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LPEA Adds Engineers to Staff |
Indiana Reed | 7/4/08
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As part of its continuing commitment to provide reliable electric service in La Plata and Archuleta Counties, and in preparation for growth in the region, La Plata Electric Association has expanded the Engineering Department.
 Dave Gebhardt, formerly a technical engineer in the LPEA Operations Department is now Major Projects Engineer. Gayle Norman has been promoted to Manager of Staking Services, and Renee Davis has joined the cooperative to serve as Engineering Clerk in Pagosa Springs.
Dave Gebhardt has enjoyed an extensive career in the electrical utility industry. A graduate of New Mexico State University with a degree in electrical engineering, Gebhardt honed his expertise in electrical substation design and engineering management with Public Service of Colorado (now Xcel Energy), Colorado Ute Electric Association and Tri-State Generation & Transmission, before coming to La Plata Electric. Continued...
At LPEA, among a variety of engineering and operational duties, Gebhardt has been responsible for establishing the SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) system at the co-op, enabling LPEA to monitor and control the entire electrical system and operations from a central computer.
In his new position as Major Projects Engineer, Gebhardt will oversee substation and transmission line engineering and construction affiliated with the expansion of the natural gas industry in La Plata County.
Gayle Norman has been with La Plata Electric for 34 years – beginning as a meter reader while on a break from study at CU Boulder - and she’s never left. A Durango High School graduate, Norman grew with the cooperative, expanding her knowledge and serving as an engineering aid and a staker. LPEA’s stakers work with member-customers on design and layout of the power system for their properties. Continued...
In the newly-formed managerial position, Norman will oversee a staff of 10 stakers and engineering clerks in La Plata and Archuleta Counties, as well as work with staking consulting companies retained by the co-op.
Renee Davis began her career with La Plata Electric as a temporary hire in the Engineering Department during summer of 2007. After a five month hiatus, she was invited to come on board full time as an engineering clerk based out of the Pagosa Springs LPEA office.
Davis, a Colorado native, attended Fort Lewis College before moving to Farmington where she was an involved mother of three. She re-established her family in Pagosa Springs some 15 years ago and among other occupations, served in the Archuleta County Assessors Office — a position that was dissolved in the wake of the county’s financial troubles. Continued...
As an engineering clerk, Davis is generally the first point of contact for member-customers embarking on new construction, handling appropriate paperwork and preparation to bring electricity to a new location. She also confirms the final setting of the electrical meter when a job is complete.
LPEA, a Touchstone Energy Cooperative established in 1939, provides reliable electrical power and related energy services to its nearly 30,000 members, with more than 40,000 meters. The cooperative offers a variety of apprentice programs and employment opportunities. To explore employment or for additional information, visit the cooperative's website. |
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