Awards & Accomplishments

Greenville Utilities received safety awards from the NC Department of Labor (NCDOL). For some of our departments, this was the 13th consecutive year earning awards. In all, we were honored with 16 safety awards.

Gold Level Awards were presented to companies with days away from work, job transfers, or restricted time rates at least 50% below industry average. Awards at this level went to Administration (13th year), Human Resources (13th year), Wastewater Treatment Plant (13th year), Administration Building (12th year), Customer Relations (7th year), Red Banks (6th year), Meter (6th year), GUC (the organization, 3rd year), Water Treatment Plant (3rd year), Gas and Utility Locating (2nd year), Electric (1st year), Engineering/Operations Center (1st year), and Finance (1st year).

Silver Level Awards were presented to companies with days away from work rates at least 50% below industry average. Awards at this level went to Water Resources (2nd year), Information Technology (1st year), and the Express Office (1st year).

GUC was also recognized for working 3 million hours without a lost workday due to injury.

NCDOL's Safety Awards Program was established in 1946 and recognizes private and public organizations throughout the state that maintain good safety records.

Communications Specialist Karin Fullington received her Remote Pilot License from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). To obtain this certification, Karin passed the Aeronautical Knowledge Exam. Karin obtained this certification to fly a drone for GUC to shoot aerial video and photo footage of our facilities and projects.

E-Learning Instructional Designer/Trainer Carrie Peed completed Cornell University's Diversity and Inclusion for Human Resources Certification. The online program involved six courses, each lasting two weeks and covering a variety of topics. In addition, Carrie received a Facilitator Certification from Totally Responsible Person (TRP) Enterprises. Because of the pandemic, Carrie participated in TRP's first-ever virtual certification process, which included a three-day "train the trainer" course via Zoom. Carrie is now able to share TRP's training materials with GUC employees. TRP's learning objectives are recognizing moments of choice and exercising courage and self-control in the face of adversity.

Chief Financial Officer Jeff McCauley has been appointed the Chair of the Business and Finance Section of the American Public Power Association (APPA). APPA's Annual Business and Finance Conference offers more than 60 educational sessions for public power professionals in key areas such as accounting and finance; customer accounting and services; human resources and training; information technology; pricing and marketing analysis; and risk management and insurance. The APPA is an association of more than 2,000 not-for-profit community-owned utilities across the nation.

For the ninth year in a row, the purchasing section of GUC's Finance Department received the Sustained Professional Purchasing Award (SPPA), presented by the Carolinas Association of Governmental Purchasing (CAGP). GUC is one of 13 member agencies throughout North Carolina and South Carolina to receive this designation. To earn the award, GUC had to demonstrate its ability to meet the complex criteria and high standards for utilization of technology, minority outreach, staff certification, customer training, vendor training, and the use of recycled products.

CAGP is a professional non-profit organization devoted to improvements in governmental purchasing, the exchange of ideas, promoting procurements rules and procedures, professional development, and purchasing certification through its affiliation with the UNC School of Government. Earning this award reflects GUC's commitment to conducting business in both a professional and ethical manner.

Procurement Manager Cleve Haddock was presented with the prestigious Hall-Wicker Award in March. The Hall-Wicker Award, which was established in 1996 by the Carolinas Association of Government Purchasing (CAGP), recognizes individuals for their outstanding contributions and service to the cause and advancement of the purchasing profession. Cleve has served as President, Past President, and Conference Chair of the CAGP and also serves on various committees for the Association.

Lou Norris, Secretary to the General Manager/CEO, was named Ambassador of the Year by the Greenville-Pitt County Chamber Commerce during the group's Annual Membership Celebration.. Lou was voted on by her peers in the Chamber's Ambassador Program. The program consists of volunteers from the Chamber's membership who donate their time to assist in various activities and encourage participation in Chamber-related programs.

Chief Administrative Officer Chris Padgett was elected as Chair of the Board for the Greenville-Pitt County Chamber of Commerce. The Chamber is a recognized leader for business success, strategic economic growth, and community development in Pitt County and eastern North Carolina. Chris began his term as Chair on January 1st.

General Manager/CEO Tony Cannon has been elected to the Board of Directors of ElectriCities of NC, an organization that represents cities, towns, and universities that own their electric distribution systems. GUC is a member of ElectriCities, along with more than 90 other members in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia. Tony was also elected to serve as Secretary to the Board.

Greenville Utilities’ Gas Department was one of 32 gas systems from across the country awarded the 2018 American Public Gas Association (APGA) Safety Award for an outstanding safety record. This makes the 9th year that our Gas Department staff has exemplified worker safety at a national level. APGA’s safety award winners are determined by their overall incident (lost work time) rates in a calendar year. Public gas systems are divided into six groups based on the annual number of man-hours worked. GUC falls within Group E with 70,001 or more man-hours.