AMWA Gold Award
Anthony Whitehead, Water Quality Manager, receiving award.
Greenville Utilities received one of the Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies’ (AMWA) most prestigious awards -- the 2018 Gold Award for Exceptional Utility Performance. AMWA recognized GUC for its strategic plan and goals, employee workforce development, financial stability, water supply sustainability, exceptional customer service, water quality and environmental leadership, and infrastructure investment and management. Also noted was GUC’s commitment to exceeding Environmental Protection Agency regulations and achieving higher levels of water quality. GUC is one of 14 public water systems nationally, and the only one in North Carolina, to be recognized with the AMWA’s top utility management awards.
Finance Department Awards
Finance Department staff with recent awards. GUC received three awards from the Government Finance Officers' Association (GFOA). The Distinguished Budget Presentation is for the in-depth reporting of our budget. This is the second year we received this award. The Certificate of Achievement for Excellence is Financial Reporting is given in recognition of our Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR). Organizations prepare a CAFR as a review of the previous fiscal year. We were also recognized for our Popular Annual Financial Report (PAFR), a document designed to make the CAFR easier to understand for those without a finance or accounting background. This is the third consecutive year we received the Award for Outstanding Achievement in Popular Financial Reporting. For the seventh year in a row, GUC's Finance Department received the Sustained Professional Purchasing Award from the Carolinas Association of Governmental Purchasing (CAGP).
American Pubic Gas Association SOAR Award
Gas Systems Engineer Durk Tyson accepting SOAR Award on behalf of GUC's Gas Department.
GUC's Gas Department was presented with the American Public Gas Association (APGA) System Operational Achievement Recognition (SOAR) Award. SOAR recognizes a utility’s demonstrated commitment to excellence in four areas required to safely deliver natural gas to its customers: system integrity, system improvement, employee safety, and workforce development. Out of approximately 750 APGA members, Greenville Utilities was one of eighteen SOAR recipients recognized this year. We originally received this award back in 2015.
Finance Award
The Government Finance Officers’ Association (GFOA) presented Greenville Utilities three awards related to how the Finance Department communicates financial information -- Distinguished Budget Presentation, the Certificate of Excellence for CAFR, and the Award for Outstanding Achievement in Popular Annual Financial Reporting for PAFR.
APPA Board Representation
GUC’s General Manager/CEO Tony Cannon was re-elected to serve another three-year term on the American Public Power Association’s (APPA) Board of Directors. APPA is a national organization that provides a range of services and representation for publicly-owned electric utilities. He has also previously served as Chair of the APPA Economic Development Committee and Chair of the Customer Connections Conference Committee.
Water Treatment Excellence Award
Water Treatment Plant staff with AWOP award The N.C. Division of Water Resources has honored GUC for surpassing federal and state drinking water standards. This is the third time GUC has received the prestigious N.C. Area Wide Optimization Award (AWOP), which is part of a state effort to enhance the performance of surface water treatment facilities.
NCAMES Rodeo
GUC NCAMES Rodeo Team Electric Department employees brought home trophies from the 57th Annual NCAMES (North Carolina Association of Municipal Electric Systems) Lineman’s Rodeo in Morganton, NC. Public power teams from around the state competed in events that test their knowledge and ability to perform tasks safely and quickly.
In the Apprentice competitions, Overhead Lineworker Jordan Hill brought home the first place trophy for the Hurt Man Rescue. Tree Trimmer Spencer Corey placed fourth in the Rope Toss and fifth in the Sidewalk Guy, while Tree Trimmer Matt Board placed 5th in Hurt Man, and Substation Lineworker Remington Gaskins placed 8th Overall. In the Journeyman Division, Underground Lineworker David Guy placed second Overall by placing third in both the Crossarm Change Out and the Jumper Replacement, and an overall perfect score of 400.
STEM Outreach Award
Human Resource staff Kay Spriggs, Angile Fuller, Lena Previll, and Richie Shreves GUC’s Human Resources Department received the STEM Career Outreach Award from the International Public Management Association for Human Resources in North Carolina (NC- IPMA-HR). HR was recognized for its focus on educating schools and colleges about the diverse set of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) careers that we have at GUC.
NCDOL Safety Awards
Water Quality Manager Anthony Whitehead accepts award from Cherie Berry, NC Commissioner of Labor
The NC Department of Labor (NCDOL) and the Greenville-Pitt Chamber of Commerce recognized GUC’s efforts to work safely. For some of GUC’s departments, this was the eleventh consecutive year earning awards. In all, GUC was honored with 17 safety awards during the NCDOL annual safety banquet.
ElectriCities Awards
GUC received Awards of Excellence in the following five categories from ElectriCities of North Carolina: Grid Modernization, Wholesale Power Cost, Workforce Development, Value of Public Power, and Continuous Improvement.