Farewell to Sheila Boone: NEPPA’s Ambassador of Good Will

Several weeks ago, one of NEPPA’s long-time employees and, for many of our members, the voice and face of NEPPA, packed up her belongings and began a new chapter in her life. After serving as NEPPA’s Administrative Secretary for 13 and a half years, Sheila Boone headed off into a well-deserved retirement, where she will have more time to spend with her husband "Boonie," her daughters and grandchildren and her infinite number of friends, who are everywhere. Sheila truly has a gift for making friends, which we seemed to encounter in every restaurant, bar, hotel or church where our staff gathered for an event over the past 13 years. If she had been interested in running for public office, there is little doubt in my mind that she would have been unbeatable.

For those of us who have worked closely with Sheila here at NEPPA, her departure marks a real transition in our organization. Increasingly, for many of our members, communications with our office and staff are primarily electronic, reduced to emails or voicemails, with little time for friendly greetings or brief discussions about family or friends. And this, of course, is exactly what made Sheila such a presence in our organization. As a naturally warm and outgoing person, she loved to speak with people and could make anyone who called our office feel like a welcome addition to her large circle of friends. Members would always tell me how much they enjoyed calling our office and spending a few minutes in conversation with Sheila before turning to business. She was the ultimate ambassador of goodwill for the Northeast Public Power Association.

We will, or course, miss her laughter, her smile and her personality in our office, but we have a talented successor who will be assuming her duties. Sharon Davies, our administrative assistant since 2007, will henceforth be the person answering most of our daily phone calls and responding to members’ questions and requests. She will, I am certain, carry on the tradition of friendly service and assistance to all who call or email our office. Next time you contact the NEPPA office, be sure to introduce yourself to Sharon.

Sheila Boone after accepting the Carol Tracey Customer Service Award in 2009.