Sweat Equity
Contents On the cover: Paul Wilwerding and Shawn Rolfzen, equipment operators at North Omaha, tighten the soot blower head.
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Sweat Equity Pays Off
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Annual Enrollment & Health Care Update
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Time for Taking Action
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Completing the Dream
Despite intense summer heat and record demand, employees kept all generating units going. Annual enrollment takes place during October.
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OPPD’s 2010 United Way of the Midlands campaign begins. Retiree Mike Gilbert has helped build an outdoor classroom at Gomez Heritage Elementary School in Omaha, where his wife, Janette, had taught. She died suddenly, before her dream was realized.
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To Africa with Love
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The Handy Man Can
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Where the Heart Is
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Wiz Kid
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People
Hugh Ruhsam of Nuclear Engineering used all of his vacation to take a trip of a lifetime. Four weeks of missionary work with children in Africa tugged at his heartstrings and left him wanting to return.
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The Omaha Ronald McDonald House benefitted greatly from a decade worth of work from retiree Larry Greer. A group of OPPD women took time out of their weekends to help give other families a place to call home. Fonda Cross wows audiences in The Wiz role.
Photo courtesy of Palmerton Photography.
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Anniversaries, retirements, deaths, sympathies and retiree club notes.
Vol. 90, No. 5, September/October 2010 Published bimonthly by the Corporate Communications Division, Flash magazine provides OPPD employees and retirees with strategic industry- and job-related news, and human-interest articles about associates and their families. Flash is one of several tools that comprise our communication strategy. Employees and retirees can access timely OPPD news weekdays via OPPD News online. Flash Editor ............................... Paula Lukowski Associate Editor .............................Vicker Sykes Creative Director..........................Joe Comstock To contact the Flash editor: phone.............. 402-636-3759 email .............. plukowski@oppd.com address ............ OPPD, Flash, 3E/EP1 444 S. 16th St. Omaha, NE 68102-2247
Contributing Staff Chris Cobbs Jeff Hanson Mike Jones Kyle Wullschleger Terry Zank
Django Greenblatt-Seay Sharon Jefferson Gary Williams Laurie Zagurski
Reporters Randy Alsman Tim Ash Kim Barnes Sara Biodrowski Karma Boone Joanne Brown Cec Christensen Jeannie Corey Sharon Dickman Neal Faltys Rebecca Finn Kelly Fleming Anne Forslund Jennifer Gardner Karen Gertz Natalie Ging Nancy Goddard Barbara Gullie
Jill Hanover Ed Howell Traci Hug Sharon Jefferson Debbie Jensen Terri Kelly Shelley Kendrick Melinda Kenton Suzanne Krajicek Becky Kruger Julie Kuhr Sharon Melody Doug Mickells Jamie Moore Shawn Moore Shelly Mruz Beth Nagel Karen Nelson
Chris Norris Rick Perrigo Trudy Prather Pam Price Lana Pulverenti Heather Rawlings Kathy Royal Terri Salado Peter Schiltz Diane Schroder Karen Schutt Jim Shipman Jammie Snyder Kathy Stolinski Clint Sweet Vince Timmerman Dennis Vanek Dawn Varner
Senior Management
W. Gary Gates ........................................President Dave Bannister ................................Vice President Timothy J. Burke ..............................Vice President Mohamad Doghman .......................Vice President Edward Easterlin ..............................Vice President Jon Hansen ......................................Vice President Adrian J. Minks ................................Vice President
Board of Directors
John K. Green ....................Chairman of the Board N.P. Dodge Jr............. Vice Chairman of the Board John R. Thompson. ................................. Treasurer Michael J. Cavanaugh .............................Secretary Geoffrey C. Hall .............................Board Member Anne L. McGuire. ..........................Board Member Fred J. Ulrich..................................Board Member Del D. Weber. ................................Board Member
Line Items Rissa Conner Receives OPPD Award of Excellence Rissa Conner, buyer/purchaser contract specialist in Material Management, received the 2010 OPPD Award of Excellence at the OPPD Family Picnic on July 18. Vice President Adrian Minks presented the award to Rissa, who was one of 16 employees nominated by their co-workers for the award. “Rissa is one of the easiest people to work with,” said Mel Champion, manager - Planning & Administration in Facilities Management, in nominating Rissa for the award. “One of her main strengths is that she remains calm, no matter what is thrown at her. She will always get the job done without complaint.” Elliott Spilker, manager - New Program Development in Customer Service Operations, agreed. “Over the 22 years I have worked for OPPD, I have never worked with anybody as accommodating as Rissa,” he said. Other employees who were nominated
include Tammy Beyea, Customer Sales & Service; Doug Collins, Energy Marketing & Trading; Joyce Cooper, Human Resources; Sue Floerchinger, Corporate Auditing; Roger Gaebel, Customer Sales & Service; Walter Gosnell, T&D Operations; Rick Grabbe, Information Technology; Django GreenblattSeay, Corporate Communications; Jodie Hahn, Information Technology; Julie Kuhr, Fort Calhoun Station Plant Operations; Josie Lopez-Worden, Customer Service Operations; Ron McIvor, Substation Operations; Nicole McWilliams, Information Technology; David Pettinger, Energy Marketing & Trading; and Connie McShore, Rissa's mother, left, and sons, Ken Roth, Production Engineering & Technical Brandon and LaMar, were present when Rissa Support. accepted the award.
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Q12 Plus Survey to Measure Engagement and More In OPPD’s fifth Q12 employee engagement survey, which will run Sept. 15-30, employees will be asked to comment on the standard 12 issues, as well as a few additional items that pertain to accountability and work culture. “Q12 Plus is an important tool that allows senior management – as well as business units, divisions and individual work groups – to gauge employee engagement and how work teams are thinking and feeling about other issues,” said Sherrye Hutcherson, division manager of Human Resources. “We’ve faced many challenges in recent years, and to exceed customer expectations, it’s essential that our employees are engaged in what they are doing, as we provide an essential service to more than 340,000 customers in southeast Nebraska.” The anonymous survey is administered by Gallup, a global research leader that has studied human nature and behavior for more than 75 years. From the data, Gallup generates reports that are used by the various work groups. “With four year’s worth of data so far, many work groups have identified improvement areas and have implemented action plans that have shown results,” said Sherrye.
You could cut the tension with a knife when the lion asked for a menu at the popular watering hole. September/October 2010 Flash
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Production Operations and Nuclear Operations employees kept their cools when the heat was on, thanks to preventative maintenance. Despite intense summer heat and record demand, employees kept all generating units going.
Equipment Operator Jerry Weatherly is ”sluicing“ North Omaha‘s unit 2 boiler. Sluicing is the process of washing out ash from the bottom of the boiler.
Sweat Equity Pays Off Through the sweltering days of July and midAugust, OPPD customers turned down the thermostats in their homes and businesses. Despite the sustained, intense heat that taxed both mechanical and human performance, OPPD’s generating plants delivered an uninterrupted supply of energy to keep air conditioners humming contentedly. Even three consecutive days of record demand – a nearly unheard-of event – failed to trigger a single instance of a generating unit going down.
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“It is very satisfying to see our entire generating fleet available and on-line during this extreme heat,” said Jon Hansen, vice president, Energy Production & Marketing. “We have seen times when there were heroics by our staff when a plant went down. In this case, the real achievement is the safe, sustained operation of the generating units.” That achievement was no accident, said Greg Krieser, division manager, Production Operations. “There are thousands of preventative maintenance tasks that are part of our work process,” he said. “It wasn’t like somebody noticed a
heat wave was coming and produced a checklist. It’s a part of our culture and a way of life to be ready all the time.” A team effort encompassing operations, maintenance, and technical support is part of the culture at fossil fuel plants. Without careful attention to detail, the intense summer heat can stress a cooling medium – oil or water – and trigger problems with boilers. Running hard in hot weather takes most equipment to the limits of performance. On the nuclear side, a similar approach to maintenance can be found at Fort Calhoun Station. To ensure safe, sustained nuclear operations, there is a wide-ranging summer reliability program that covers secondary plant components including feedwater pumps, condensate pumps, heater drain pumps and circulating water pumps, said Dave Bannister, vice president, Nuclear. Sustained operation paid off on four days in July and August, when records were set for peak demand. On July 14, OPPD saw demand peak at 2,336.1 MW, surpassing a record set a year earlier. A month later, that performance standard was eclipsed on three consecutive days. “I can’t recall that ever happening,” said David Ried, division manager, Energy Marketing & Trading. “The heat was pretty intense, but all our generation ran extremely well, allowing us to meet demand and also sell some energy to meet long-term contracts.” OPPD set an unofficial summer peak demand of 2,397.1 MW on Aug. 12. Going back to the beginning of the year, OPPD has attained a new record for energy usage in every month in 2010, David said. Contributing to the demand are factors like an improving economy in the OPPD service area, a cold winter, along with the summer heat. The uninterruped flow of power from generating plants also brings benefits to the bottom line. If a unit like No. 5 at North Omaha Station goes down, OPPD loses 180 MW of power it could be selling to customers and has to replace it on the wholesale market at a cost of about $70 a megawatt hour (or $12,600 an hour), Jon said. “Safe, sustained operation is a revenue generator versus being a cost,” he said. Of course, it takes more than pumps and turbines to keep the power flowing safely to
customers. When the heat is on, there’s a human factor, as well. Under normal conditions, temperatures can reach 130 degrees in some areas of generating facilities. Summer heat just adds to the discomfort. To make the heat a little more bearable and less dangerous, workers are urged to drink plenty of water and take regular breaks. In addition, some workers have access to special gear, such as portable air conditioners and cooling vests lined with ice pouches. A further example of proactive measures to combat heat can be found at Fort Calhoun Station. “We monitor for heat stress by taking the temperatures at various locations of the plant,” said Dave Bannister. “It can be 130 degrees near the main steam lines and in the turbine room. If it’s 100 outside, it’s really miserable because the
ventilation is drawn from outside and there is no air conditioning.” Avoiding heat stress means limiting the time an individual spends in such a broiling environment. “We have a stay time for each worker in each area,” Dave said. “By doing this, we prevent any health issues from the heat.” Whether it’s 100 degrees outside, or 20 below zero, safety is an integral part of operations at all OPPD facilities. “We focus on doing the right things all the time, not just during the hottest time of summer,” said Dave. It’s that approach that continually drives safe, reliable delivery of power to residential and business customers. By Chris Cobbs
“It wasn’t like somebody noticed a heat wave was coming and produced a checklist. It’s a part of our culture and a way of life to be ready all the time.” – Greg Krieser Division Manager Production Operations
Senior I/C Technician Jean Franks and Apprentice I/C Technician Mike Zeringue check the stroke of the soot blower valve.
“The heat was pretty intense, but all our generation ran extremely well, allowing us to meet demand and also sell some energy to meet long-term contracts.” – David Ried Division Manager Energy Marketing & Trading.
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2011 Annual Enrollment and Health Care Reform The following information is from the Benefits area in Human Resources.
What does reform mean to OPPD? By now, everyone is aware of the health care reform legislation that became law March 23, 2010. The health care reform bill is very comprehensive legislation that the Benefits area in Human Resources has been diligently following, and consulting with OPPD’s legal counsel, to determine the full impact on OPPD, its employees and retirees. This major legislation includes several provisions that will be phased in over time, with some items effective for OPPD as early as Jan. 1, 2011, and some that are not slated to take effect until 2018. The goals of this article are to: • Outline annual enrollment for 2011 • Communicate the changes resulting from health care reform • Highlight how this impacts all of us at OPPD
Annual Enrollment 2011 Annual enrollment for the 2011 plan year will run Oct. 1-31, 2010. Prior to the start of annual enrollment, HR will send out information designed to help eligible participants with their health insurance decisions. You also will have the option of accessing annual enrollment information online via the employee/retiree portal, oppdathome.com (be sure to spell out “at”). Active eligible employees will be able to make their elections/changes via PeopleSoft on the OPPD intranet. OPPD will mail an enrollment form to employees who do not have regular computer access (and who receive paper pay statements). OPPD also will mail a form to retirees and survivors. If you currently participate in a Flexible Spending Account and wish to do so in 2011, you must re-enroll via the annual enrollment 4 Flash September/October 2010
process. Remember, you are locked in for the plan/calendar year regarding the amount you elect to contribute to a Flexible Spending Account. The IRS also requires re-enrollment each year if you wish to continue to have deductions taken from your pay and contributed to your Health Savings Account, which you can have with the High Deductible Health Plan. You can make changes to the amount you contribute to your Health Savings Account throughout the plan year. HR encourages you to review the enrollment material once you receive it, because it will include the 2011 changes required by the Affordable Care Act. The mandated changes are discussed below.
Affordable Care Act Highlights Important notes from HR: • With the size, scope and complexity of this new legislation, the law is subject to interpretation. • The government is publishing regulations only on those items that took effect in 2010 or that take effect as of Jan. 1, 2011. • Guidance is still pending for the provisions that take effect in future years. • Some items, such as auto-enrollment, have yet to be given an effective date. • We anticipate that regulations will be published as the effective date for each mandated provision gets closer. We will communicate the impact of each future change as it becomes available. • The provisions in the Affordable Care Act apply only to medical plans. They do not apply to other types of insurance plans.
Provisions Effective for OPPD as of January 1, 2011 Coverage of Adult Children under Age 26 Children may stay on a parent’s plan until they reach age 26. This requirement is applicable
even if the child is not a full-time student or is married or is not a tax dependent. This does not include coverage for children of the adult child. Employees may add an adult child under age 26 to the OPPD medical plan during annual enrollment. Effective Jan. 1, 2011, under the medical plan only, full-time student requirements and marital status will no longer apply to adult children under age 26. This change does not apply to the OPPD dental, vision, basic dependent life and dependent supplemental life plans. Elimination of Lifetime Limits Medical plans may not impose lifetime limits on the dollar value of essential benefits for any participant or beneficiary. Our current lifetime maximum of $3 million per person will no longer be in effect on Jan. 1, 2011. Pre-existing Condition Exclusions: Children under Age 19 Medical plans may not impose a pre-existing condition exclusion or limitation to covered enrollees under age 19. Note: This requirement will be extended to adults in 2014. Limitation on Over-the-Counter Medicine/Drug Reimbursements Over-the-counter (OTC) medicines or drugs are not eligible for reimbursement under a Flexible Spending Account or a Health Savings Account unless you have a written prescription from your doctor for the OTC medicine or drug. Other OTC medical items, such as braces, bandages, contact lens solutions, etc., are still reimbursable as in the past. Health Savings Account Non-Qualified Expense Penalty The penalty for payment of non-qualified expenses from a Health Savings Account (HSA) increases from 10 to 20 percent. US Bank provides information as to what is a qualified expense. (Note that the OTC changes above include HSAs.)
What does all this mean to OPPD, employees and retirees? The full impact of health care reform will not be realized for many years, when different aspects of the new law are implemented and the true cost is calculated. In the short-term,
the consensus is to expect a projected increase of 3 to 5 percent for the mandated items alone. That is in addition to the normal trending increases most employers are faced with each year, such as increases in the cost of services, new technology, new brand name prescription drugs, and the impact of actual claims experience. Remember, OPPD’s health insurance plans are self-funded. That means the plan expenses are shared by OPPD and employees/retirees. The premiums are based on the benefits paid under the plans and are directly affected by all cost increases, as noted above.
2011 Medical Insurance Premiums As we set the premium rates for 2011, we are faced with a projected total cost of $50 million. This is a significant increase from the $45.5 million projected for 2010, and will be reflected in the 2011 premium rates. To control our costs, it is imperative that all plan participants be cost-conscious consumers of health care services, that we all work to maintain or improve our health status, and that we all take steps to avoid illness and injury. To that end, the Benefits and Wellness areas will be working together on ways to help you with: • choosing the best doctors and hospitals • getting the best prices for prescriptions • knowing when to use an urgent care facility and when to go to the emergency room • knowing your numbers (blood pressure, cholesterol, body mass index, etc.) • learning how to maintain or improve your health, and much more The immediate goal for annual enrollment is to inform you of all plan changes and educate you about your plan options, so that you can make the best choices for you and your family. Benefits personnel are available to help you make these decisions. Watch for annual enrollment information at the end of September, and share this promptly with your family members, as needed.
Blue365
New Blue Cross program offers health and wellness discounts. The Benefits and Wellness areas in Human Resources are raising awareness of Blue365, a new program offered to insureds by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Nebraska at no cost to OPPD. If you have OPPD medical coverage, you can get walk-in and online discounts on select national health and wellness-related products and services, including the following. Health Care Resources • Vision correction and laser visioncorrection (Davis Vision, LasikPlus, QualSight) • Hearing aids (Beltone, TruHearing) • Access to provider information, insurance tips, prescriptions and supplies • Education about Medicare, longterm care and individual coverage options Healthy Choices Offerings • Gym and fitness center memberships (Snap Fitness, Anytime Fitness, Better Bodies, Curves) • Diet and weight-control programs (Jenny Craig, Nutrisystem, eDiets) • Fitness equipment (Reebok, Polar, Sportline, Everlast, Men’s Health/ Women’s Health) • Wellness, child safety and advice on senior care and caregiver options. Recreation and Travel Resources • Hotel and spa packages (Fairmont, Westin) • Worldwide travel information (BlueCard, immunizations, passport requirements) and travel tips • Outdoor safety You can take advantage of the online discounts by accessing BCBSNE.com/Blue365 from a home computer.
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Time for Taking
Action Joe Comstock of Corporate Communications plays the role of a news anchor in OPPD’s United Way video.
Cast of employees gears up for the 2010 United Way Campaign. OPPD’s United Way campaign, with the theme “Live United, Give United,” runs Sept. 7-17. The campaign goal is $345,000, with a stretch goal of $350,000. “The agencies of the United Way work daily, just like OPPD employees, to make a difference in the lives of our customer-owners,” said Cynthia Buettner, division manager of Customer Service Operations, and OPPD’s 2010 United Way Chair. “I like to believe that this is the reason OPPD employees and retirees give so generously each year to the United Way
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campaign.” To spread the word about United Way and how it benefits the community, OPPD again has produced a catchy video, featuring employees. About a dozen Cynthia Buettner employees make up the cast and crew for this year’s video, which is a pseudo-newscast that gives information about United Way’s benefit to the community, with a humorous twist. Directed by Senior Advertising Coordinator Laurie Zagurski and edited by Publica-
tions Editor Django Greenblatt-Seay, the video demonstrates the value that United Way of the Midlands provides in the community. More than 100 employees will serve as solicitors, and each employee will receive a personal email with directions on how to donate electronically. For employees without computer access, your solicitor will provide you with a donation card. “We know at a personal level that the work
can only get done with the community’s support, including OPPD’s employees and retirees, pitching in and providing support through a monetary donation,” said Cynthia. “In many ways this campaign is just like a big storm. It’s a time when we put it all on the line for our community.” During last year’s campaign, OPPD raised $405,444 for United Way and the agencies it supports. By Kyle Wullschleger
Facts about United Way of the Midlands United Way of the Midlands is how our community uses its head – and its heart – to lend people a hand. It’s a powerful partnership of donors, volunteers and service providers that changes people’s lives and makes a lasting impact on local living and working conditions. And it’s been serving the community for 86 years. • United Way programs and initiatives touch the lives of one in four people who live and work in the Omaha/ Council Bluffs/Bellevue metro area. • Through 2-1-1, United Way connects people with the local services they need, by phone and over the web. • United Way recruits volunteers of all ages and builds partnerships that improve the quality and delivery of human services across the metro area. • United Way’s Community Care Fund supports nearly 150 local health and human service programs that help address people’s urgent needs. The programs are closely monitored to make sure they provide the services needed to change lives and improve conditions in our community. With your help, United Way’s Community Impact Initiatives focus on the underlying causes of people’s hardships – helping them with the information and skills they need to become and stay independent. United Way benefits families in poverty, teens in trouble, seniors struggling to remain independent, just to name a few.
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Completing t
HEART SOUL Community service seems to be in the blood of many OPPD employees and retirees. Recent benefactors of this generosity include children in Africa, families of sick children from across the world who are being treated in Omaha, school kids in south Omaha and a family in north Omaha. Employee Hugh Ruhsam used more than three weeks of his vacation – and hundreds of dollars of his money – to take a mission trip to Africa. Retiree Larry Greer spent countless hours at the Omaha Ronald McDonald House over the past decade, fixing things and befriending sick children and their families. Dozens of OPPD women spent a couple of hot weekends building a Habitat for Humanity home in north Omaha. And retiree Mike Gilbert has been busy building an outdoor classroom in honor of his late wife, Janette, who had a passion for teaching kids and a love of nature. OPPD employees and retirees have a history of community service that dates back to the utility’s origin 64 years ago. Because OPPD is limited as to the financial support it can give as a public utility, it encourages employees to use their time, talent and resources to serve the organizations that keep our communities strong. The four examples featured on the following pages are just a sampling of what employees and retirees do in their free time. Others serve their country, volunteer at schools and churches, coach teams, serve on community boards, and much more. They don’t have to do this work; they want to do it. And, they put their hearts and souls into their volunteer endeavors. Larry Greer described it like this: “When you give someone a gift, it’s really for your own benefit. Doing volunteer work feels good.” 8 Flash September/October 2010
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f children learn to appreciate, care about and love nature, then they will want to protect it. It’s a value Mike Gilbert always shared with his wife, Janette. “There are a lot of kids these days who don’t know how to play outside,” said Mike. “It’s why Janette often held her class outside.” Janette, 57, died tragically after suffering a heart attack at her work, Gomez Heritage Elementary School. She was a teacher for 25 years. At Gomez Heritage, she was a reading specialist and taught English as a second language. “Before my wife passed away, she had me cut logs for her students to sit on for class outside,” said Mike. “It’s a calming environment for them to learn in.” Janette’s love for outdoor learning was an inspiration for those who worked on a new outdoor nature classroom at Gomez Heritage, which Mike helped build. The retired OPPD
g the Dream
construction working crew leader is no stranger to working with his hands. “We’re probably 90 percent finished with the outdoor classroom,” he said. “We’ll plant perennials in the fall, and we will formally dedicate the classroom to Janette next spring.” Two of Mike’s old friends (also OPPD retirees), Tom Perrigo and John Mullen, spent a Saturday working on the outdoor classroom with Mike. “It was great of them to help. And we started clicking right away, just like old times,” Mike said. Mike knows he needs to keep busy. He got involved in a mentoring program last year at an elementary school in Bellevue, at which his daughter teaches. And after Janette passed, he began mentoring at Gomez Heritage, as well. “I wanted to stay in contact with the school,” he said. “I meet separately with two boys once a week for an hour. If they need help on home-
work, I help with that, or we’ll play board games. I try to get them outside when I can, whether it’s playing catch with a baseball or football.” With the project nearly complete, Mike says he looks forward to watching the students enjoy it. “When I was a kid, we’d explore, dig, whatever. Hopefully, this classroom will encourage these kids to care about the outdoors. I know that’s what Janette would have wanted,” Mike said. Mike says his wife wouldn’t have liked all the attention she’s getting through the outdoor classroom, but he says he and his family think Janette’s love for learning is important to talk about. “The more time I spend at the school, the more I realize how much the teachers genuinely love the children,” said Mike. “The school is wonderful, the teachers are wonderful and the kids are wonderful.” By Django Greenblatt-Seay
Teachers at Gomez Heritage are encouraged to hold class outside. Students can often be found sitting on logs that Mike Gilbert cut for the outdoor classroom. Top: Mike (right) discusses ongoing improvements to the outdoor nature classroom with John Campin, principal of Gomez Heritage Elementary School.
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and hopelessness that contributed to the breakup of families, driving boys as young as 8 to take to the streets as beggars. It’s also a symbol for the enrichment he received through his time as a volunteer in a hauntingly beautiful place, where there are an estimated one million AIDS orphans in a country of 40 million people. The average life expectancy is only about 50. As Hugh observed, there are not many overweight people because diets typically composed of only rice, beans and flour leave them thin and undernourished. And there are very few old people because they die young from malnutrition, disease and the lack of medical care. Hugh, who has worked for OPPD since 2003, journeyed to Tanzania under the auspices of Christ’s Hope International, a nondenominational, African-based ministry dedicated to helping orphan/vulnerable children (OVC), and those infected with or affected by HIV/AIDS virus. The primary objective of Hugh’s mission was to acquaint himself with the OVC youngsters, interview them in depth and write their stories for an English audience to provide awareness and support for their condition. The AIDS/HIV situation has affected them in many ways. “The AIDS pandemic is made worse by a cultural attitude,” Hugh said. “Many men have children with multiple wives and, unfortunately, the children suffer the most from this. The probability of contracting AIDS or the HIV virus increases greatly, and with the lack of medical care and good nutrition, parents die rapidly.” In his role as a volunteer, Hugh was accompanied by Erik Schultz, 24, a Chicagoan and a premed major at the University of Indiana. The two of them worked closely with
To Africa with Love Hugh visits with a curious observer, wanting to know what’s inside the packet.
OPPD Volunteers Employees are reminded to log their volunteer hours online. On the internet home page, click on the Employees tab, then OPPD Volunteers under Volunteer Programs.
OPPD’s Hugh Ruhsam volunteers in the fight against AIDS, starvation and homelessness in Tanzania. The best-known resident of Omaha with $50 billion, give or take, is Warren Buffett. However, there is another, lesser-known individual who just returned from a month in Africa with $50 billion in his pocket. OPPD’s Hugh Ruhsam, a system engineer at Fort Calhoun Station, recently spent four weeks in Mwanza, Tanzania, where he served as a volunteer in the fight against the AIDS, starvation and homelessness, working primarily with a group of boys under 15. Among his souvenirs from Tanzania is a laminated $50 billion note in African currency. As money, it’s completely worthless. However, it’s not completely without value, providing a harsh reminder of the poverty, debasement
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HEART SOUL an individual named Assed, a former accountant who gave up his job and now serves as the national director in Tanzania for Christ’s Hope International. Under his guidance, 12 boys and three girls have found caring homes in several villages near town. The boys live together in a two-room structure made of mud and stone. In Mwanza, located on the southern shore of Lake Victoria in east Africa, Hugh and Erik shared a small apartment furnished with bunk beds, a fan and mosquito netting. Along with bottled water, they consumed bananas, oranges, pineapples, beans and rice, and some beef and chicken. Their volunteer efforts were directed by Assed, who depends on donations from churches, philanthropic organizations and others in the community. From an economic perspective, the situation has improved for the city, with an influx of tourists and businesses catering to the gold, diamond and resource industries. This has helped with more charitable giving to Assed’s ministry. The plight of Mwanza’s youthful beggars can only be described as desperate. “They come from broken homes, where a parent might die from AIDS or the father stops providing for the family,” Hugh said. “In some cases, boys leave home because the abuse and beatings became unbearable or they are left abandoned to fend for themselves. When living on the street, they have to dodge the police, and bigger boys and adults who want to steal their money, and sleep wherever they could. One boy used a cardboard box for a pillow, while another boy’s clothes were stolen when he went to wash himself in the lake.” Fighting and beatings by bigger boys
are a part of their life. For the boys and girls under Assed’s care, there are no guarantees for their future, but for the moment, they have a refuge from the crowded streets mingled with tourists, businessmen, beggars and thieves, alike. AIDS only exacerbates their problem, and poses a significant threat to an already impoverished nation replete with people more willing to cheat, steal, and commit criminal offenses to survive. What Assed provides, with the help of volunteers like Hugh and Erik, is a loving, family-style environment for displaced boys. While there, they “hung out” with the boys, played soccer, threw Frisbees, ate and sang both English and Swahili songs together. Besides learning some of the songs, the boys learned to say hello and goodbye in English. And in turn, Erik and Hugh learned and practiced some limited conversation in Swahili. “The boys live together like brothers,” Hugh said. “They eat, do chores, go to school, study and play sports together.” Although the boys dropped out of school, they were open to returning back to it. “They are given a second chance, and now they are more determined to succeed,” he said. “They are returning back to becoming, “just boys”, adjusting to an environment with a resemblance of a family structure.” Interacting with the youngsters was the easy part, but getting there presented its own challenges, requiring two wearisome days of travel, beginning with a flight from Omaha to Chicago, where Hugh and Erik met for the first time. From Chicago they flew to Amsterdam. After a layover, they boarded a plane that took them southward to Africa. They landed at Kilimanjaro, one of the three international airports in
Erik Schultz, Hugh’s co-worker in Africa, hangs out with some of the locals who were showing off their whirlybird toys and baseball caps, before receiving a free meal of sliced bread and bananas. It was a time to forget their sorrows and have fun before returning back to the streets. That day, the boys enjoyed a special treat of sodas and strawberry jam for their bread, courtesy of Erik. Assed offers free meals for the boys on Wednesdays and Fridays, as funds permit.
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Tanzania. Tannzzania Ta ia. FFinally they embarked on a short flight Mwanza to begin their volunteer work ighhtt ttoo M ig w in in eearnest. arnes nest. was ““It “I It w ass a very moving and eye-opening experience expe ex peri riennce for me,” said Hugh, “I began to see why whhy some w so ppeople are willing to give up their everyday job to go and do something like this. ev ryday jo ever You Yo are justt so moved by it.” account To accoun n for his time as a volunteer from June 4 to Ju July u 6, Hugh used three weeks of vacation, ffour floating holidays and some comp time accrued during an outage at Fort Calhoun Station. He paid all expenses out of his own pocket, including $2,500 for airfare. Another
A Day in the Serengeti
$2,000 went for room and board, plus contributions to Assed and the boys and girls education. Hugh’s generosity was evident, even in the way he packed for the trip. In one suitcase he carried two pairs of slacks, two pairs of shorts, three dress shirts and five T-shirts. His backpack was stuffed with gifts for African youngsters – baseball caps, whirlybird toys, Frisbees, candy, granola bars and picture books. As much as he has given – he once volunteered for something similar in Fiji – Hugh would like to go back, at least one more time. He wants to possibly work in a hospice-like environment, where, he has learned, the AIDS-stricken sick are
unwary visitors. Fortunately, no bandits materialized. Inside the park, Hugh’s travel party witnessed an awesome scene of predator versus prey. A huge crocodile (typically weighing one ton A close-up look at the predators and their prey on the and stretching 13 to 17 feet in length) slowly submerged into a black ‘never-ending plain.’ watering hole, swam a small distance and then violently sprang from The Serengeti plain in east Africa was named by the nomadic hunt- the water and tore into a thirsty wildebeest. What gave the scene a ers who once lived there. In the language of the Masai tribesmen, special edginess was the series of ripples in the water as the stealthy Serengeti means “never-ending plain” or “plain that goes on and on.” croc approached its unsuspecting prey. Hugh Ruhsam’s guide provided that translation during a day-long “I knew it was going to happen, and I was ready with my camera, tour of the Serengeti National Park that conveyed the essence of but it happened so fast, I couldn’t get a picture off,” said Hugh, “The Africa. wildebeest vanished from the shore and into the water so quickly, that The world-famous wildlife sanctuary is home to zebras, wildebeests, all I got to show for it was a pool of water.” gazelles, lions, leopards, giraffes, elephants and rhinoceros. Columns of migratory wildebeests up to 25 miles long can be seen pounding across the plains. During a mini-safari in a land rover, Hugh and colleagues, Erik and Baracka, experienced both awe and danger. During a 100-mile ride from Mwanza to the park, the land rover had to pass through a stretch of road where armed robbers sometimes strike
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Life Sketches Mini-portraits of orphan/vulnerable children in the Mwanza Care Program. Following are brief excerpts from biographies of the boys and girls that Hugh and Erik compiled: Bahati – Age 10. Education before dropping out: Second Grade. He does not know mother’s real name. She died and father became an alcoholic. He left home because of the abuse and lack of food. Was arrested and handcuffed at the age of 9 for sleeping in a public place. He was found on the streets, begging. Goal: To belong to a loving family.
shunned by friends and relatives alike, to die alone. Some of the victims, in their 20’s, may last only a few weeks, perishing quickly without access to health care or nourishment. “It’s a very dire situation,” he said. “You help care for people near the end of their life. They believe in God because they have nothing else to believe in.” During his month in Mwanza this summer,
Hugh worked with Erik to write biographies of the boys and girls. They talked with them in depth about how their lives were changing for the better. Their struggle to survive aided their determination to succeed in the future. Hugh and Erik wanted to write about those struggles and their hopes and dreams to make something of themselves. “It is a deeply moving experience to see this unfolding before you,” says Hugh. “You hope what you share in some positive way gets passed onto them,” he said. “You end up receiving more than what you gave. They just love you unconditionally because you care for them. They just can’t say thank you enough.” By Chris Cobbs
Benjamin – Age 15. Education before dropping out: Fourth Grade. His mother died and his stepmother beat him constantly. He left home because of the abuse. To earn money living on the street, he collected and sold scraps of iron and plastic. To prevent the older boys from beating and robbing him, he would surrender any money he collected. When he got older, he began to fight back. He was found on the streets, begging. Goal: To become like Assed. Agness – Age 14. Education: Seventh Grade. She lost both parents to AIDS. While living with a cousin, she was subjected to intense verbal abuse for speaking or not doing her chores perfectly. A teacher discovered her ordeal and contacted Assed for help. Goal: To become a businesswoman. Top photo: Local children watch outsiders’ every move and are curious about anything they say or do. The kids are fascinated when they see photos of themselves, and it doesn’t take long before crowds of children engulf visitors. Bottom: Joel, Benjamin, Bahati, Dixon, Kevin, Juda, Maganga, Wilford and Leonard wait their turn to see the doctor for a local checkup before starting school. These boys were once beggars, but are now schoolboys, thankful for a second chance.
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The Handy Man Can For 10 years, OPPD retiree Larry Greer was the “go-to-guy” whenever something needed to be fixed or built at Omaha’s Ronald McDonald House. And while fixing things is Larry’s forte, he really got a kick out of the kids.
Larry Greer knelt down as he installed a threshold on a door in the Ronald McDonald House. His tools around him, he reached for one that he had just used, only to learn that a little girl had taken it. It turns out that she was “installing” a threshold at the other end of the house. Many of the children and families who have stayed at the house got to know Larry during the decade that he volunteered there. The Ronald McDonald house provides a temporary home for families that bring their sick children to Omaha for medical care in one of the area hospitals or institutions. Located at 620 South 38th Avenue in Omaha, the house has served more than 1,300 families from 44 states and seven countries during the past 16 years. Many families must stay for weeks, even months, at a time. “I met quite a few young people,” said Larry. “Those kids get to know you, and they look forward to seeing you come. I’d go there to do a two-hour job and end up spending four hours there, often visiting and playing with the kids. It was fun.” Larry’s first encounter with the organization came when a friend asked him to help install a diaperchanging station at the house. “My friend had been doing maintenance work there, and he asked me if I knew how to drill a hole in tile. I did such a good job that I never saw him there again.” Ronald McDonald House personnel asked Larry Greer to raise their new flag for a newspaper photo shoot. 14 Flash September/October 2010
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HEART SOUL was that Kevin had contacted the Omaha World-Herald, which later published the photo of Larry and a little girl staying at the house, raising the flag together. “Larry had always been patriotic, and he had always given us flags when ours got tattered. There was no better person to help us raise that flag,” said Kevin. When a vandal cut the rope and stole the flag, Larry, a Navy veteran, redrilled and retapped the holes 14 feet up in the air to deter a “We could always count on Larry.” repeat act. Kevin Warneke Larry also helped transport loads and loads Executive Director, Ronald McDonald House of pop tabs to a company that recycled the material and paid the Ronald McDonald House by the pound. When a bunch of the tabs fell on soda. He liked cream soda, so we made sure we the icy ground at the dumping station, Larry had some for him.” insisted that they pick up every last one. Larry credits his 37 years of experience maintaining OPPD power plants for his handiwork. Larry joined OPPD in 1960 as a utility worker at Jones Street Station, and he retired from OPPD in 1997 as a working crew leader in Central Maintenance. His OPPD job required hard work, problemsolving and long hours. His job also gave him contacts at hardware stores and other suppliers, whom he called upon to donate items or offer reduced rates for Ronald McDonald House projects. “From a practical sense, it meant we didn’t have to hire someone to do those things,” said Kevin. “He saved us thousands of dollars over the years, but you just can’t put a price tag on the value of what Larry did for us.” Larry liked the variety of challenges that Kevin threw his way. “I never knew when Kevin called, what he was going to need,” Larry said. “One time, plaster started falling off a new section of the house. I fixed it, and the same “I told the others who were with me that thing happened again. I found a leak in the new roof. We got the contractor to fix the roof, and I some little girl collected these and carried them to school in a baggy,” said Larry, who has three repaired the plaster for good.” Another call came after a little girl rode a bike daughters and two granddaughters. He and his wife, Cleo, have been married for 43 years. down the hall, right through the drywall. Earlier this year, some families staying at the Then there was the clean-up after a batch of house joined the staff and the Ronald McDondonated laundry detergent started busting out ald House board president at a thank-you retireat the bottom. “We had bubbles all the way ment lunch for Larry and Cleo. down to Leavenworth. It looked like snow,” “When I retired from OPPD, she told me I laughed Larry. needed to find a hobby, and that’s what the One Flag Day, Kevin asked Larry to help raise Ronald McDonald House was to me. It was a a flag on a new pole that Woodmen of the good run,” said Larry. World had donated. What Larry didn’t know By Paula Lukowski And according to Kevin Warneke, executive director of the Omaha Ronald McDonald House, finding Larry was a blessing. “We could always count on Larry,” said Kevin. “He built things, repaired drywall, installed shelves, hung a clothes line in a storage room, caulked sidewalks, hauled things to our golf event, and so much more. All I had to do is call. The only thing he asked for in return was a
Larry Greer, center, along with Ronald McDonald House staff, residents and other volunteers take a break from loading aluminum can tabs for the recycler. Photo courtesy Neal Family Photography
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Where the heart is A group of OPPD women took time out of their weekends to help give other families a place to call home. Several OPPD women spent a Saturday or two this summer working on Habitat for Humanity homes in north Omaha, despite temperatures in the mid-90s. Shonna Snow, an administrative clerk in Nuclear Performance Improvement & Support, coordinated this as part of her mentoring program community project.
One weekend in June, the women were tasked with digging and moving dirt, and cutting and hanging siding. On a hot August Saturday, they painted and hung drywall and doors. “The women worked well together, we learned some new skills, and we had fun,” said Shonna. The project was an effort of Habitat Women Build, an all-women coalition that builds homes in partnership with hardworking, low-income families.
Habitat for Humanity Women Build Volunteers Shonna Snow (team leader) Michelle Bentley Janet Bozarth Sheryl Breault Charla Capecci Rita Christensen Dinah Clark Joyce Cooper Pattie Dent
Donna Guinn Mary Finley Rachel Foley Terri Herman Heidi Johansen Diane Kremlacek Cindy Lindberg Jazmin Lindberg Christa Manning
Laura Manning Judi Martin Traci Martinson Christine Miller Audrey Morton Deb Nastase-Quade Kristen Stensland Jinrong Wang
Career Connections Tied to Community Employees who participated in OPPD’s Career Connections mentoring program earlier this year were charged with organizing a project with their mentors. They could choose a workimprovement or communityservice project. The projects had a far-reaching impact, according to Joyce Cooper, manager of Corporate Diversity & Advocacy. In addition to the Habitat service project, some of the other community projects included a children’s book drive, a food drive, Camp Fire U.S.A. take-home backpack food drive, YWCA women’s business clothing drive and recycling projects in the community.
Dinah Clark of Information Technology works on a Habitat for Humanity home. 16 Flash September/October 2010
s w o W s s o Fonda Cr e l o R z i W Audience in A customer care representative by day, Fonda Cross stepped out of that helpful, friendly demure to take on the role of the evil witch in a local production of The Wiz. And by all accounts, she was a crowd-pleaser. The Wiz is a musical based on a retelling of L. Frank Baum’s The Wizard of Oz in the context of African American culture. The production was put on by The John Beasley Theater and the Omaha School of Music, and the performances were held in August at The Rose Theater. Fonda landed the role during tryouts last February. “I had to really apply myself,” said Fonda, who has been with OPPD since 1999. “I do a lot of singing around the community – at church, weddings, even OPPD functions. The acting was a little more challenging, though, since I had taken a long break from it.” Fonda had performed in musicals when she attended Central High School. “Our major rehearsals started in May, but they got more and more strenuous as the opening night approached,” Fonda said. Fonda enjoyed playing the witch, who rules over the yellow land to the west and controls its people – the Winkies. As in the movie, the evil witch orders her flying monkeys to capture Dorothy and the others. “I have to get those slippers from Dorothy because they are mine,” Fonda said. But as convincing as she was, she, too, succumbs to a bucket of water. “She was terrific,” said Jennifer Johnston, manager - Customer Care Services. “She was by
Glitzy and glamorous, Fonda told the director she envisioned the evil witch as a diva.
far my 9-year-old son’s favorite character. She did a great job singing, and she definitely got a lot of laughs. People enjoyed her performance.” As the crowd filtered out of the theater, a number of OPPD employees in attendance looked at each other in awe of Fonda’s performance. Fonda’s strong personality fit the part, according to Josie Lopez-Worden, supervisor of Customer Care Services. ”A lot of kids came up to her after the show,” said Josie. “My 13-year-old daughter, Gabrielle, is a big fan of hers anyway, and she was very impressed.” By Paula Lukowski
Photos courtesy of Palmerton Photography.
Fonda and fellow cast members rehearse the scene where the wicked witch gets doused with a bucket of water.
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People July-August Service Anniversaries
Verlyn Kroon 35 Years Operations Analysis
Colleen Burke 30 Years Human Resources
Alice Dworzack 30 Years Substation Operations
Anthony Koziol 30 Years Production Operations
Deborah McDonnell 30 Years Substation Operations
Phillip Mruz 30 Years FCS Plant Operations
Kenneth Roth 30 Years Production Engineering & Technical Support
Gary Van Osdel 30 Years Information Technology
Jody Cain 25 Years Information Technology
Laurel Carlin 25 Years T&D Operations
Clarence Ciatti 25 Years Production Operations
Daniel Graalfs 25 Years Production Operations
Patricia Hultquist 25 Years Material Management
William “Tad” Leeper 25 Years Human Resources
Stephen Miller 25 Years Nuclear Engineering
Robert Noble 25 Years Production Operations
Steven Swearngin 25 Years Nuclear Engineering
David Sweeney 25 Years FCS Plant Operations
Scott Hayes 20 Years Nuclear Performance Improvement & Support
Wayne Johnson 20 Years T&D Operations
James Walker 20 Years FCS Plant Operations
Robert Adams 15 Years Customer Sales & Service
John Aufenkamp 15 Years Production Operations
Cindi Van Housen 15 Years Information Technology
Joe Comstock 10 Years Corporate Communications
David DiGiacinto 10 Years Nuclear Engineering
Kim Melton 10 Years Customer Service Operations
Debora Mitchell 10 Years Customer Service Operations
18 Flash September/October 2010
Service Anniversaries Not Pictured 25 Years Dale Berg, FCS Plant Operations William Schroeder, Information Technology Marvin Wuerfele, T&D Operations
20 Years Janis Anderson, Customer Service Operations Christopher Cernik, FCS Plant Operations Russell Cowley, Nuclear Engineering Thomas Craig, T&D Operations Kristene Dungan, Finance Bruce Greene, T&D Operations Traci Hug, Production Operations Roger Pierce, T&D Operations Gale Wagner, System Planning & Cost Management Brian Wahl, Substation Operations
15 Years Gary Choate, Production Operations Harold Donaldson, System Planning & Cost Management Barton Schawe, FCS Plant Operations
10 Years Joe Casarez, Production Operations Jill Hanover, Information Technology Carlos Lara, T&D Operations Vicki Musgrave, Corporate Auditing Wayne Neuhofel, Production Operations Robert Steeb, Nuclear Assessments William Aultz, Production Operations Thomas Boro, T&D Operations Ian Bryce, Information Technology Rosetta Butler, Information Technology Scott Dahnke, Information Technology David Dieterich, System Planning & Cost Management Ivan Hofker, T&D Operations Thomas Lindhorst, T&D Operations Chad Oltman, T&D Operations Jason Ramirez, Material Management Mathew Sedersten, T&D Operations Jeffery Weihs, Production Operations
Deaths Services were held July 24 in Omaha for Charles E. Anderson Jr., 60. Charles joined OPPD in 1991 as supervisor – Nuclear Computing Programs, Nuclear Assessments, and was supervisor – Projects, Information Technology at the time of his death. Charles is survived by his parents, Charles and Janice Anderson; sister, Denise Anderson; sister-in-law, Judy Carlough; son, Derek Anderson; daughter, Rosilyn Anderson; three grandchildren; a niece and nephew. Services were held July 28 in Omaha for Guyles D. Edgerton, 83, shown in a 1989 photo. Guyles joined OPPD in 1953 as a lineman in the Line Department and retired in 1989 as a field supervisor – Substation Construction. Guyles was preceded in death by his parents, Lloyd and Myrtle (Ellsworth); daughters, Linda and Cathy; and sisters, Carolyn and Virginia. He is survived by his wife, Betty; daughters, Deb (Jim) O’Dell, and Tracy (Steve Christophersen) Edgerton; grandchildren, Kim (Andy), Vasey, Jennie (Dan Egermayer) O’Dell, Scott O’Dell, Paige Christophersen and Cole Christophersen; six sisters, a brother and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins. Services were held in Payson, Ariz., for William B. Kost, 82. Bill joined OPPD in 1950 as a utility man in the Service Department and retired in 1989 as a working crew leader in Electric Operations at the Omaha Center. Bill is survived by his wife, Jinny; daughters, Lynn Kost Virant (Greg), and Susanna Kost; three brothers-in-law and wives; niece and nephews.
Services were held July 30 in New Sharon, Iowa, for Robert W. “Bob” McLandsborough, 86, shown in a 1986 photo. Bob joined OPPD in 1969 in the reactor group at Fort Calhoun Station and retired in 1986 with most of his time in the general maintenance and environments groups at the plant. Bob is survived by his wife, Marilyn; children, Cynthia Thomas, and Sheila and Michael McLandsborough; grandson, Robert Thomas and his wife, Sunita; granddaughters, Ami Lynn and Shannon McLandsborough, Kristin Price and her husband, Jason; three greatgrandchildren; and sisters, Mae Simpson and Ann Johnson. Services were held July 22 in Omaha for Tomas “Tommy” Romero, 62. Tommy joined OPPD in 1978 as a utility worker in construction at the Omaha Center and retired in 1994 as a construction worker first class at the Elkhorn Center. Tommy is survived by his wife, Catherine; sons, Mike Romero and his wife, Shelley, and Tony Romero; daughters, Vicki Romero (Ken Walters), Debbie Williams and husband, Kirk, and Cindy Romero; six grandchildren, Nick, Emilee, Alex and Aedan Romero, and Kara and Jessica Williams; and sister-in-law, Ruth Manzer and husband, Charlie. Services were held Aug. 16 in Omaha for Thomas F. Siedlik, 90, shown in a 1983 photo. Tom joined OPPD in 1948 in the Service Department and spent most of his nearly 37 years of service doing electrical repairs for customers, before retiring in 1984. Tom is survived by his wife, Elsie; daughters, Carolyn (Ron) Baratta, Patti (Frank) Yelick, Susan Bessey; son, Thomas W. Siedlik; eight grandchildren; and 13 great-grandchildren.
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People August Retirements James E. Handy, designer – Distribution Engineering, T&D Operations, retired Aug. 1 with 12 years of service. Jim joined OPPD in 1998 as a security guard in Nuclear Operations. Thomas C. Matthews, manager – Nuclear Licensing, Nuclear Performance Improvement & Support, retired Aug. 1 with 21 years of service. Tom joined OPPD in 1989 as a station licensing engineer in Nuclear Operations. Neil B. McShannon, supervisor – Design Support, Production Engineering & Technical Support, retired Aug. 1 with 28 years of service. Neil joined OPPD in 1982 as a designer in Engineering. Randall J. Mueller, supervisor – Electrical/I&C Design Engineering Nuclear, Nuclear Engineering, retired Aug. 1 with 33 years of service. Randy joined OPPD in 1977 as an engineer in Production Operations. Scott W. Nielsen, construction working crew leader, Elkhorn Center, T&D Operations, retired Aug. 1 with 34 years of service. Scott joined OPPD in 1975 as a utility man in Electric Operations.
John W. Maddux, journeyman maintenance man, retired Aug. 1 John joined OPPD in 8/1977 as a building service man in Electric Operations. John M. Mitchell, equipment operator 1st class, Distribution Services, T&D Operations, retired Aug. 1 with 27 years of service. John joined OPPD in 1982 as a utility man in Electric Operations.
September Retirements Karen L. Parrish, operations clerk – Syracuse Center, T&D Operations, retired Sept. 1 with 10 years of service. Karen joined OPPD in 2000 as a junior clerk at the Syracuse Center. Gail M. Zarkowski, field representative – Metering & Collections, Customer Service Operations, retired Sept. 1 with 26 years of service. Gail joined OPPD in 1983 as a junior clerk in Account Services.
Sympathies Rick and Cheryl Limbach, Distribution Services, Elkhorn Center, for the death of Cheryl’s grandmother. Mike Bluvas, Planning & Budgeting Services, for the death of his brother, Patrick. Michael and Ann Marie Howman, North Omaha, for the death of Michael’s father, Bill, on July 5. Leon Kloke, retired, for the death of his mother, Irene Kloke. Del Gust, retired, for the death of his wife, Sandy. Mike Kenealy, Nebraska City, for the death of his mother. Ty Bauer, Nebraska City, for the death of his wife’s grandmother. Kevin Swanson, Nebraska City, for the death of his wife’s grandfather. Rick Karnish, retired, for the death of his father. Shari and Greg Roets, Nuclear Engineering, for the death of Greg’s mother. Alan Beebe, FCS Chemistry, for the death of his father on June 27. Eric Allen, Substation & System Protection, for the death of his wife’s grandmother. Tom Selzle, Substation & System Protection, for the death of his father. Pat Rumery, Nebraska City Stores, Material Management, for the death of her sister. Brandon Berner, Omaha Center, for the death of his grandfather, Billy Holscher, on July 17. Tim Potts, Omaha Center, for the death of his stepfather, Bob Peterson of Yankton, S.D., on July 21. Ray Johnson, Omaha Center, for the death of his grandmother, Daisy Johnson, on Aug. 3. Pat and Bill Armstrong, Material Management, for the death of his brother. Peggy and Roger Christianson, Economic Development, for the death of his mother. Aaron Johnson, FCS Maintenance, for the death of his father. Malinie and Dan Staben, T&D Elkhorn Center, for the death of Dan’s grandmother. Nanette and Greg Schulte, T&D Elkhorn Center, for the death of Greg’s father-in-law. Ray McCain, T&D Distribution Services, for the death of his grandfather. Ray Butler, T&D Distribution Services, for the death of his grandmother. Sam Johnson, retired, for the death of his mother, Daisy Johnson, on Aug. 3 at the age of 92. Phyllis and Dan Rosloniec, Nuclear Engineering, for the death of Dan’s brother. Judi Martin, Corporate Communications, for the death of her mother-in-law, Sabine Martin, in July. Don Warren, retired, for the death of his wife on Aug. 6. Mike Rosenberger, Production Operations, for the death of his stepfather and first grandson, Jeremiah. Jeff Weihs, Central Maintenance, Production Operations, for the loss of his brother, Greg.
20 Flash September/October 2010
New Stock Ticker for One Fund in 401k / 457 Plans
Where are Reporters’ Notes?
Due to a merger of the Wells Fargo Advantage Funds and Evergreen Funds, one of the funds in the OPPD 401(k)/457 Retirement Savings Plans has a new stock ticker. The stock ticker for the S&P Index Fund has changed from NVINX to WFIOX. The investment strategy for this fund remains unchanged.
to spell out ”at“). In Flash, we are providing club news that pertains to retirees, since many
Reporters’ Notes are now available online each month. Go to oppdathome.com (be sure do not have access to a computer. To view the notes online, you must register the first time you visit. Once you log in, click on OPPD News, then click on the Reporters’ Notes link in the blue bar. On that same bar, you'll find links to employee birthdays, Trading Post and more.
Retiree Club News High Voltage Club
Energizers
Cathy and Cliff Mills enjoyed a week at Walker, Minn. The week was spent on Leach Lake fishing. The report back was only catching one Northern… Elaine and Harold Williams enjoyed a nice get-a-way to San Diego to attend their granddaughter’s wedding. They reported it was a great trip and a great time by all… Dick Liebentritt was privileged to give his two grandsons a trip they will probably never forget. They had never seen the mountains so the three journeyed off to Colorado. The enjoyment of the mountains, Winter Park, Mt. Evans, the gold mines and hiking were just some of grandpa’s plan. On their way home, they visited sights in the Sand Hills and western Nebraska… David and Sharon Dickman took on a new venture to Rehoboth Beach, Del. They had never experienced the beach environment before and really found themselves in for a treat. Along with going to the beach, they attended a movie and a hay rack ride on the beach. This was a family event, so food, fellowship and fun were had by all… Maxine and Don Pachunka spent the July 4 week in Minnesota with all their children and grandchildren. Fishing and water sporting were enjoyed by all 25 family members. The report back was “great time.”… Kathy Siebenborn recently returned from Florissant, Colo., where she visited her daughter and family. The weather was cool, and the wild flowers were breath taking throughout the lower mountains… Morgan Peterson, granddaughter of Cliff (Poncho) Peterson plays for the Frozen Rope Fury 18-under fastpitch softball team. The team finished 71-7 overall, with a 9-2 tournament record. Big wins came at the Midwest Showdown, Nebraska 18-under state championship, USSSA Midwest Conference Championship and USSSA National Championship in Kansas City, with a 10-1 record. Morgan hit .396, while playing third base, with a home run in the national championship game... The The High Voltage group welcomes new member Bruce Kies… Any retiree interested in joining this group should contact either Dick Liebentritt at 333-6742 or Ron Mortensen at 895-4692. The club meets on the third Tuesday of the month. - Sharon Dickman
The Energizer’s summer Hawaiian luau party was held at Elmwood Park. Thanks to the members of the committee, everyone had a great time, eating smoked pork while enjoying Hawaiian belly dancers. Please mark your calendars for the fall party, which will be on Sept. 18 at the AppleJack festival in Nebraska City… We welcome new members Cynthia Lindberg, Lorraine Lapine, Mary Finley and Karisa Vlasek … Also, congratulations to Jody Cain for her 25th service anniversary. - Cec Christensen
El-Po-Co The fall outing at Vennelyst Park is Thursday, Sept. 9, from 5 to 11 p.m. Reservations with the $5 deposit are due on Friday, Sept. 3. The next outing is Election night on Thursday, Nov. 11, from 5 to 11 p.m. at the German-American Society. Any active employee members interested in running for an open board spot should contact Chris Norris at 636-3812 or Tom Muff at 533-6865. We hope to see you at both outings. - Chris Norris
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PRESORTED STANDARD US POSTAGE PAID OMAHA NE PERMIT NO. 97
444 South 16th Street Mall Omaha, Nebraska 68102-2247 Address Service Requested
Growing Green Though it’s just over a year old, OPPD’s Green Team is working hard to spread its message and change wasteful habits. The oppdgreenteam website has plenty of green ideas to offer. Do you know how much paper OPPD recycled last year? Do you know which divisions have a 100 percent participation rate in OPPD’s paperless billing? Did you know that OPPD is one of its own top 20 electricity users? The Green Team, comprised of employees from across the district, formed in early 2009. The team was created to better understand what OPPD is doing to be sustainable, to research what other companies and comparable utilities are doing, and to implement new green strategies that will support OPPD’s sustainability vision for the future. Now, they’ve put together the oppdgreenteam website. The website has the above answers, plus plenty m more, and employees can send them ideas and suggestions to further help the cause, saving more money and resources. sa On the t site, you will learn that OPPD employees employ recycled more than 154 tons of paper in 2009. And from January through June of o 2010, OPPD has recycled almost 94 tons, which puts us on pace to reach our goal of 170 tons by r December. You also will see that the Green Team has been encouraging em-
ployees l andd customers to switch i h to paperless billing in recent months. The website contains a chart that shows the progress of each OPPD division. Through mid-August, all employees in Economic Development, Executive, Energy Services Planning & Administration and Operations Analysis had made the switch. If all 2,000 OPPD employees who have accounts opted for paperless billing, it could save the company about $12,000 every year. To learn more, visit the oppdgreenteam website, accessible from the Green Team button on the bottom right panel of the OPPD intranet, or send ideas and suggestions to greenteam@oppd.com.