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April 11, 2008 | AECI honors five Springfield employees with Excel awardsContact : Nancy Southworth Photos of award recipients available electronically on request. Associated Electric Cooperative Inc. (AECI) presented Stacey Bramell, David Hellard, Wayne Oliver, Randall Stewart and Dan Upp of AECI’s headquarters in Springfield with Excel Awards at its 15th annual employee recognition ceremony April 10. The recipients of the Excel awards are nominated by their peers for excelling in their work with the cooperative. Bramell is the recipient of the Excel Award for Employee of the Year in a Professional Field. She was recognized for her work on special assignment as acting human resources coordinator at the cooperative’s power plant in southeast Missouri. Bramell was praised for her professional skills and achievements, including helping power plant staff implement positive performance practices with supervisors and department leaders. As a human resources (HR) generalist, Bramell is the primary recruiter for AECI in Springfield. She also prepares the company’s affirmative action plan. She joined AECI in 1998 while still a senior at Parkview High School in Springfield, eventually becoming full time and completing a master’s degree in human resources. *** David Hellard and Wayne Oliver are two recipients of the Excel Award for Innovative Action Team, along with other employees at Thomas Hill Energy Center and New Madrid Power Plant. The award recognizes a team that demonstrates a sense of urgency, the ability to mobilize quickly, willingness to learn new skills and processes and the ability to make decisions quickly and respond to its constituency. This year’s recipients were recognized for their successful coordination of an ongoing $385 million construction project to add environmental controls at the cooperative’s Thomas Hill Energy Center. When complete by Jan. 1, 2009, the additional controls will reduce the cooperative’s systemwide nitrogen oxides emissions rate by 90 percent. Planning began in early 2005 before the Environmental Protection Agency announced the deadline for complying with new environmental controls. Operating on an extremely tight schedule, the team successfully procured materials, equipment and skilled labor in a seller’s market. Construction continues through 2008. At its peak last fall, about 1,200 skilled laborers were on the site. Hellard is the principal engineer at AECI’s headquarters in Springfield. He works with contractors on the project to ensure deliveries of steel, ductwork and other equipment and components are made on time. Oliver is a Springfield employee temporarily assigned as the construction manager at Thomas Hill Energy Center. He joined the team early last year to serve as the onsite construction manager, responsible for daily coordination with the construction management firm, contract laborers and AECI. *** Randy Stewart is the recipient of AECI’s Excel Award for Outstanding Community Service. Stewart, supervisor of financial information systems at the cooperative, has been an active leader in working with area schools, serving on the Parkview High School Site Team and Underprivileged School Children’s Fund Board. In particular, he has been active in raising money for bus passes for teenage mothers to get to school, equipment for an onsite nursery and other needs at Bailey Alternative School. Stewart serves on AECI’s United Way committee and regularly volunteers his time for the United Way Day of Caring. He participates in the annual MS 150 event. *** Dan Upp, purchasing supervisor at Associated Electric Cooperative, received AECI’s most prestigious award: the Excel Distinguished Service Award in recognition of his achievements and contributions to the cooperative during his 33-year career. Upp joined AECI in 1975 as a temporary draftsman but later held a variety of positions related to procurement and inventory. He was involved with AECI’s former mining operation, including dragline erection and operation, land acquisitions, railroad construction, fuel delivery and salvage of equipment. Upp also has participated in many software implementation teams. A nominator praised Upp for his comprehensive knowledge and ability to get things done. “Dan has always been our go-to guy for information, as well as the go-to guy to get decisions made and contracts worked through at the corporate level,” the nominator said. Associated Electric Cooperative Inc. is owned by and provides wholesale power to six regional and 51 local electric cooperative systems in Missouri, southeast Iowa and northeast Oklahoma that serve more than 850,000 customers. AECI’s mission is to provide an economical and reliable power supply and support services to its members. AECI is a Touchstone Energy Cooperative. An Equal Opportunity Employer M/F/D/V
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Released: 11 April 2008 |
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