Blue Ridge Recognizes Caldwell District Employees

Lenoir, North Carolina (April 29, 2010) — Employees of Blue Ridge Electric Membership Corporation and Blue Ridge Energies, LLC, were recently recognized for their service during the company’s annual employee awards dinner and celebration at Broyhill Inn and Conference Center in Boone.

Recognized for their years of service from Caldwell County were: 35 years: Sandra Hicks, Director of Member Services; 30 years: Mike Lowe, Communications/Fiber Optics Manager; and Steve Peterson, Construction Manager; 25 years: Regina Bolick, Operations Coordinator; 20 years: Karen Ford, Administrative Assistant; 10 years: William Covington, Network Engineer; Chad Gilbert, Line Technician A; Amanda Pierce, Human Resources Manager; Anita Scholbrock, Senior Member Services Representative; Keith Smith, Warehouse Specialist; Todd Smith, Test and Maintenance Technician; and Wongalee Thomas, Senior Member Services Representative; five years: Lee Layton, Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer; Cory Taylor, System Operator; Marty Walker, Service Technician; and Tony Wheeler, System Operator.

Eric Laws, line technician, and Applications Support Manager Gary Carswell, along with Sales and Delivery specialist Mike Thomas from Blue Ridge Energies, were also recognized during the ceremony as three of only eight employees nominated by fellow co-workers to receive the distinguished Spirit of Blue Ridge Award. Carswell won the award which recognizes outstanding employees who demonstrate the key quality that service to others is the highest calling in life. It also honors qualities such as motivational team spirit, going above and beyond the call of duty, knowledge and expertise, community involvement, and leadership in attitude and dealings with others.

Blue Ridge Electric is a member-owned electric cooperative serving some 73,000 consumers in the northwest North Carolina counties of Caldwell, Watauga, Ashe, Alleghany, Avery, Alexander and Wilkes. Its subsidiary, Blue Ridge Energies, is a propane, heating fuels, and commercial gasoline provider with offices in Lenoir, Boone, West Jefferson, and Sparta. Its showrooms located in Blue Ridge Electric’s district offices in Lenoir, Boone, West Jefferson, and Sparta feature gas logs, gas fireplaces, stoves and heaters.