Engauge: January/February 2024

BEFORE AFTER

January/February 2024 Volume 86, Issue 1

2020 N. Meridian Street

Indianapolis, Indiana 46202

www.citizensenergygroup.com

TRUSTEES

Dennis Bland

Jamie Merisotis

Jackie Nytes

Mel Raines

Brian Williams

DIRECTORS

Anne Nobles, Chair

Jeffrey Good, Vice Chair

Daniel Appel

Moira Carlstedt

Christia Hicks

J.A. Lacy

José Martínez

Maria Quintana

Nichole C. Wilson

OPERATING MANAGEMENT

Jeffrey Harrison

President & Chief Executive Officer

J.P. Ghio

Vice President, Energy Operations

Mark Jacob

Vice President, Capital Programs & Engineering / Quality

Jeff Willman

Vice President, Water Operations

Craig Jackson

Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

Sabine Karner

Vice President and Controller

Joseph M. Perkins, Jr.

Senior Vice President and General Counsel

Joe Sutherland

Vice President, Regulatory Affairs

Jodi Whitney

Vice President, Human Resources & Chief Diversity Officer

Mike Strohl

Senior Vice President, Chief Customer Officer

John Lucas

Vice President, Information Technology

Curtis Popp

Vice President, Customer Operations

COMPANY VISION:

Enhance the well-being of our customers, communities, and employees by providing unparalleled service now and for generations to come.

COMPANY MISSION:

We fulfill the Promise of the Trust to provide essential utility services for our customers and communities, maintain the lowest possible rates with sound financial management, and create the greatest long-term benefit through a unique business structure.

ENGAUGE

Engauge is published by Citizens Energy Group, Corporate and Public Affairs Department, under the direction of Shannon Stahley, Director of Corporate and Public Affairs. It is distributed to the company’s employees and retirees, and to other interested parties upon request. The Corporate and Public Affairs Department welcomes any ideas, comments, or suggestions from readers on how this publication might better serve you. Please email the Corporate and Public Affairs Department at alowe@citizensenergygroup.com or call 317.927.4336.

Editor:

Adam Lowe

Contributors:

Zoya Barker

Doug Buffington

Susan Harris

Brett McClellan

Graphic Arts:

Wayne Stohs

Joel Bustamante

Fred Hedges and Jon Berry Recognized

Two Citizens Energy Group employees have been recognized with Operator of the Year awards by Indiana Section, American Water Works Association.

Fred Hedges, Lead Treatment Operator, Westfield Wastewater, was recognized as Operator of the Year for a Large Wastewater System, and Jon Berry, Lead Treatment Operator, Westfield Water, was recognized as Operator of the Year for a Large Water System. Both were nominated by Randy Higginbotham, Manager Westfield Operations.

In his nomination, Fred was recognized for his instrumental efforts in plant operations, creation of standard operating procedures, development of a plant operations management plan, and work training new employees. Jon was recognized for overseeing myriad operational assets and volunteering to work many extra and late shifts to ensure operational success.

The award is presented to recipients who not only provide good technical expertise to their utility, but also give of themselves to their utility, their community, and the water industry.

Indiana Section, American Water Works Association is a member-supported, notfor-profit organization founded in 1908. Their mission is to provide education and technical assistance to water and wastewater facilities in Indiana.

Congratulations to Fred Hedges and Jon Berry for your excellent work!

A before and after of the Stanley Strader Park Family Center entry hallway. Nearly 250 Citizens employees gathered on January 11 and 12 to update the park’s facilities in honor of the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

On the Cover

January/February 2024 Volume 86, Issue BEFORE AFTER

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Fred Hedges, Randy Higginbotham, and Jon Berry

Annual and Quarterly Customer Champions Named

On Saturday, January 21, 2023, Matt was dispatched to a customer’s residence. Upon his arrival and initial inspection, Matt determined there was no issue at the address to which he was dispatched, but he did detect dangerously high levels of carbon monoxide from a neighboring home. Unable to make contact with the occupants, IFD was dispatched and the residents were safely evacuated and assessed to be in good health.

Matt went above and beyond the scope of his call, investigating a neighboring home and working in challenging conditions that made it difficult to assess the situation. His quick actions quite possibly saved the lives of two individuals from carbon monoxide poisoning.

To recognize his potentially life-saving efforts and demonstration of the best practices of owning the customer experience, Matt was named the 2023 Customer Champion. At January’s Leadership Forum, Matt received a $2,500 award and a reserved parking space. Congratulations, Matt, on being a true Customer Champion!

Citizens also recognized recently retired HR Generalist, Barb Hudson, as a Quarterly Customer Champion for the closing quarter of 2023.

In October, Barb was waiting outside the General Office for a lunch delivery when she noticed an elderly gentleman, confused and having difficulty navigating where to go to pay his bill. Setting her warm lunch aside, she patiently escorted him to the payment kiosks and helped him get started with paying his bill. Barb retreated inside for a few moments, returning to the customer with additional information in hand to help him. She assisted him with using the kiosk and he successfully paid his bill. She then went on to walk him back to the car awaiting him in the parking lot.

Barb’s warmth and compassion, coupled with exceptional customer service, are why she was selected as a Customer Champion for the final quarter of 2023.

Fishing Tournament Proceeds Presented to Riley Hospital

In December, participants from Citizens Energy Group’s semiannual fishing tournaments presented Riley Hospital for Children a check for $1,000. Each year, employees host two bass fishing tournaments–one in the spring, one in the fall–and half of the overall proceeds are donated to Riley Hospital.

The fishing tournament is a tradition harkening to 1985 and the days of Indianapolis Water. When Citizens Energy Group purchased the utility, Larry Cox, Kevin Crossley, and Bob Streib had a conversation with company leadership about maintaining the tournaments, and the rest is history. Citizens purchases trophies and covers ramp fees for each event, and Riley Hospital for Children was chosen as the beneficiary of proceeds from the events.

(L-R) Brad Hostetler, Amber Miller (Riley Hospital), Larry Cox, and Doug Buffington II Matt Anderson, Utility Service Specialist, Customer Support Services, has been honored with the Annual Customer Champion Award for 2023. Barb Hudson

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Matt Anderson

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Improves Stanley Strader Park

Citizens Energy Group and our generous partners, including nearly 250 employees, renovated the Stanley Strader Park (formerly Bethel Park) Family Center and Pool House on January 11 and 12 as part of Citizens’ 16th annual Sharing the Dream project. Sharing the Dream is a multiday community service project that gives Citizens employees a chance to serve Central Indiana and honor the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Employee volunteers collectively donated hundreds of hours of their time during the twoday event, and Citizens and roughly 30 partners contributed $300,000, either monetarily or in-kind, to upgrade the facility’s buildings and equipment.

ABOUT SHARING THE DREAM

Sharing the Dream is an annual service project to honor the late Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Citizens has donated more than $3.8 million during Sharing the Dream projects over the past 16 years for improvements to various Indy Parks facilities, including Watkins Park Family Center; Frederick Douglass Park Family Center, golf course clubhouse, and pool house; Brookside Park Family

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Center; Martin Luther King, Jr. Park pool and bathhouse; Pride Park Community Center; Municipal Gardens; Eagle Creek Hide-A-Way; Perry Park’s Ice Arena; Thatcher Park; Krannert Park; Garfield Park; Riverside Park; Ellenberger Park; and, most recently, Stanley Strader Park.

“This is the 16th time we’ve celebrated renovations to a Sharing the Dream public parks project,” Citizens President & CEO Jeffrey Harrison said at a community open house to tour the completed renovations. “I want to thank our employees and our partners, and I think it’s a testament to our close working relationship with Indy Parks and The Parks Alliance that we get to continue this important work each year."

Improvements to the park’s community center included upgrades for a more efficient reception desk and more welcoming lobby area; new furniture and cabinets in the multipurpose room; new ventilation and appliances for the community pantry area; fresh paint and deep cleaning in the restrooms; a reorganized game room and fitness center; a newly painted mural in the gymnasium; and the operational repair of the gym’s rolling bleachers and score boards. Upgrades in the park’s pool house included completely ground and newly epoxied floors; updates to leaky plumbing equipment and bathroom accessories; new shower heads in ADA-compliant accessible showers; new LED lighting fixtures throughout; and new sinks, shelving, countertops, and coolers in the concession stand.

“We thank Citizens Energy Group and their partners for the work to revitalize this beloved Indianapolis city park,” said Mayor Joe Hogsett. “Combined with our ongoing renovation of the football field, the newly renamed Stanley Strader Park is currently receiving a total investment of more than a million dollars in renovations, reflecting the central importance of this public space.”

A SPECIAL THANKS

TO THIS YEAR’S PARTNERS

Citizens thanks our many partners for their efforts to make Sharing the Dream a successful event this year, especially The Parks Alliance of Indianapolis, Mitsch Design, Peine Engineering, and Powers & Sons Construction Company. Other partners include: A All Star Garage Doors; AAA Roofing; A.G. Maas; BEC; Chisholm Lumber & Millwork; Clark Truck Equipment Co., Inc.; Connor Fine Painting; CVR; Denney Companies; Ecore International; Energy Plus Credit Union; Eubanks Fencing; Fluid Waste Services; Grainger; Greene’s Auto & Truck Service; Indy Soft Water; MacAllister Machinery & Rentals; McGath Concrete; Mainscape, Inc.; Marsha’s Specialty Desserts & Tierney’s Catering; MET Construction, LLC; Pulse Electric; Refined Restoration; Solace Risk Management; Springfield Electric; SSI Services; Superior Carpet Installers; Tayco Office Furnishings; and Wagner Signs.

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BEFORE AFTER

Celebrating Diversity and Inclusion

In September, Citizens Energy Group introduced an update to our vision, mission, and values. As part of this update, inclusion replaced diversity as a value, as it better represents the principles we follow and how we value diverse contributions in an inclusive culture: We foster a diverse culture where everyone is respected, valued, and empowered to contribute their unique perspectives and talents. We actively listen and adapt to ensure that our services are accessible, equitable, and responsive to the needs of the communities we serve. “Diversity is the cornerstone of innovation and success. Inclusion ensures Citizens Energy Group is able to unlock the full potential of diverse perspectives, creating a workplace where everyone’s unique contributions are valued and embraced”, shares Joe Perkins, Senior Vice President and General Counsel.

In February, we celebrate Black History Month to honor the achievements and contributions of African Americans. The 2024 Black History Month theme is “African Americans and the Arts.” It focuses on the impact of African Americans on various forms of cultural expression like visual and performing arts, literature, fashion, folklore, language, film, music, architecture, and culinary arts.

In 2023, the Citizens’ Sponsorship and Philanthropy Team supported several organizations and events that highlighted African Americans and the arts. These included the Naptown African American Theatre Collective, Inc., the Madam Walker Legacy Center, Indy Juneteenth, Inc., “BUTTER 3” presented by GANGGANG, and “AfroBall Indy 2023” hosted by Indy Black Professionals.

We understand that promoting diversity and inclusion is an ongoing process. Our Diversity and Inclusion Team is committed to creating a work environment where every individual is respected and valued for their contributions and can reach their full potential. In 2024, all employees will have the opportunity to participate in the inclusion initiatives we offer such as the “Did You Know” series, Lunch and Learns, and Real Conversations, as well as additional opportunities for training and education.

Energy Efficiency Tip: Energy Audits

Nearly everyone has a list of resolutions they’d like to tackle in 2024—travel more, learn a new instrument, or run that marathon. It may be worth considering a home energy audit that can help you save money and make energy more affordable this year. It’s an easy way to identify changes you can make to your home to save that extra cash you’ll need to put toward a gift or a vacation to somewhere exciting.

Professional home energy audits are one of your best bets for identifying major energy savings in your home. Find a trusted professional auditor who can perform many different tests throughout your home to detect energy leaks. A blower door test, for example, can help you find air leaks in your house that can make heating and cooling unnecessarily expensive. A professional auditor might also conduct a thermographic inspection to find spots in your home that are leaking conditioned air, and that may benefit from new or additional insulation. Making improvements identified in tests like these, among others, can help you improve your home’s energy efficiency and save you between 5 percent and 30 percent on your monthly energy bill.

Source: energy.gov

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Q&A Meet Vince Stewart, Manager Wastewater Maintenance

1. What attracted to you to Citizens?

I was excited to work for Citizens because our unique structure lends itself to operational excellence through appropriate levels of reinvestment into our assets. I could not have asked for a better environment to apply myself and make a difference for an organization.

2. What does a typical day look like for you?

As the Maintenance Manager for wastewater treatment, I lead and manage a group of 60 technical folks who perform all the maintenance, repair, and minor capital improvement work for two advanced wastewater treatment plants, 278 lift stations, and 13 collection system control sites; soon, this will also include 25 tunnel drop shafts.

Our department is split into five areas, each led by one supervisor. The areas of focus are Belmont Advanced Wastewater Treatment Plant, Southport Advanced Wastewater Treatment Plant, solids handling, lift stations, and control systems. The Area Maintenance Supervisors have skilled trade workers reporting to them: general laborers, electricians, electromechanics, and instrumentation technicians. Our control systems group handles the operation, maintenance, and improvement of our sophisticated industrial control system network for all areas and works closely with our new Operational Technology division, managed by Ali Zadeh, to keep it secure and running smoothly.

We support our supervisors and skilled workers with maintenance planners, reliability engineers, and enterprise asset management software coordination. Wastewater maintenance requires dedicated focus due the corrosive and abrasive environment in which our equipment is required to operate. Our team does a tremendous job of maintaining a very high equipment uptime while maintaining a positive working environment. All of this allows our operations team to focus on running the plants to meet our water and air permits.

3. What are some of the challenges you face in your job?

Our biggest challenge as a department since transitioning to Citizens in 2017 is bringing in new people as folks retire or move on to other assignments. More than 50 percent of the maintenance department has changed since our transition. This is a challenge for us because of the high level of knowledge required to be successful as a skilled trade worker or leader in such a large operation. We have been successful through our onboarding process; our commitment to training and development; and Citizens’ offer of a compensation structure that attracts good employees.

4. How do you spend your time outside of work?

When I’m not consumed by our maintenance challenges, I look forward to our family’s annual vacation to Coco Beach, Florida, where I like to pretend I can surf, as well as our trips around Indiana in the spring, fall, and fair-weather weekends.

Paul Riggins

Thanks to the generosity of Citizens Energy Group employees, the Paul Riggins Giving Tree program raised $4,209 for Gleaners Food Bank during the 2023 holiday season, exceeding the goal of $3,500. “I am blown away by the generosity of our employees” said Steve Berube, Director Water Production. “We increased our donation by 20% this year, and our efforts will provide almost 34,000 meals to our community.”

Vince Stewart began his career with Citizens Energy Group in January 2017 when Citizens took over direct operations and management of Indianapolis’s wastewater treatment facilities. Vince worked for Suez, who previously managed the facilities in partnership with Citizens, from 1998 through 2008, and again from 2014 through 2017. He previously worked for Tyson Foods, Johnson Control, and Rolls Royce.

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Giving Tree Raises More than $4,000

Citizens for Good: Volunteer Spotlight

Our volunteer spotlight is a chance to meet a Citizens Energy Group employee who is making a big impact in the community outside of their job. Citizens employees are encouraged to volunteer at Citizens-sponsored events, or at community organizations of their choice.

Meet Kenya Perkins, Compliance Analyst

Kenya Perkins has been with Citizens since the 2011 acquisition of Indianapolis Water, and she previously worked with Veolia since 1996. Today Kenya is an IT Compliance Analyst and volunteers in her spare time at Boys & Girls Clubs of Indianapolis.

What sparked your interest in volunteering for Boys & Girls Clubs of Indianapolis?

I was motivated to volunteer for the Boys & Girls Clubs because their mission is “... every young person deserves a life filled with hope and opportunity.” Having the opportunity to serve as a volunteer, I can provide a platform for our youth to develop into the future leaders they deserve to be. What has been your most rewarding experience volunteering for Boys & Girls Clubs of Indianapolis?

My most rewarding experience volunteering at the Boys & Girls Clubs has been mentoring. Recently, my mentee received the Boys & Girls Clubs Middle School Youth Award. Having the opportunity to be a positive role model for her is a rewarding experience. What contribution or achievement are you most proud of?

One of my proudest contributions/ achievements volunteering with the Boys & Girls Clubs was when I organized (in two days!) a volunteer team that consisted of barbers, a hair stylist, and a photographer to participate in a self-care day. It was a wonderful experience for the children. We had nail painting, professional photos, and hair-styling services. For some children, this was their first haircut experience. There was nothing more gratifying than seeing the children smile and have confidence in themselves.

Why do you feel volunteerism is important at Citizens Energy Group?

Volunteering is an essential aspect of Citizens as it provides an opportunity for employees to give back to the community in a meaningful way. Through volunteering their time and skills, employees can make a positive impact on the lives of others and contribute toward the betterment of the community. I enjoy volunteering alongside my coworkers because it helps foster teamwork and camaraderie, ultimately leading to a more positive and cohesive work environment.

About Boys & Girls Clubs of Indianapolis

Boys & Girls Clubs of Indianapolis

615 N. Alabama

Suite 400

www.bgcindy.org

Pamela Lozano

plozano@bgcindy.org

(317) 771-2855

The Boys & Girls Clubs of Indianapolis are a safe haven for young people from distressed communities across Indianapolis. They provide a range of programs and resources all year round, and they engage youth in innovative programs designed to empower them to excel in school, become good citizens, and lead healthy, productive lives. Volunteers have the opportunity to engage youth in academic support, career mentoring, leadership mentoring, and more.

Pam Lozano, Global Preparatory Site Director for BGCI, shared, “Kenya has been someone who is truly invested in making an impact. She is an incredible mentor because she doesn’t hesitate to jump right in and get her hands messy. There is rarely a time that she has not supported programs, events, and activities without being a leader or incorporating incredibly fresh and fun ways to engage our youth.”

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CLASS Belt Certifications

YELLOW BELT

Prescription Safety Glasses

• Project Leader: Scott Griffith (Health, Safety & Security)

• Team Members: Jerome Mayden, Rich Willsey

• Scott Griffith’s project created a standardized Trust-wide process that allows employees to obtain reasonable desired options for prescription safety eyewear.

• Benefits: Prescription safety glasses are now managed out of one account/ purchase order by the Safety Department versus the business units managing their own purchase orders. The new process clearly defines what add-ons the employee can get and allows the employee to go to the eye doctor of their choosing. As of December 1, 2023, eight employees have used the new process.

Master Planning Standardization

• Project Leader: Allison Walker (Underground Engineering & Construction)

• Team Members: Bill Grout, Justin Burnett

• Allison Walker’s project developed a process to address the inefficiencies, uncertainty, and potential errors identified in the cross-functional master planning process. Through this project, requirements were defined for the master planning documents, and a spreadsheet template and corresponding guidance document were created for each of the four master plans.

• The master plans provide general system information (e.g., asset information and system integrity information, such as number of breaks and available capacity) and provide plans on how to protect and improve the system. The master plans are used by UE&C, Plant Engineering, and Operations to help develop future project needs for plant projects and underground asset projects.

• Benefits: The project reduced the time it took to update the annual update sections (performance, population, and flow) from three months to two weeks. It also eliminated four errors/re-work instances and reduced the number of involved employees, which sped up the process and reduced back-and-forth communication.

Recently Completed Just Do It Projects

Just Do It projects are a great way to continuously improve something where the solution is already known. This doesn’t mean it necessarily has to be a quick or simple project, it just doesn’t go through the DMAIC process. But Just Do It projects can make a big impact in efficiency and savings. All completed Just Do It projects can be found on Quality’s CI Activities and Completed Projects page.

• Belmont AWT Disinfection Process Control: Pete Corsaro (Wastewater Operations)

• Streamflow USGS (United States Geological Survey) Consolidation: Steve Berube (Water Production)

• COG (Coke-Oven-Gas) Control Removal: Phillip Burba (Thermal)

• PM Optimization – Incinerator Outages: Joni Staten (Wastewater Operations)

Quality

Corner

Allison Walker

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Scott Griffith

Safety Tip: Are You Heart Smart?

February is American Heart Month

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States. One death in every five is due to heart disease, even though the disease is largely preventable.

Keeping your heart healthy starts with living a heart-healthy lifestyle. But first, you need to get smart about your heart by knowing what causes heart disease, what puts you at risk for it, and how you can reduce those risks to help you make informed decisions for protecting your heart and keeping it strong.

Want to test your knowledge? Take this short Heart Smart Quiz:

1. True or False? High blood pressure is also known as hypertension and occurs when your blood pressure is consistently 130/80 mm Hg or higher.

2. True or False? Your body mass index, or BMI, shows if your weight is in a healthy range for your height and is one measure of your future risk for heart disease.

3. True or False? Cholesterol helps make hormones, vitamin D, and substances to help you digest foods. Your body needs it for good health, but in the right amounts.

4. True or False? Eating lots of vegetables, fruits, and whole grains, using fat-free or low-fat dairy products, and limiting foods high in saturated fat or sugar-sweetened beverages are all part of a heart-healthy diet.

5. True or False? Not getting enough sleep or getting poor-quality sleep on a regular basis increases the risk of having high blood pressure, heart disease, and other medical conditions.

6. True or False? To strengthen their heart, adults should aim to get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity such as brisk walking each week.

Answer Key: All answers are True.

How did you do? Knowing your own risk factors for heart disease can help guide your lifestyle choices, so talk to your healthcare provider to make sure you’re clear. Just as important: Know your numbers. Your weight, waist size, blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar levels all affect your heart. If they aren’t where they should be, make a pledge to begin improving them.

Adding more physical activity to your day, eating a heart-healthy diet, managing stress, getting enough quality sleep, and not smoking can put you on the path to better heart health.

Learn more about heart disease prevention from The Heart Truth® at www.hearttruth.gov and download the Heart Smart Basics fact sheet to improve your knowledge about heart health.

New Employees

Keonte Anthony Wastewater Quentin Ames Corporate Support Services David Call Corporate Support Services Ben Carpenter Corporate Support Services Jean Ferrera Corporate Support Services Brandon Frye Chilled Water Jose Gamez Corporate Support Services Robert Goodwin Corporate Support Services Felicia Harris Corporate Support Services Theresa King Corporate Support Services John Lasley Corporate Support Services Marlana Long Corporate Support Services Sheila Naku Corporate Support Services Matthias Neidenberger Corporate Support Services Benjamin Baird Corporate Support Services Terry Chapman Corporate Support Services Steven Boyer Water Christopher Simon Wastewater

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Kaiser Weber Corporate Support Services