NEPPA eNewsletter
November/December 2011
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NEPPA’s annual Membership Meeting, held Nov. 4 in Northborough, Mass., gave NEPPA members an opportunity to say goodbye to Patrick Hyland, NEPPA executive director since 1989. Hyland is retiring effective Dec. 1 after 22 years of service. He passed the reins to incoming Executive Director Larry Brownell. Hyland’s last report to the membership focused on "factionalism," something that he feels is very strong in New England. He encouraged utility members to try to break down some of the barriers that this creates and work closer together to increase public power's strength in the region. NEPPA staff presented Hyland with an iPAD and paid tribute to Hyland citing his "family first" policy, his sense of humor and his professionalism. He was also recognized for his strong communication skills and his role as a teacher and mentor. Pickford presented him with a Congressional floor statement submitted by U.S. Representative Edward Markey that will be published in the Congressional Record. The resolution honored his years of service to public power in New England. "Over the years, Mr. Hyland has worked closely with members of the New England delegation, from both sides of the aisle, to advance the interest of NEPPA consumers in New England," wrote Markey. "My personal and professional respect and admiration for Mr. Hyland runs deep, and I wish him happiness and good health in his retirement. The wise counsel, calm determination and good Irish sense of humor which he has provided to myself and others in Congress for many years on behalf of NEPPA will be sorely missed."
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It is with mixed feelings that I write my last column for the NEPPA newsletter. While I am excited to be launching a new chapter in my own life, I am also experiencing the sense of profound change that comes with such a transition. A change in daily rituals, the objects of my attention, and most especially, the people with whom I have spent so much of my time for the past 22 years. 2012 will be a big year for our association, with new leadership and a new permanent home from which we will be able to deliver our programs and services. Over the past several weeks, I have spent considerable time with Larry Brownell, our incoming Executive Director, to assure a smooth transition. Larry brings outstanding qualifications and experience to the position and is already working closely with the NEPPA staff to prepare for the coming year. Over the next few months, he also plans to meet with as many NEPPA members as possible to solicit your feedback on NEPPA services and your suggestions for changes and improvements. It has been an honor and my great pleasure to serve as NEPPA’s executive director. I have come to know and work with a remarkable group of individuals who serve public power communities throughout New England. These include our utility members themselves, who serve on the front lines, as well as our affiliates, business partners and staff, who assist them in so many different ways. To each of you, I say thanks for your support, your friendship, and for enriching my life. ##SHARELINKS##
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NEPPA affiliate member, Primary Lines, Inc. (PLI) has announced the addition of Doris K. Gill to its sales team. Gill has served New England electric utilities for more than 25 years, establishing many long-term friends and relationships. In her present role, she will continue her support of public power line crews, engineers, consultants and managers in meeting their substation, distribution and metering needs. She will also support NEPPA programs, conferences and training using her vast knowledge of the industry, as well as gaining support from factory experts. You can contact Doris at: 617 529-7207 (cell) or doris@primarylines.net. ##SHARELINKS##
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Wakefield Municipal Gas & Light Department General Manager Pete Dion was recently elected president and chairman of the Board of Directors of Berkshire Wind Power Cooperative Corporation (BWPCC), a nonprofit public power corporation comprised of 14 municipal utilities and the Massachusetts Municipal Wholesale Electric Company. BWPCC was created by the municipal utiliities and MMWEC in 2008 to purchase the Berkshire Wind Power Project in Hancock, Mass., the largest wind power initiative under construction in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. General Manager Dion has served on the BWPCC Board of Directors since its inception. The 10-turbine project, which was completed and brought online in May 2011, operates at an estimated capacity factor of approximately 40 percent and is expected to produce more than 52,500-megawatt hours of electricity a year, enough to power approximately 6,000 homes. In addition, the project will offset the production of nearly 612,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide and the use of 1.7 million barrels of oil. Joining Wakefield and MMWEC in the BWPCC are the Massachusetts communities of Ashburnham, Boylston, Groton, Holden, Hull, Ipswich, Marblehead, Paxton, Peabody, Shrewsbury, Sterling, Templeton and West Boylston. In addition to serving as Chairman of the Board of Berkshire Wind Power Cooperative Corporation, General Manager Dion serves as President of MMWEC and is active in the American Public Power Association (APPA). He has been recognized by APPA for his contributions to the organization and its various committees. ##SHARELINKS##
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The Houlton Water Company (HWC) is pleased to announce the promotion of Gregory F. Sherman to assistant general manager effective Nov. 16, 2011. As assistant general manager, Sherman will continue to be accountable for all HWC financial activities, but will also assume additional responsibilities throughout the organization. Sherman will become more involved in all HWC departments and focus on bringing updated systems to the entire HWC operation. In the absence of the general manager, he will assume all HWC responsibilities and report directly to the board of directors. Sherman has been employed as an accountant at the HWC for nine years and as Comptroller for almost four years. Greg holds a B.S. degree in accounting from the University of Maine at Orono. He and his wife Angela reside in Hodgdon with their five children. ##SHARELINKS##
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...other than hi, my name is Larry Brownell, which sounds like the beginning of some recovering addicts’ session you would see on a police drama. Rarely does one introduce oneself to a new community via a mass distribution. Even more remote is following a legend. Over the past month I have had the pleasure of learning from and following Pat Hyland. The adoration I have witnessesed is similar to what some of us experienced when Johnny Carson retired. An important and respected member of the public power community is moving on. I have the dubious task of following him. True to his nature Pat has been busy this past year preparing NEPPA for the future. The foundation has been laid at Littleton and by October 2012 NEPPA will have a new home, with its offices and training facility on one site for the first time. One of the other changes that Pat oversaw in October is that Rockie Blunt has transitioned from Director of Educational Services to become a training and education consultant. He is now one of our cadre of outstanding trainers. My addition to NEPPA comes at a fortuitous time. I am a professional association executive by background and I have specialized in education and training organizations. While working at one of the regional AWWA affiliates I worked on revitalizing and creating education and certification programs. In the next year our challenge here will be to gear up for Littleton. We will be looking at our current and previous educational offerings and any unmet needs you have. In pursuit of this I will be hitting the road over the next couple of months to visit as many of you as possible. My goal is to understand the uniqueness of your operations and challenges that face you. With this information I should be able to better direct our educational, legislative and operational functions. But, I need your input. If by some chance you have an urgent need or issue, please contact me. There is a lot of ground to cover in the next couple of months and I don’t want your needs or concerns to wait. I am looking forward to serving you and moving NEPPA on to the next phase of its mission. Sincerely, ##SHARELINKS##
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Point Energy Solutions of Wethersfield, Conn., has joined NEPPA as an associate member. The contact person is the company’s owner, John DeGray, and he can be reached at (860)656-9215. Point Energy Solutions provides sales representation, marketing and consulting services for businesses with point-of-use renewable power and energy management solutions as well as other new products/technologies focused on sustainability. ##SHARELINKS##
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Visit our online store to buy products that display the NEPPA logo, or use your own company logo. Half the proceeds from sales will benefit NEPPA's new training center being built in Littleton, Mass. HALO Branded Solutions, an associate member of NEPPA, plans to donate half of the revenue from sales to the NEPPA Building Fund. "I welcome the opportunity to work with NEPPA members," said Dick Parslow of HALO, "and this arrangement benefits both of us." ##SHARELINKS##
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16 Days Jan. 24-27 March 20-23 Aug. 28-31 Oct. 30-31 Nov. 1-2 This one-year program, offered every other year, builds on the knowledge and skills lineworkers already possess. Students are awarded a certificate in Advanced Lineworker Skills. Click to learn more. ##SHARELINKS##
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September 16-19, Sunday River Resort, Bethel, Maine The Grand Summit Resort and Conference Center combines the best of both worlds. It offers all the amenities you would expect from a full-service hotel like two restaurants, a health club and a heated outdoor pool. It also offers a full-service spa and is a short distance to Bethel, Maine's most beautiful mountain village with specialty shops and galleries. Mark your calendars! ##SHARELINKS##
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The Cranwell Conference Center in Lenox, Mass. was the site of NEPPA’s Public Utility Management Program 2011, which concluded the week before Thanksgiving. NEPPA has presented the Public Utility Management Program since 1993. It is a week-long educational program (divided into spring and fall sessions) in which participants learn or improve critical leadership skills, apply practical management techniques and strengthen their understanding of the most important developments affecting the electric utility industry in New England. This year sessions were held on "Self-Motivation and Personal Initiative," "Critical Thinking and Learning," "People Skills" and "Business and Financial Skills" in March, and "Communication Skills," "Negotiation and Persuasion Skills," "Strategic Planning" and "Political Skills" in November. Participants were Brian Allen and Christine Trudeau from the Princeton Municipal Light Department; Jay Anderson, Marblehead Municipal Light Department; Susan Blumenthal, Thomas Broderick, Sean Fitzgerald and Michael Lee, Westfield Gas & Electric Light Department; Nick D’Alleva and Maureen Hanifan, Reading Municipal Light Department; Paul Heanue, Hingham Municipal Lighting Plant; Robin King and John Laverty, Shrewsbury Electric and Cable Operations; Michael Kirkwood, Pascoag (Rhode Island) Utility District; Janine Newman, North Attleborough Electric Department; Anne Olivari, Ashburnham Municipal Light Plant; Philip Rohn and Roy Simoes, Peabody Municipal Light Plant and George Scully, City of Groton (Connecticut) Department of Utilities. The Public Utility Management Program 2011 closed on a special note when NEPPA’s retiring executive director, Pat Hyland, who founded the program in 1993 and has directed it ever since, was presented with a special award. ##SHARELINKS##
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Change, they say, is the only constant in life, and that certainly is true for me. As of this month, my relationship with NEPPA has changed. I am reducing my hours and assuming the position of training and education consultant to the organization. I will relinquish my administrative duties to concentrate on training and development of new programs. You won’t notice any difference, however. I will still be teaching professional development programs as needed and will be available to facilitate team-building programs, management retreats or other customized projects for individual utilities. And I will still coordinate NEPPA’s new online learning and personal coaching initiatives. You can continue to reach me through the NEPPA office, and as always, I look forward to working with you on any educational project that you think would benefit you and your organization. That’s one thing that hasn’t changed. ##SHARELINKS##
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