Image is everything - or is it?
By Mike Hyland
Executive Director, NEPPA
In 1986 there was a young tennis player that joined the US Pro tennis circuit named Andre Agassi. He was bound for success as he was very athletic and even graduated from the famous Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy in Florida. He was the new heart throb of the day, had long hair and dashing looks, and in late 1988 he filmed a commercial that would change his life.
A brand of cameras – Cannon cameras - was about to release the new ‘Rebel’ line of cameras for the 1989 season and they hired the new ‘rebel’ from tennis – Andre Agassi.
Outside of smashing tennis balls, driving in a sports car and wearing Miami Vice clothing, Agassi had only one line in the commercial: “Image is everything”.
In this crazy world of pro athlete worship - this one line became Andre Agassi. He began to lash out - changed out his white shorts to pink spandex, his hairstyles became epic heavy metal haircuts, and he taunted the old pros such as Jimmy Connors, Bjorn Borg and even bad boy John McEnroe. The world loved him. They cheered for him even though he kept losing. He lost most big tournaments in 1989 and entered 1990 with more doubts about his talents than any other player on the tour. He did keep winning some of the smaller, unimportant tournaments, but he found a way to choke in the big grand slam tourneys. He exited in the early rounds, and people were starting to notice.
Rather than keep up the charade of trying to be something he was not, Agassi went back to his basics and started working out more with his strength and tennis coaches and became even more determined to win. He shed the fake hairdos (yes some were wigs!) and focused on the results of hard work. Concentrate on the game, not his image. Later in his life, in an interview provided as an old player looking back at his career, Agassi stated that Image wasn’t everything. Hard work was. Many people only know the ‘older’ Andre Agassi, the player that won eight Grand Slam titles from 1992 to 2003. The ‘older’ version was one loved by fans like me who did not like the image driven younger version. The older Agassi was gracious, the older Agassi showed hair loss, the older Agassi was humble.
When I look at the utility industry from the lens of ‘Image is everything’, I believe we sometimes get caught up with every shiny new nickel. We might think we need to chase every social media stream, have all the bells and whistles of a fortune 500 company, and update our logos every decade. With each new invention or article written about how utilities need to change, we sometimes rush too quickly and in the end stray from what has made us great for over 100 years.
A reliable system is an image.
Low cost is an image.
Great customer service is an image.
Safety is an image.
Community is an image.
Environmental Stewardship is an image.
Engaged and trained employees is an image.
Andre Agassi was clearly a tennis great, not because of the color of his clothes, length of his hair or his showing ‘attitude’ to his elders. He was loved because towards the end of his career, he was seen as human and became a statesman for the game, images we all can relate to.
When we step away and look at the public power communities that we serve – what do we see? What do our customers see? I’m a fan of the image of a well-run, hardworking, humble utility working to better the community through excellent service. Bells and whistle are cool, and while I do enjoy all the things that innovation can give us, don’t let them overshadow the basic hard work needed to win the big tournaments. In the end Image isn’t everything, hard work is.
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Upcoming Training & Events |
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Mutual Aid
Disaster Exercise
Thursday, June 29, 2023
The workshop will allow all utility representatives the opportunity to ‘game play’ during a future disaster exercise.
Attendees will learn how the National and NEPPA Mutual Aid programs operate, including an exercise to review challenges as to how your utility responds during a major disaster.
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The Productivity
Imperative
Tuesday, July 11, 2023
Rising wages, labor shortages, and increasing costs leave utility operators with one imperative: to improve productivity. How are utilities thinking about this challenge? How can digital technology help?
Presenter: John P. Bertrand, PE, CEO, Daupler, Inc.
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Hoisting 1B - 1D
Tuesday, July 11, 2023
NEPPA Training Center
Littleton, MA
At NEPPA, we are committed to helping our members make it uncomplicated to obtain and/ or renew your license.
The class will include test prep to prepare you for the test to receive a brand-new license.
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Advance Lineworker Program
NEPPA Training Center
Littleton, MA
NEPPA is pleased to offer a completely redesigned Advanced Lineworker Program which is held 4 sessions each 3 days. Advanced Lineworker is designed to equip participants with the knowledge, skills and resources necessary to build, maintain, troubleshoot and repair a distribution system.
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June 29, 2023
8:00 pm (EST)
Littleton, MA
July 11, 2023
2:00 pm (EST)
Virtual
July 11, 2023
8:00 am EST)
Littleton, MA
July 18 - 20, Aug 1 - 3, Aug 15 - 17, Sept 5 - 7
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Year 1
Group A Aug. 29 - Sept. 1; Oct. 17 - 20
Group B Aug. 29 - Sept. 1; Oct. 24 - 27
Year 2
Group A Sept. 12 - 15; Oct. 31 - Nov. 3
Group B Sept. 12 - 15; Nov. 7 - 10
Year 3
Group A Sept. 26 - 29; Nov. 14 - 17
Group B Sept. 26 -29; Nov. 28 - Dec 1
Year 4
Group A & B Oct. 3 - 6; Dec. 5 - 7
Apprentice Lineworker Program Graduation: Dec. 7, 2023
Apprentice Lineworker Program Make-Up Weeks
The following “Make-Up Weeks” are scheduled for any student who needs to make-up time in the Program and/or competencies for the Program.
Nov. 28 - 29, 2023 (hands-on)
Nov. 30, 2023 (exams)
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August 8, 2023
2:00 pm (EST)
Virtual
August 20-23, 2023
Mystic Marriott
Groton, CT
Sept. 5 - 8; Sept. 19 -22; Oct. 10 -13; Oct. 24 - 27
Littleton, MA
September 10, 2023
2:00 pm (EST)
Virtual
September 14, 2023
Virtual (9:30 am)
September 19, 2023
8:30 am (EST)
September 27, 2023
Reading Municipal Light Department
Reading, MA
September 20, 2023
8:30 am (EST)
October 10, 2023
2:00 pm (EST)
Virtual
Energy Connect Conference (formerly Customer Service Conf)*
October 23 - 24, 2023
Wylie Conference Center
Beverly, MA
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October 17, 2023
October 31 - November 2, 2023
Metering II*
November 7 - 9, 2023
Hoisting 1B - 1D*
November 14, 2023
8:00 am EST)
Littleton, MA
November 14, 2023
2:00 pm (EST)
Virtual
December 12, 2023
2:00 pm (EST)
Virtual
December 19, 2023
8:30 am (EST)
December 20, 2023
8:30 am (EST)
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Energy: A bipartisan group of senators send letter to DOE on proposed distribution transformer conservation standards; APPA, NRECA and other utility groups send a letter to President Biden with similar concerns... |
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Congress: The “Fiscal Responsibility Act” passes in Congress, raising the debt ceiling and averting a default... |
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Georgetown Light Installs EV Chargers |
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Above: Georgetown Town Manager Orlando Pacheco and Georgetown Light General Manager Dave Schofield unveiled the newly installed BreezeEV chargers located at the Town Hall. |
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Georgetown, MA - June 1, 2023 Georgetown Municipal Light Department recently installed electric vehicle (EV) chargers in three locations in Georgetown: Georgetown Peabody Library, 2 Maple Street; Town Hall, 1 Library Street; and at the Park and Ride on East Main Street.
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Updates from the APPA monthly
Policy Makers Council
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Thank you to Bob Holland of Shrewsbury Electric and Cable Operations, who shared some updates from APPA Policy Makers Council
Energy Tax Credits:
- The U.S. Treasury released draft proposed regulations this month relating to domestic content bonus credits for investment tax credits (ITCs) and production tax credits (PTCs) as amended by the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). Domestic content requirements must also be met for projects seeking refundable direct payment of ITCs and PTCs.
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Value of Seabrook Nuclear Power Station Quantified in New Study |
Ludlow, MA -- Spring 2023 -- A new study has confirmed the economic and decarbonization value of Seabrook station to MMWEC Seabrook Project Participants and the region.
The Boston-based economic consulting firm Analysis Group has released a study estimating Seabrook’s economic impact on the region. MMWEC owns 11.59% of the 1,244-megawatt station’s output. Twenty-eight Massachusetts municipal utilities are Project Participants in Seabrook through MMWEC.
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Above:
2023 Apprentice Lineworker Skilled Competition
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We want to hear from you!
Share what's happening!
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CONTACT THE NEPPA NEWS TEAM
Current utility and corporate/ associate members can submit their white papers, articles, and press releases to be considered for NEPPA's Monthly Newsline and/or Social Media Platforms.
Please use the form below to submit content for consideration to appear in our news feed. All topics are subject to approval.
Contact our news team for information on Northeast Public Power Association Newsline and NEPPA's Social Media Platform.
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Extend your brand to those who matter!
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Advertising for the 2023 NEPPA Directory of Consumer-Owned Electric Utilities in New England is now underway!
Dear Member, our publishing partner E&M Consulting is in the process of producing our Northeast Public Power Association Directory of Consumer-Owned Electric Utilities in New England.
If you have any interest in advertising in the Directory, you can view the advertising options and sign-up online through www.reserveyourad.com/NEPPA/
Don't hesitate to call Ryan at 978-301-6361 if you have any questions. As always, your support of the Northeast Public Power Association is greatly appreciated.
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Northeast Public Power Association | communications@neppa.org | www.neppa.org |
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