AMP Recognizes Employees with Annual Innovator Award

COLUMBUS, OH: AMP is pleased to announce the most recent recipients of its Employee Innovator Award, recently presented at an all-staff meeting to two different teams of employees.

Lloyd Box, Advanced Metering Infrastructure Program Manager, and Brandon Poddany, Senior Project and Enterprise System Manager, were selected for the award in recognition of their creation of the Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) Estimator Calculator.

The calculator makes it possible to generate reliable estimates for the number of AMI meters needed to serve Member distribution systems. Poddany put together the initial framework for the calculator and Box then refined the tool. The calculator is quick, user-friendly and easily accessible so that anyone on the AMI team can now generate an estimate in minutes instead of hours or days.

“This tool directly supports AMP’s mission by providing Members with a faster and more reliable way to get AMI estimates,” said Joe Morris, Assistant Vice President of Innovation and Transformation, in his nomination of Box and Poddany for this award. “It reflects our values of innovation, member focus, and stewardship by saving staff time and improving service to Members. The calculator has already made a noticeable difference in our workflow and has helped us respond to Member needs more quickly.”

The AMP Lineworker Training Team was awarded for advancements to the AMP Lineworker Training Program. The team includes Michelle Palmer, Vice President of Technical Services and Compliance; Scott McKenzie, Senior Director of Member Training and Safety; Chad Culbert, Senior Manager of Member Training and Safety; Jim Eberly, Manager of Member Training and Safety; Brandon Fields, Senior Circuit Rider and General Safety Coordinator; Jennifer Flockerzie, Manager of Technical Services Logistics; Ryan Gould, Senior Circuit Rider and General Safety Coordinator; Doug Sturgeon, Manager of Member Training and Safety; and Melissa Watson, Programs and Project Manager.

Over the past several years, the Lineworker Training Team has advanced the training curriculum for AMP’s Lineworker Training Program by introducing small-group learning, increasing hands-on lab opportunities and extending courses to two weeks per level. These changes have resulted in a dramatic increase in Member participation, while also ensuring that lineworkers of all skill levels receive personalized, practical instruction that strengthens safety and technical expertise. Additionally, as part of their efforts, the team secured approval of AMP as a Registered Sponsor by the U.S. Department of Labor for its Lineworker Apprenticeship Training Program and Power Plant Operators Program.

“The AMP Lineworker Training Team exemplifies innovation, collaboration and Member-focused service,” said Adam Ward, Senior Vice President of Member Services, Environmental Affairs and Policy, in his nomination of the team for this award. “Their commitment to developing and delivering high-quality, hands-on training has directly contributed to safer, more knowledgeable Member utilities. Despite facing challenges, such as facility disruptions, the team adapted with creativity and resilience. Their work continues to shape the future of AMP’s workforce development efforts and promote the success of public power.”

The AMP Employee Innovator Award was established in 2021 to promote and support a culture of innovation and continuous improvement within the organization. The award recognizes an employee or team of employees for demonstrating innovation through creative thinking, solutions, or programs and/or cost-cutting mechanisms that benefit AMP and/or AMP members.

Nominations for the Innovator Award are submitted by staff in recognition of their colleagues and include a description of the nominee’s innovative thinking and how it makes a difference to AMP and/or its Members. The winner is selected based on three main criteria: how their solution or program connects to AMP’s mission, vision and values; originality and uniqueness; and results, significance or relevance.

More information about the organization’s mission, vision and values can be found here.