focused on exposures, controls, and work planning, which led to increased identification of potential hazards and Close Call reporting.
“In Public Power, safety excellence isn’t achieved by chance. It’s earned through unwavering discipline, strong leadership, and a culture where every team member looks out for one another,” said Jon Beasley, Chair of APPA’s Safety Committee and Vice-President of Electric Cities of Georgia in statement about the annual awards.
GUC Earns Awards for Employee Wellness Programs
GUC received two recognitions for its stellar employee wellness programs. These recognitions acknowledge that GUC wellness programs are comprehensive and foster employee well-being and vitality by offering whole-person consideration and care.
Cigna awarded GUC the 2025 Cigna Healthy Workforce Gold Rating - the highest designation a company can earn. This is the second year in a row GUC has earned this honor.
“These recognitions show that our wellness programs truly support our employees by focusing on the whole person and helping them feel their best,” said GUC Human Resources Director Richie Shreves.
The Gold Designation from Cigna recognizes GUC for its offerings such as the onsite Health Clinic, membership to the Greenville Aquatics and Fitness Center, online nutrition coaching, the Cigna Employee Assistance Program, wellness apps, personal health metrics, free fitness mini sessions, tobacco cessation resources, a company-wide tobacco policy, and stress management programs.
The American Heart Association also awarded GUC the Silver Recognition for the 2026 Well-being Works Better Scorecard once again.
Well-being Works Better is a program for fostering and evolving a healthy work culture while supporting employees’ health—mind, heart, and body. The Well-being Works Better Scorecard helps organizations assess their health and wellbeing strategy based on top best practices.
“At the heart of every thriving organization is a workforce that feels valued and supported,” said American Heart Association CEO Nancy Brown. “We’re honored to recognize organizations that have made employee well-being a cornerstone of their culture through the Well-being Works Better Scorecard.”
GUC Procurement Team Earns Awards
Greenville Utilities’ Finance Department earned the Sustained Professional Purchasing Award from the North Carolina Association of Governmental Purchasing (NCAGP) for the 15th consecutive year.
This award recognizes the Finance Department’s Procurement Team for its outstanding work in purchasing and procurement.
The Procurement Team buys or contracts services that departments need while adhering to the North Carolina General Statutes.
“This recognition is a testament to the continued excellence and professionalism of our procurement team and the outstanding work they do for GUC,” said Controller Amanda Wall.
Buyer II Will James also earned the NCAGP Billy D. Ray Purchaser of the Year Award. This award recognizes public purchasing professionals who have made significant contributions to their organization, profession, and careers within the past two years.
Will earned his certification as a Local Government Purchasing Officer in 2024, becoming a trusted resource who provides daily guidance on statutes and best practices. He is instrumental in advancing purchasing practices at GUC. He has also participates on NCAGP committees.
Water Treatment Plant Earns Gold Star Designation
For the 10th year in a row, GUC’s Water Treatment Plant (WTP) received the prestigious North Carolina Area Wide Optimization Award (AWOP), making this the first time it has earned the NC Division of Water Resources’ “Gold Star” designation.
The Gold Star designation is reserved for surpassing federal and state drinking water standards for 10 or more consecutive years. Of the 157 surface water treatment plants in the state, Greenville Utilities is one of just 20 facilities honored for this accomplishment.
The award is a state effort to enhance the performance of existing surface water treatment facilities. In 1998, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) developed regulations to reduce the risk of biological contamination. They then partnered with states to form AWOP. This program introduced more stringent water quality goals and helps water systems meet those goals. North Carolina has participated in AWOP since 2000 and is one of 31 states involved in the program.
Water Resources Staff Place at NC One Water Competitions
A team of Greenville Utilities Water Resources staff recently placed second during the NC One Water Annual Conference competitions. They competed against utilities from around the state in events that display the skills it takes to safely provide reliable service.
GUC Water Treatment Plant’s team, Barrel Boys (Maintenance Mechanics Matthew Clark and Tripp Morgan and Water Quality Specialist Luke Hagee), placed second place overall in the Hydrant Hysteria competition. Hydrant Hysteria is a fast-paced competition that measures the team’s ability to completely assemble a utility hydrant as quickly and accurately as possible.
GUC’s Water Resources Team, Tapped Out (Water Resources Systems Operations/Maintenance Crew Leaders Corbin Congleton and Kyle Veneski, and Water Systems O/M Technicians Hayden Hardy and Patrick Smith), placed second in the Pipe Tapping event. This competition measures the skill in which teams compete for the best time in opening a cement-lined, ductile iron pipe and installing a tap.
NC One Water, state association for the Water Environment Federation and American Waterworks Association, provides water and wastewater education, training, and service in an effort to protect public health and the environment.
Public Information Earns APPA Excellence in Public Power Communications Award of Excellence
Greenville Utilities Commission (GUC) has once again been awarded an Excellence in Public Power Communications Award of Excellence by the American Public Power Association (APPA). This is the 14th time GUC’s Public Information Office has been recognized by the APPA for their communications.
“I think this speaks volumes not just to the creativity and talent of the team, but to the commitment GUC has to provide our customers with world-class communications about their utilities,” said Communications Manager / Public Information Officer Steve Hawley. “GUC’s Public Information Office has a long history of excellent work telling the GUC story - the high reliability, the exceptional value and programs, and the quality of people who work here.”
GUC earned the award for its series of videos promoting the new Community Solar Farm. The videos focused on showcasing GUC’s responsiveness to the customers’ desired programs and its environmental efforts.
Hawley said, “As part of a community-owned utility, we feel a special responsibility to make sure we’re giving our customers relevant information about their utilities, our projects, and our programs in a variety of ways. This team does an excellent job of that every day, and this award is a nice recognition of that.”
The APPA is an organization that represents approximately 2,000 not-for-profit, community-owned power utilities across the U.S. and its territories. GUC is one of only 53 utilities to earn an Excellence in Public Power Communications award this year and one of only two in North Carolina. Entries were judged by independent judges with awards given to those that showed ingenuity and creativity in telling their stories.
Showcasing Skill, Precision, and Teamwork at the Backhoe Rodeo
GUC’s Water Resources employees placed first and second in several categories in the Eastern Water and Wastewater Network Backhoe Rodeo on October 23rd.
Operations/Maintenance (O/M) Crew Leader Chaz Hathaway took home 1st place in the Pipe Walk and earned 2nd place in both the Building Blocks and Pick & Roll events.
Operations/Maintenance Technician Michael Silverthorne brought home 2nd place finishes in the Slam Dunk and Pipe Walk events.
This annual event gives equipment operators from Eastern North Carolina the opportunity to display their talents in operating excavating equipment like rubber tire backhoes and small trackhoes. It’s also a great way for operators to test their ability in performing tasks safely and quickly while also highlighting the hidden talent behind the scenes of water and wastewater distribution.
With a record-breaking 28 competitors this year, the Greenville Utilities team stood out with precision, power, and professionalism.
Representing Greenville Utilities this year were Water Resources O/M Technicians Michael Silverthorne, Bennie Pittman, Jason Owens, David McKeel, and Matthew Worthington along with O/M Crew Leaders Keith Clark and Chaz Hathaway.
Gas Department Achieves T.R.U.S.T. Silver Level from CPGA
The Greenville Utilities Gas Department was awarded the Carolinas Public Gas Association’s T.R.U.S.T. (Training, Responsibility, Understanding Safety, and Transparency) Award at the Silver Level. The T.R.U.S.T. Award recognizes organizations in the gas industry who demonstrate excellence in safety, training, community outreach, and environmental responsibility.
“This award process allows us to benchmark our operations against all public gas systems in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia, and ensures that we are implementing best practices,” said Assistant Director of Gas Systems Durk Tyson. “It is a department achievement.”
GUC had the highest overall score of all the systems that applied.
The CPGA score is based in part on GUC’s data on the number of severe injuries during the year, number of damages per 1,000 locates, number of department-wide safety meetings per year, and supplemental safety committees that are operational within the system.
The T.R.U.S.T. Award measured the department’s work in raising awareness about important issues, addressing local needs, and cultivating positive relationships with customers. It factored in GUC’s contributions to protecting the environment, promoting sustainable practices, and taking action to address environmental issues, as well. Also scored is GUC’s support of professional skills development linking those training needs to operational needs within the gas department.
This is the first year that the CPGA T.R.U.S.T. Award has been given to public gas entities within the Carolinas and Virginia.
GUC Finance Department Earns Multiple Awards
The Finance Department has earned multiple awards for the 2024 fiscal year for excellence in budget presentation, reporting, and purchasing. Several awards came from the Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada (GFOA).
“These accomplishments are a testament to the professionalism and dedication of our Finance team, whose commitment to excellence in reporting and procurement continues to set a high standard,” said Chief Financial Officer Jeff McCauley. “They also reflect the strong leadership and support of the Greenville Utilities Board of Commissioners, whose guidance helps make these achievements possible.”
The department earned the GFOA’s Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting for its annual comprehensive financial report that was published for the 2023-2024 fiscal year. To be awarded this certification, GUC’s annual financial report must meet the highest standards of clarity, organization, and thoroughness. This is the 16th year in a row the Finance Department has earned this certification.
Finance was also awarded the GFOA Distinguished Budget Presentation Award for the annual 2023-24 fiscal year budget. To be considered for this award, a governmental unit must publish a budget document that meets program criteria as a policy document, an operations guide, a financial plan, and a communications device. This is the 9th consecutive year GUC has won this award.
GUC also received the GFOA Award for Outstanding Achievement in Popular Annual Financial Reporting (PAFR) for fiscal year 2024 for the 9th consecutive year.
The Carolinas Association of Governmental Purchasing presented GUC’s Finance Department with the Sustained Purchasing Award, as well. GUC is one of 15 member agencies in the Carolinas to receive this award for the 2024 fiscal year. This is the 14th year in a row it has been awarded to GUC.
IT Department Earns State Award
GUC’s IT Department’s Cybersecurity Improvement Team received the 2025 Best of North Carolina Technology Award for Outstanding Leadership during the NC Digital Government Summit, hosted by the NC Department of Information Technology.
As a part of their efforts, the team engaged the Department of Homeland Security’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Agency (CISA) to perform reviews of processes and technologies that protect electric, gas, and water operations, along with customer data.
The team partnered with ECU students completing capstone projects to identify and address cybersecurity needs at GUC.
The Center for Internet Security and the National Institute of Standards and Technology frameworks were used to guide and gauge the improvements made.
“This award is a welcome recognition for a team that has demonstrated exceptional leadership and a commitment to safeguarding GUC’s operations and customer data,” GUC Director of Information Technology Andy Anderson said.
Sen. Steve Jarvis, Vice Chair of the North Carolina General Assembly’s Joint Legislative Committee on Information Technology, celebrated the IT Department’s work in cybersecurity. “[GUC IT Department’s] work embodies the very best of public service, provides innovation, efficiency, and a steadfast commitment to excellence. In today’s fast moving technical world, the ability to innovate while still providing highest standards of trust and security is invaluable,” Sen. Jarvis said in the letter.