Engauge: March 2024

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

Introducing Our Ways to Save Campaign

It’s the little things we do around the house to conserve water or natural gas that can help us save on our bill. But what are some of those little things? And how can we help our customers learn more about them? While simple actions such as tossing on a layer of clothing before turning up the heat or letting the laundry collect to make a full load seem unexciting, going out of our way to save money should be celebrated!

Which brings us to our Ways to Save campaign featuring Ways to Save Man. This character is the ultimate hype-man. If you’ve made a money-saving move, Ways to Save Man shows up to celebrate with you. Much like our summer irrigation campaign’s “Interpretive Irrigation” and “Twice-a-Week-Challenge” brought some fun to water conservation, our new campaign is all about how good it feels to do the little things that make a big difference. The campaign aims to achieve two goals: share tips on ways to save money and raise communications awareness.

Citizens is using paid advertising, leveraging digital placement for targeted messaging. This effort is being delivered through a mix of broadcast commercials on local news and TV outlets, commercials on streaming services and devices, digital videos, digital banner ads, social media videos, and print ads in La Voz and the Indianapolis Recorder.

We’re recognizing 22 individuals who retired from Citizens Energy Group in 2023. Combined, our retirees provided more than 660 years of service to Citizens!

Meet Ways to Save Man

Ways to Save Man began his career with Citizens Energy Group in 2023 as Chief Conservation Champion. Prior to joining Citizens, Ways to Save Man had an illustrious career traveling the world as an energy efficiency specialist. He holds a bachelor’s degree in savings and a master’s in energy conservation.

1. What’s a great way to save money around my home this spring?

Toss on a layer before cranking the heat! It can be anything that looks good on you— hoodie, sweater, or Snuggie! Put on those comfy sweatpants and wrap up in your favorite blanket—nobody’s judging you when you’re saving big.

2. Why do you celebrate saving money?

Our wallets don’t come with free refills! It’s the little things that make a big difference on your bill. My buddy, Interpretative Irrigation Guy, loves it when it rains. So save a little, and make it rain in a different way!

3. I made a choice to conserve energy, and just like that, poof! You’re in my house. How?

One word, my friend: MAGIC.

4. Where can I find tips on how to save?

You can visit https://info.citizensenergygroup.com/conservation/ energy for more. Or scan the QR code below and save yourself some typing! See what I did there? I love to save in all kinds of ways!

5. Where did you buy your suit?

Where doesn’t matter as much as what I paid—I got it for half off! I told you I love to save!

6. Who is your favorite professional athlete?

That would be famed Yankees pitcher Mariano Riviera. And do you know why? That’s right. The man loves to save!

7. What’s your actual name, Ways to Save Man?

If you really must know, when I was born my parents named me Ways to Save Baby. my name made it a little shorter, so now I save time whenever I sign checks.

Q&A Meet Susie Mikels, Contact Center Supervisor

1. What attracted you to Citizens?

For a significant number of years, I have had family and friends that worked here. When I moved back to Indiana from New York, It felt natural for me to join a company that I was so familiar with!

2. Tell us about your department and what you are responsible for at Citizens.

I am one of seven Supervisors in the Customer Service Contact Center. I specialize in working with commercial accounts as I’ve had years of crossover experience from my time in marketing and the Business Contact Center.

It has been fulfilling to be a part of the Contact Center because the work we do here is so vital. With such a diverse customer base, we are given the opportunity to ensure services stay on and available for customers and their loved ones, even in the most difficult financial circumstances. Being such a familiar voice in the community, we can help them take advantage of the services we offer that can make paying utilities bills a little bit easier. Budget billing, payment arrangements, online billing, and dozens of payment sites are just some of the offerings we will discuss. The Contact Center is often the first and sometimes the only communication customers may have with Citizens. I believe all of our service associates take that responsibility to heart and do their best every day to serve the community as best we can.

3. What is a typical day like for you?

There is no typical day in the Contact Center, although splitting my day between assisting associates and communicating with our customer base always keeps me on my toes!

4. What is your favorite place to travel?

France! I’ve been to Paris several times and I will never forget the first meal I had there. I was with my family and we stopped for lunch at a little bistro in the 9th arrondissement (essentially a district or neighborhood of the city). I had the most amazing chicken dish. I have never been able to replicate it. I also love the south of France, particularly Alsace. Some of the quaintest villages and best white wines are located there, and I have enjoyed both!

5. You’re retiring in April. What do you plan to do during retirement?

I’ll be mastering the art of breadmaking and improving my culinary skills. The only bread I’ve made so far is called fougasse. It is a simple flat bread. I would like to learn more complex types of bread. I would also like to explore the many types of food in Spain. I’ve been to Barcelona, but there was not enough time to try all the different styles of cooking that exist in that country.

Susie Mikels began her career with Citizens Energy Group in 1980 when the company was known as Citizens Gas & Coke Utility. She briefly left the organization before returning in 2001 as a Sales Assistant in the marketing department. Now a Contact Center Supervisor, Susie has her eyes set on retirement on April 1.

CELEBRATING OUR 2023 RETIREES

Congratulations to the 22 individuals who retired from Citizens Energy Group in 2023! In every March issue of Engauge, we recognize the prior year’s retirees for their service to the Trust. Thank you for your commitment to delivering operational excellence and outstanding customer service during your careers at Citizens. We wish you all the best in your retirement.

Combined, our 2023 retirees provided more than 660 years of service to Citizens!

Ernest Barrett, Master Operator Technician

Retired in April 2023 after more than 22 years of service.

Ernie began his career at Citizens in 2001 as a Shift Supervisor at the Perry K. Steam Plant, part of Citizens’ thermal division. Ernie is a fan of drag racing, and a drag racer himself.

William Baue, Gas Controller II

Retired in September 2023 after more than 39 years of service.

Billy began his career at Citizens in 1984 as a Gas Supply Plant Operator at the Citizens Gas & Coke Utility Coke Plant. He moved to Gas Control in 2009 as a Gas Controller and was an integral part of the team. During his time in Gas Control, Billy worked the night shift ensuring the safe flow of natural gas into our Gas Transmission and Distribution System.

Kimberly Brodie-Bonner, Gas Controller II

Retired in December 2023 after more than 26 years of service.

Kim celebrated her 25-year anniversary with Citizens on December 7, 2023. Kim started in Customer Service, and the last 17 years of her career were spent as a Gas Controller in the Gas Control department. While ensuring the proper supply of natural gas to our customers, Kim also supported the Gas Supply area.

Jeff Brown, Director of Brand Development

Retired in February 2023 after more than 36 years of service.

Jeff directed Citizens’ brand communication strategy development and execution since 2010. In 2016, he assumed management oversight responsibility Corporate & Public Affairs. Jeff joined Citizens in May 1986 as a Marketing Trainee and held various positions of increasing responsibility, including Gas Acquisition Coordinator, Residential Sales Manager, and Director of Sales and Marketing.

Lee Buskirk, Storage Field Operator – Mechanic

Retired in December 2023 after more than 36 years of service.

Lee began his career at the Citizens Gas & Coke Utility Coke Plant in May 1987 and transferred to Underground Storage as an Oil Field Pumper in 1997. He was later promoted to UGS Station Operator and in 1999 became a Station Mechanic, holding the role until his retirement.

Paul Carrico, Storage Field Operator – Mechanic

Retired in January 2023 after more than 27 years of service.

Alan Waggoner, Manager Compression & Purification, shared “Paul, a Storage Field Operator/Mechanic at Underground Storage in Greene County, was a very good problem solver with extraordinary mechanical abilities. He enjoyed the camaraderie among his coworkers over the years, and I appreciated how much Paul cared about his coworkers.”

Orlando Chamberlain, Technical Specialist VI

Retired in February 2023 after more than 22 years of service.

Orlando joined Citizens in 2000. Throughout his career, he helped Citizens’ steam division maintain high levels of reliability for our customers in the downtown Indianapolis area.

Russ Clemens, Sr. Manager Compensation and Benefits

Retired in December 2023 after more than 33 years of service.

Russ joined Citizens in 1990 when the organization was known as Citizens Gas & Coke Utility and has served in a variety of positions. Russ was instrumental in advancing the vision, mission, and values of Citizens, including providing support and leadership during the closure of the Citizens Coke Plant, multiple organizational acquisitions, and implementation of a new compensation structure.

Dan Considine, Manager, Corporate Communications

Retired in March 2023 after more than 20 years of service.

Dan joined Citizens in 2002 as External Communications Manager and was promoted to Manager, Corporate Communications in 2011. In this role, Dan provided communications support to the executive team and to the primary Corporate & Public Affairs functions, including media relations, branding, community relations, internal communications, and public outreach. Throughout much of his time at Citizens, Dan served as the primary company spokesperson.

Joseph Craig, Piping Specialist CFS

Retired in December 2023 after more than 34 years of service.

Joe joined Citizens in 1989 when the organization was known as Citizens Gas & Coke Utility. Joe applied his skills to ensure proper maintenance of utility infrastructure and maintain high levels of reliability for Citizens customers.

Mike Etchison, Procurement Administrator

Retired in July 2023 after more than 21 years of service.

During his career with Citizens, Mike worked in various roles in Customer Service including the Business Contact Center and served as process analyst in Treasury, payroll administrator for HR, and rates administrator for Regulatory Affairs. Mike was instrumental in the roll out of iSupplier, Citizens’ online invoice portal, as well as successful subsequent increases in supplier participation. Mike was a champion for supplier diversity and served in multiple projects that streamline supplier processes.

Gwendolyn Foreman, Contact Center Receptionist

Retired in February 2023 after more than 17 years of service.

Gwendolyn began her career as a Customer Relations Receptionist in the Contact Center. Gwendolyn became the lobby receptionist two years later and was in this position for 11 years where she was able to help our deaf and hearing-impaired customers who needed an interpreter using American Sign Language to communicate. In 2012, she was nominated for the Rose Award.

Nolan Franklin, Utility Service Specialist

Retired in June 2023 after more than 43 years of service.

Nolan joined Citizens in 1989 when the organization was known as Citizens Gas & Coke Utility. Nolan used his decades’ worth of skills to help our customers receive highly reliable utility service.

Thomas Hammel, Maintenance Foreman

Retired in March 2023 after more than 40 years of service.

Tom joined Citizens when the organization was known as Citizens Gas & Coke Utility and served in a variety of positions. Nick Kuntz, Manager of Operations & Maintenance, described Tom as “very well respected among his coworkers”. At his retirement, Tom was looking forward to working on home improvement projects.

Rhonda Harper, Community & Stakeholder Engagement Manager

Retired in March 2023 after more than 34 years of service.

Rhonda joined Citizens in 1988 as an associate in the Contact Center. During her career, she held several positions including Contact Center Supervisor, Contact Center Manager, and Director, Customer Services. Prior to retiring, Rhonda worked several years in Corporate & Public Affairs managing relationships with community stakeholders and oversaw Citizens complaint resolution. In March 2023, she received Multiplying Good’s Jefferson Award in honor of her outstanding public service.

Kimberly Hood, Supervisor Financial Accounting

Retired in December 2023 after more than 33 years of service.

Kimberly joined Citizens in 1990 when the organization was known as Citizens Gas & Coke Utility and has served in a variety of positions. During her time in Customer Service she went from Jr. Clerk, and Customer Relations Cashier, to Customer Service Representative. During her career, she earned a Bachelor of Science and an MBA, served as a mentor, and championed multiple events.

Terry Houpt, Instrument and Control Tech and Steam Metering

Retired in April 2023 after more than 22 years of service.

Terry joined Citizens in 2000. He helped Citizens’ steam division maintain high levels of reliability for our customers throughout the downtown Indianapolis area.

Clay Howell, Field Attendant

Retired in January 2023 after more than 21 years of service.

Clay joined Citizens in 2001. His skills helped ensure the safe and reliable operations of Citizens’ facilities in Greene County. His work helped protect the safety and integrity of our natural gas system.

Barb Hudson, HR Generalist

Retired in December 2023 after more than 34 years of service.

Barb joined Citizens in June 1989, serving in a variety of positions. Barb was dedicated in her volunteerism and advancement of the organization, serving as a United Way campaign committee member, supervisory chairperson for the Energy Plus Credit Union, and a member of the administrative support team. Barb was named a Quarterly Customer Champion at the end of 2023.

Bill Long, Storage Field Operator – Mechanic

Retired in December 2023 after more than 29 years of service.

Bill began his career at the Citizens Gas & Coke Utility Coke Plant in September 1994. He later transferred to Thermal and in 2011 transferred to Underground Storage as a Station Operator. In 2018, Bill was promoted to Station Mechanic and held the role until his retirement.

Mitchel Ney, Leak Survey Inspector

Retired in January 2023 after more than 35 years of service.

Mitchel was responsible for running the Optical Methane Detector truck that surveys gas mains within the Citizens Energy Group system. Scott Gibson, Gas Operations District Supervisor, recalls, “He was very conscientious about his job. He was very experienced and provided me with tips and suggestions that helped our department run better.”

Brenda Wade, Executive Coordinator

Retired in March 2023 after more than 43 years of service.

Brenda joined Citizens in 1979 as a Cashier in Customer Service and has served in positions of increasing responsibility, including Billing & Collection Team Leader and Executive Assistant in Sales & Marketing. Since 2008, Brenda provided administrative support to members of the executive team and Corporate & Public Affairs, and played a critical role in Citizens philanthropy efforts. During her busy career, Brenda found time to earn an associate degree, volunteer in the community, and serve as a board member for Energy Plus Credit Union.

This retiree list reflects Citizens retirees who achieved 85 points toward receiving their pension. Points are determined by age (triggered at a minimum of 55 years of age) and tenured years of service, totaling 85.

Safety Tip: Common Sense Safety

Most accidents are caused by the failure to use common sense. Here are some commonsense safety rules:

• Treat safety as an important part of your job.

• Keep your full attention on what you are doing.

• Know and follow company safety rules.

• Use required protective equipment.

• Remind coworkers about safety procedures and equipment.

• Pay attention during safety training programs and meetings.

• Know what to do in case of an emergency.

• Ask questions when you don’t understand.

• Don’t fool around or show off on the job.

• Don’t let anger, frustration, or personal problems interfere with the safety of your work.

• Don’t ignore a safety hazard.

• Don’t become overconfident with repetitive jobs.

• Don’t use equipment in unintended ways

• Don’t get pressured by others into ignoring safety procedures.

• Don’t take shortcuts on the job.

• Don’t assume safety is someone else’s job.

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 Beth Noel, Environmental Specialist I

Beth Noel has been with Citizens Energy Group since February 2017 when she joined the team as an Environmental Specialist I. In her position, Beth works closely with industrial partners that discharge processed wastewater into the sewer system to ensure that Central Indiana continues to maintain clean and safe waterways.

What sparked your interest in volunteering for Learning Trails and TheraTails Clinic?

My daughter Addie has been a rider at TheraTails for eight or nine years, so I was familiar with the benefits of hippotherapy (equine-assisted therapy) for children with developmental and physical limitations. The movement from riding is excellent for balance and core strength, and the children form relationships with their horses, which is emotionally lifting for our riders. I was honored when I was asked to be on the board and knew I wanted to play a larger role in supporting TheraTails.

What contribution or achievement are you most proud of?

In the past five years, I have raised more than $13,000 to help support the organization through fundraisers on Giving Tuesday. It inspires others when they hear the stories of our riders, horses, and other volunteers at TheraTails, and I am blessed to have a platform to spread the word while raising funds to support the barn. Being on the board, I work with our families to keep them up to date on the barn news, activities, and opportunities by writing a bimonthly newsletter.

What motivates you to stay involved with Learning Trails and TheraTails Clinic?

Being at the barn and seeing the magic between our riders and the horses is very emotional. It isn’t unusual for a parent to leave with tears in their eyes because their child did something for the first time or because they saw the joy on their kiddo’s face. I love being a part of TheraTails and getting to experience these moments, and the horses are great too!

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

Our customers are residents of our community, and for me it’s important as an employee to show our support to our community by volunteering. And Citizens makes it easy by providing so many volunteer opportunities.

You’ve volunteered for Citizens-sponsored events. What has been your favorite?

I have really enjoyed a lot of them. My favorite might be Earth Day at the JCC. We got to interact with so many people and, being Earth Day, it fits into my role at Citizens. I also enjoyed passing out water to runners at the Mini-Marathon. It’s an early morning, but my son and I enjoyed being part of the event.

About Learning Trails and TheraTails, Inc

Learning Trails and TheraTails, Inc.

5815 North County Road 100 East Pittsboro, IN 46167

CJ Gregory, PT

learningtrailsandtheratails@gmail.com (317) 515-8092

Learning Trails and TheraTails operates TheraTails Riding Center that provides therapy services to children with special needs using horses specifically trained for this purpose to facilitate a child’s progress. The organization needs volunteers! Each session provided requires a therapist and two volunteers. The kids can’t get therapy without those important people; they are invaluable to TheraTails’ mission! Volunteer opportunities are also available for feeding, grooming, and caring for animals; fundraising; serving on boards; planning events; and managing social media.

Founder CJ Gregory shares, “Beth brings two big things to our board: She has a great perspective as someone parenting a child with special needs, and she has a great deal of business and organizational acumen that has been invaluable to our efforts to shore up our organizational procedures. And she is ALWAYS a ray of sunshine!”

Collaboration Key to Meeting Customer Needs During Cold Weather

A bitter cold-weather snap accompanied by snow on January 17 created numerous challenges for Shared Field Services, Water Distribution, Water Production, and the Contact Center. Any day can present a barrage of new and unique demands, but January 17 stood out. “Our team members in Customer Operations demonstrate our values of collaboration and leadership on a daily basis, but days like January 17 exemplify our dedication to our customers and our field operations teammates,” shared Melissa Lawson, Director Shared Field Services.

Employees responded with urgency to calls of four significant main breaks, with multiple water crews and leak trucks being dispatched along with valve and hydrant mechanics. In a true collaborative effort, dispatchers logged in to help with incoming emergency calls, and multiple customer support specialists worked extra hours after the call center closed to continue helping customers with emergency leak calls.

Going above and beyond to close the loop and ensure service to customers demonstrates Citizens’ investment in service to the community. Paul Dicken, Director Water Distribution, shared “The responsiveness from the employees in Water Operations is unbelievable. Their willingness to go above and beyond in tough elements to ensure that we can still provide services is a testament to their customer-first approach.”

A Special Thank-You for Great Work

Citizens would like to recognize the following employees for their work during this demanding cold-weather event:

• Shared Field Services: Danny McMillian, Kelly Rice, Charlie Furr, Manzel Clay, Jeff Kinchelow, Aaron Douglas, Kyle Hall, Brandon Laffin, Jay Tucker, Basilio Trejo, Jerry Fisher, Carson Halstead, Percy Gatewood, Danny Granger, Gary Skinner, David Naku, Mitch Anderson, Mike Holmes, Anthony Roberts, Dale Stevenson, Martino Perkins, Troy Hopkins, Nick Quinn, Caleb Duke, Jeff Price, Keith Crawford, Doug Funkhouser, Kenny Stribling, Kaylee Wilson, Ebony Taylor, Tisara Hardy, Matthew Sandlin, Chad Shumard-Supple, Jacob Cline, John Stanley, Darron Edwards, Shelby Sawyers, Jessika Ponsler, and Gary Young

• Call Center: Juliana Lopez, Eva Pena, Monica Wiseman, Demetria Weatherington, LaRhonda Johnson, Jacob Larrison, Terri Williams, and Lavonne Jones

• Water Distribution: Brandon Thomas, David Hilyard, Devon Steele, Joseph Stovall, Corbin Knight, Randy Scott Jr., Colin Watkins, Brandon Shannon, Erik Scott, Ross Walker, Bobby Mills, Brayden Kennedy, Hunter Lyford, Nick Brumfield, Chase Walker, James Burton, Callan Shockey, Aaron Whitley, Shelby White, Jeramy Goss, Sam Toole, Allan Ninneman, Johnny Adams, Charles Earl, Isaiah Hanshew, and Kevin Brown

• Water Production (CCS): Lloyd Ballard, Joe Parker, John Cartwright, and Terry Whittenbarger

Energy Efficiency Tip: Programmable Thermostats

You can save as much as 10 percent each year on heating and cooling by simply turning your thermostat back 7°-10°F for eight hours a day from its normal setting. The percentage of savings is greater for buildings in milder climates than for those in more severe climates.

The smaller the difference between the indoor and outdoor temperatures, the lower your overall cooling bill will be. You can easily save energy in the winter by setting the thermostat to around 68°F to 70°F while you’re awake and setting it lower while you’re asleep or away from home.

A common misconception associated with thermostats is that a furnace works harder than normal to warm the space back to a comfortable temperature after the thermostat has been set back, resulting in little or no savings. In fact, as soon as your house drops below its normal temperature, it will lose energy to the surrounding environment more slowly.

During winter, the lower the interior temperature, the slower the heat loss. So the longer your house remains at the lower temperature, the more energy you save, because your house has lost less energy than it would have at the higher temperature. Source: energy.gov

Citizens Celebrates Women’s History Month

Citizens Energy Group celebrates Women’s History Month every March to recognize women’s contributions to history, culture, and society. This year’s theme, “Women Who Advocate for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion,” is intended to honor women who strive to eliminate discrimination from individuals’ lives and institutions.

Tamiko Kendrick, Director of Diversity, Inclusion, and Talent Management, has always been an advocate for equity, diversity, and inclusion. As a child, Tamiko wanted everyone around her to feel valued and included, and she would often pass the ball to the kid left out during gym class or have lunch with people of different backgrounds to learn their culture. Tamiko has never been afraid to question the status quo and ask “Why?”

Tamiko’s inclusive spirit has certainly contributed to her personal and professional success. Tamiko began her career with Citizens in 1999 as a Training Specialist and pursued higher education while working full-time. She earned a bachelor’s degree in organizational development from Oakland City University in 2006. She also studied Spanish abroad at Universidad De Univac Cuernavaca in Mexico. During Tamiko’s time as Supervisor of Employment, the Director of Human Resources tasked her with examining the representation of women in leadership positions at Citizens. Tamiko saw an opportunity for Citizens to be more intentionally inclusive of women and minority employees and has been heavily involved in diversity efforts since then. Before being promoted to her current role in 2021, Tamiko acted as Diversity and Employee Communications Manager for seven years while leading the Diversity and Inclusion Team.

Tamiko’s passion for diversity, equity, and inclusion extends beyond the workplace. She served as the President of the Diversity Roundtable of Central Indiana from 2014-2018, Diversity Director for HR Indiana SHRM from 2018-2021, President of JLS Youth Department, D&I Committee Member for the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO), and currently supports Business Equity for Indy (BEI) as a member of the People Community of Practice Advisory Committee.

Tamiko wishes she could tell her younger self that “you can’t save the world, but your perspective and voice are important in making a world of difference one person at a time.” As an advocate for equity, diversity, and inclusion, Tamiko has certainly made a difference in the lives of many people.

As of February 25, the organization had 27 project points for STIP. Please note this year’s project point values: 2 points for a ‘belt project’ and 1 point for a ‘Just Do It’ (JDI) project. What are JDI and belt projects?

A JDI project is when a process problem is well understood, the root cause(s) is known, and the solution just needs to be implemented. It is not a simple action—it should be a project. A project is larger in scope, involves multiple tasks and activities that are coordinated toward solving a specific problem, and results in a measurable benefit. It is not an improvement that is made as part of your standard work (e.g., organization of data, process documentation, a business analysis). That is an expectation of being efficient and managing your work.

A belt project is appropriate when a process problem has been identified and the root causes and solution are unknown. Belt projects apply the Six Sigma methodology of DMAIC (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control) to clearly define a process problem, measure the baseline, analyze potential root causes and implement a solution along with controls to maintain the improvement once the project ends. For all CLASS projects, data is necessary to establish a baseline of the current state and can be measured once the improvement has been made to quantify the benefit (e.g., reduced time, cost, errors).

CLASS Belt Certifications

YELLOW BELT

Streamline Well Data Collection

• Project Leader: Paul Johnson (Plant Engineering)

• Team Members: Kraig Cummings

• Paul Johnson’s project developed and documented a well-testing data reporting and management system for production well testing that minimizes manual data entry and streamlines the data review and evaluation process to more efficiently implement well rehabilitation work.

• Benefits: The time to receive test data from the contractor was reduced, and the flow test review time (Westfield test data) was reduced from approximately four hours to less than 30 minutes. Well rehabilitation work is scheduled to begin in January 2024 and will be completed by the end of March 2024. In 2023 the rehabilitation work was started in March and wasn’t completed until late June (after the high demand season started). The Master well performance spreadsheet provides the historical and current year data in one location for future reference, rather than multiple PDF reports for each well.

Wastewater Collections Work Order Issues

• Project Leader: Richard Reed (Wastewater Collections)

• Team Members: Kevin Hackett

• Rick Reed’s project created a process that ensures that Wastewater crews get correct information from USS crews to be able to resolve sewer-related issues in a timely manner, specifically reducing the number of hours spent resolving the issue.

• Benefits: The time spent on addressing issues by not having the correct information has decreased from 19 hours per month (January-July 2023) to six hours per month (September-December 2023), an estimated 156 hours annually.

Refund Check Reduction

• Project Leader: Sara Smith (Treasury)

• Team Members: Bill Margason, Carol Traylor

• Sara’s project addressed the issue of printing refund checks for less than $1.00. This enhancement provides the business with the ability to identify accounts whose service agreements (SAs) were stopped or closed more than 30 days ago, and excess credit SA or deposit SA is in active status and excess credit SA or deposit SA payoff balance is less than zero. The purpose is to stop the excess credit SA and deposit SA.

• Benefits: Since implementation in January, no customer refund checks under $1.00 have been printed. This saves the company approximately $14.27 annually. While this is not a large dollar amount, it only includes the physical check cost, not the labor/wages that go along with printing them.

Richard Reed

Paul Johnson

Sara Smith

Corner

ADVANCED YELLOW BELT

Tool Inventory Tracking

• Project Leader: Scott Lykins (Plant Engineering)

• Team Members: Gary Kyle, Abby Robbins, Abayomi Oyewole

• Scott’s project created a process to provide visibility of transactions to leadership of departments utilizing the storeroom. A dashboard showing all storeroom (Langsdale/Belmont/Perry K) transactions was created, with access restricted to those employees who have direct reports with recordable transactions.

• Benefits: With full visibiliy of storeroom transactions, area managers have documentation needed to understand day-to-day costs of the department. Though it is difficult to quantify, this will undoubtedly lead to savings. The number of managers who now have access to and have viewed the data has gone from zero to 21 managers in January 2024.

On Call Supervisors

• Project Leader: Greg Thompson (Water Production)

• Team Members: Chris Barron, Justin Redman, Doug Payton, Harry Harris, Tony Isenberger, Brian Campbell, Edwin Morris, Stuart Donaldson

• Greg’s project standardized the process for Water Production weekend on-call supervisors to ensure emergencies are efficiently handled. It was determined that all on-call supervisors should have the same standard equipment in their vehicle and have access to all necessary information.

• Benefits: The measurable benefit is that the knowledge to handle emergency situations went from one supervisor to all nine supervisors. With the equipment and binder, any supervisor has the tools and knowledge to have a standard response to emergencies. This also will save supervisor’s time and make the response to the emergency quicker.

Demand Cost in Weighted Average Cost of Gas (WACOG)

• Project Leader: John Lamb (Regulatory Affairs)

• Team Members: David Wade

• John’s project focused on speeding up the recovery of gas demand costs from 13 months to less than six months. The Weighted Average Cost of Gas (WACOG) is used to determine the cost of gas held in storage. If not all gas is pulled out of storage each heating season, Citizens can have millions of dollars’ worth of gas stranded in storage until the next heating season. It was decided to remove all demand costs from WACOG and flow all demand cost to the months they are billed.

• Benefits: The benefit to this change is to speed up the recovery of demand costs. Removing the demand cost from the WACOG calculation and adding directly to the GCA means the recovery of stranded demand cost in WACOG up to $6 million would be accelerated.

Recently Completed Just Do It Projects

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.

• Ash Hopper Room – Joni Staten (Wastewater Operations)

• Automation of the Critical Equipment Uptime – Pam Wolsiefer (Wastewater Operations)

• Belmont ONS (Oxygen Nitrification System) Peak Demand – Chris Kennedy (Wastewater Operations)

Greg Thompson

Scott Lykins

John Lamb

YELLOW BELT TRAINING

Seven employees completed our two-day CLASS Yellow Belt training on February 6 and 7.

New Employees

Michael Birchman Water

Charles Bissell Corporate Support Services

Kaylee Brunsting Corporate Support Services

Dwight Bunton Wastewater

Edgar Flores Steam

Sharriee Ford Corporate Support Services

Selena Gamero Corporate Support Services

Roudson Germeus Wastewater

Travis Grubbs Water

John Havens Water Rachel Hubble Corporate Support Services

Brandon Bradford Water

Jeffrey Faulk Steam

William Brown Corporate Support Services

Participants left to right: David Wade, Lee Friend, Rosemary Meagher, Jared New, Sadetina Waddles, Joe Anthis, and Dan Koiro

Jacob Hug Gas

Jada Jones Corporate Support Services

Michael McGraw Corporate Support Services

James Meacham Corporate Support Services

Gurneet Kaur Corporate Support Services

Craig Morgan Corporate Support Services

Noah Kosegi Corporate Support Services

Joseph Mullin Gas

Shawn Patterson Wastewater

Trevor Tauberschmidt Chilled Water

Timothy Uhlmansiek Corporate Support Services

Michael Valenti Corporate Support Services

Joseph Whisler Corporate Support Services

Yvette Wilcox Corporate Support Services

Natalie Worrell Corporate Support Services

Connor Ray Corporate Support Services

Eran Uptegrove Corporate Support Services

Clifford Sweazey Corporate Support Services

In Memoriam

We are saddened to report the recent passing of three retirees.

Sam Elmore, on March 11, 2024. Sam retired on August 1, 2000 after 26 years of service.

Robert L. Hardesty, on February 25, 2024. He retired on February 1, 1996, after 26 years of service.

Robert T. Tanasovich on February 17, 2024. He retired on September 1, 1992 after 36 years of service.

Service Awards

March

James Allen

35 Years Water

Russell Anderson 35 Years Water

Charles Furr 35 Years Corporate Support Services

Stephen Messmore 35 Years Gas

Kenneth Ratliff 35 Years Water

Fredrick Hedges

30 Years Water

Kyle Bowling

30 Years Water

Brian Sharp

35 Years Gas

Keith Legge 30 Years Corporate Support Services

Angela Guynn 10 Years Corporate Support Services

Kimberly Herrick 10 Years Corporate Support Services

Michael Zielinski 10 Years Corporate Support Services

William Attebury

5 Years Wastewater

Jason Dewey

5 Years Corporate Support Services

Colin Hall 5 Years Water

Shane Hinsley 5 Years Water

Michael Jones 5 Years Corporate Support Services

Corey Meyers

5 Years Water

Adrian Mason 5 Years Corporate Support Services