Two Watauga County Men Receive Top Honors

For Immediate Release

Contact: Renee Whitener, Director of Public Relations, Blue Ridge Electric Membership Corporation, (828) 758-2383, Ext. 3213; Pager: 1-800-471-1323; or E-mail: Renee Whitener

Boone, North Carolina, (April 28, 2008) – Two Watauga County residents were among four employees of Blue Ridge Electric Membership Corporation and Blue Ridge Energies were recognized Saturday night with the company's top awards during the company's annual employee service awards dinner held at the Broyhill Inn and Conference Center in Boone.

Each year, employees of Blue Ridge Electric and its heating fuels subsidiary, Blue Ridge Energies, nominate and select four outstanding employees to receive the company's top awards recognizing qualities such as inspiring customer service, motivational team spirit, operational excellence, and generosity to the community.

Watauga County residents Kenny Teague was the recipient of the Blue Ridge Spirit Award and Kevin Norris received the Touchstone Overall Excellence Award.

"Our four special awards are the highest honor a Blue Ridge employee can receive because the winners are nominated and selected by their co-workers," said Chief Executive Officer Doug Johnson, referencing special awards given for spirit, community service, and overall operational excellence.

The Blue Ridge Spirit award given to Teague recognizes an employee who demonstrates the heart and soul of the Blue Ridge companies and the mission of service they were founded upon.

Teague, a vehicle mechanic for Blue Ridge, was described by his peers as someone always willing to lend a helping hand to co-workers, friends, and those he doesn't know but who are in need. Co-workers said one example was during the brutal snow and wind storm of 1993. Teague left home before dawn to help several linemen get a vehicle at a district office. The weather and roads were so bad that it took three hours to drive from Boone to West Jefferson. Along the way, Teague helped cut trees off the road and pull cars out of snow drifts. He worked throughout the night, checking cars stuck in snow drifts to make sure no one was in trouble. He also relayed messages to worried families and supplied information to Emergency Management officials.

Co-workers said Teague is also a dedicated helper with the company's annual Relay for Life fundraiser as well as in his church. They credit him for his innovation and mechanical skills that help keep customer service ratings high by keeping the company's fleet of vehicles in top shape.

Kevin Norris, warehouse specialist for Watauga district, was honored with the Touchstone Overall Excellence Award for Blue Ridge Electric.

Two Touchstone Overall Excellence Awards are awarded annually: one from Blue Ridge Electric and one from Blue Ridge Energies who demonstrate exceptional customer service and operational expertise. The recipients are selected for meeting stringent criteria including responsiveness to member/customer needs, finding new and innovative ways of meeting consumer and co-worker needs, and helping build employee, member and customer relationships.

Co-workers said Norris is one of the most dedicated, caring employees in the company and is an example to others around him with his honesty and integrity. They also admire his work ethic and level of achievement, noting that he often willingly takes on work even outside of his primary job function. Norris is recognized for staying late or coming in early to lend a helping hand and get the job done.

Fellow employees say he is a valuable team member due to his knowledge of both "inside" (office) and "outside" field operations, making him a strong resource for both members and co-workers.

While Norris is highly regarded for his work expertise, he is also admired for his ability to look at work from a fresh perspective. Co-workers say his suggestions often help them save time or simply be more efficient and they credit his attitude with helping create a work environment that is positive and team focused.

The other two winners of Blue Ridge's top awards Saturday night were: Mike High, director of engineering services, for the Commitment to Community award, and Dale Mullis, Sales and Delivery for Blue Ridge Energies Ashe County office, for the Touchstone Overall Excellence Award for Blue Ridge Energies.

Blue Ridge Electric is a not-for-profit electric cooperative serving some 73,000 members in Caldwell, Watauga, Ashe, Alleghany, Wilkes and Alexander counties. Its subsidiary, Blue Ridge Energies, provides propane and heating fuels from hearth products showrooms in the district offices of Blue Ridge Electric in Lenoir, Boone, West Jefferson, and Sparta, as well as from its Conover office.