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Caldwell Employees Recognized for Service
Employees of Blue Ridge Electric Membership Corporation and its heating fuels subsidiary, Blue Ridge Energies, LLC, were recently recognized for their years of service during an employee awards dinner at The Walker Center on the campus of Wilkes Community College in Wilkesboro.
Chief Administrative Officer Julie O’Dell-Michie presented plaques to each employee receiving a milestone service award and gave a brief overview of their accomplishments.
At the end of the program, Board President Kenneth Greene recognized the hard work by employees to serve the members and customers of Blue Ridge Electric and Blue Ridge Energies.
Employees from Caldwell and Burke counties recognized for years of service from the company’s corporate, district, and subsidiary offices were:
- 35 years: Robert Kent, director of operations;
- 30 years: Duane Ayers, lead communications technician; Jeff Benfield, operations manager;
- 20 years: Donna Benge, senior member services representative; Jana Wike, land rights specialist; John Hall, operations coordinator; Brian Carswell, business development coordinator; Ray Mull, sales and service coordinator;
- 15 years: Mark Campi, applications support engineer; Danette Landrum, financial accounting manager; Lyle Ford, sales/delivery;
- 10 years: Lynn Heatherly, senior cost accountant; Robert Norris, vehicle mechanic;
- 5 years: Tyler Reese, senior member services representative.
Special achievement awards were also presented to the offices that had the best performance in key areas of the company’s strategic goals. The corporate office won for “Most Employee Participation for WorkSmart,” a program to reduce and control costs. Blue Ridge Energies’ Burke/Caldwell office won an award for “highest volume growth percent.”
Blue Ridge Electric is a member owned electric cooperative serving some 74,000 members in Caldwell, Watauga, Ashe, Alleghany, Wilkes, Avery and Alexander counties. Its subsidiary, Blue Ridge Energies, is a propane and heating fuels provider with offices and appliance showrooms in the district offices of Blue Ridge Electric as well as Independence, Va.