Jan-Feb.2012 Flash

Senior ManagementW. Gary Gates ........................................PresidentDave Bannister ................................Vice PresidentTimothy J. Burke ..............................Vice PresidentMohamad Doghman .......................Vice PresidentEdward Easterlin ..............................Vice PresidentJon Hansen ......................................Vice PresidentSherrye Hutcherson .........................Vice President

Board of DirectorsJohn K. Green ....................Chairman of the BoardN.P. Dodge Jr ............. Vice Chairman of the BoardJohn R. Thompson. ................................. TreasurerMichael J. Cavanaugh .............................SecretaryAnne L. McGuire ...........................Board MemberLloyd Scheve .................................Board MemberFred J. Ulrich ..................................Board MemberDel D. Weber .................................Board Member

ReportersRandy AlsmanTim AshKim BarnesSara BiodrowskiKarma BooneJoanne BrownCec ChristensenJeannie CoreySharon DickmanNeal FaltysRebecca FinnKelly FlemingAnne ForslundNatalie GingNancy GoddardBarbara GullieJill Hanover

Margine HenryEd Howell Traci HugSharon JeffersonDebbie JensenTerri KellyShelley KendrickMelinda KentonSuzanne KrajicekBecky KrugerSharon MelodyDoug MickellsJamie MooreShawn MooreShelly MruzBeth Nagel Karen Nelson

Rick PerrigoTrudy PratherPam PriceLana PulverentiHeather RawlingsKathy RoyalTerri SaladoPeter SchiltzJim ShipmanJammie SnyderJennifer St. Clair Kathy StolinskiClint SweetVince TimmermanDennis VanekDawn Varner

Contributing StaffDJ Clarke Chris Cobbs Django Greenblatt-Seay Jeff Hanson Sharon Jefferson Mike Jones Lisa Olson Althea Pietsch Laurie Zagurski Terry Zank

Published bimonthly by the Corporate Commu-nications 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 Creative Director..........................Joe Comstock

To contact the Flash editor:

phone .............. 402-636-3759

email .............. [email protected]

address ............ OPPD, Flash, 3E/EP1 444 S. 16th St. Omaha, NE 68102-2247

Vol. 92, No. 1, January/February 2012

ContentsOn the cover:

Austin Martinez of Customer Care Services

1 Pulling TogetherThe entire organization will work together to return Fort Calhoun Station to high performance.

2 Corporate Operating PlanVice President and Chief Financial Officer Edward Easterlin sets out causes and cautions in the 2012 Corporate Operating Plan.

4 Great Customer Service is KeyDespite recent negative attention, one positive factor has been on the utility’s side through it all – strong customer service. And now, says Vice President Tim Burke, is the time to step it up even more.

8 Jump on the Wellness BandwagonStart the year off with a health screening, and encourage your co-workers to do the same. They take place in January and February.

10 Managing Diabetes, Heart DiseaseThe Disease Management Program offers information and support to help employees reach a higher level of wellness. Changes in 2012 place the focus on diabetes and heart disease.

12 Breathing for BeckyA lung transplant means new life for Becky Welstead. It also means new hope for her husband, Mike, and daughters, Lacie and Hanna.

16 Watt's Up with the Bulb Phaseout?Inefficient light bulbs are on their way out, but there are alternatives available, and prices are coming down.

19 PeopleAnniversaries, retirements, deaths, sympathies and club notes.

4

16

January/February 2012 Flash 1

Company Pulling Together to Help Fort Calhoun Station Return to High Performance

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission formally notifi ed OPPD on Dec. 13 that it is moving Fort Calhoun Station out of Column 4 and into a special category of the NRC’s inspection manual called Manual Chapter 0350.

Chapter 0350 is for nuclear plants that are in extended shutdowns with performance issues. The process gives the NRC the fl exibility to address multiple issues and provides more structure around plant-restart.

As part of this process, the NRC will convene a restart board for FCS and develop a plant-restart checklist, based on the FCS integrated recov-ery plan, which is designed to ensure safe operation.

“Resolving these issues will require strong teamwork and alignment at FCS, and the support of the entire organization, similar in intensity to OPPD’s fl ood-response efforts this year,” noted President Gary Gates.

On Dec. 14, Gary announced how each business unit will offer support to Fort Calhoun while OPPD works through this situation:

• To assist with communications at FCS, Vice President Tim Burke has assigned a team from Corporate Communications to relocate to the plant and have a dotted line reporting responsibility to Vice Presi-dent Dave Bannister.

• Vice President Jon Hansen will support the leadership team at the plant to help address culture concerns. He will spend at least one day a week at the site.

• Vice President Mo Doghman will be OPPD’s point of contact with INPO (Institute of Nuclear Power Operations) for its corporate evaluation of FCS. Mo will spend time at the plant regularly.

• Vice President Sherrye Hutcherson will create a new manager of Nuclear Materials position and add a new supervisor position, both of whom will be based at FCS.

• Vice President Edward Easterlin will name a manager of Nuclear Business Planning & Analysis, who will be based at FCS and will plan, direct, develop and manage the nuclear business unit budget and fi nancial plans.

• All of these changes will be headcount-neutral for the company.Background

OPPD has been working with the NRC on several performance issues noted at the plant.Due to these issues, the NRC previously issued several regulatory fi ndings and placed FCS in

Column 4 of its reactor oversight process, indicating the need for additional NRC oversight.In addition, due to last year’s fl ooding, the NRC did not complete its mandatory baseline

inspections of FCS, another reason the NRC cited for moving the plant to Chapter 0350.FCS has been shut down for a scheduled refueling outage since April 9, 2011. OPPD will

not restart the plant until it is deemed safe to do so.FCS will be required to complete corrective actions and process improvements prior to restart.

Current estimates put the plant-restart at some time in the second quarter of 2012, but this will be subject to NRC approval.

“OPPD remains committed to doing whatever is necessary to ensure that FCS returns to high-performing status effi ciently with safety, as always, our fi rst priority,” Gary emphasized.

Fort Calhoun Station has produced 35.4 percent of OPPD’s total genera-tion since September 1973. Resolving issues at the nuclear plant will require teamwork and support from the entire organizaion.

By Terry Zank

2 Flash January/February 2012

The water may have gone down, but the bills haveto be paid, and there are fi gurative storm clouds on the horizon. This “fi nancial weather report” means the need for a rate increase, never a popular choice for OPPD or its customers. Vice President and Chief Financial Offi cer Edward Easterlin sets out causes and cautions in the 2012 Corporate Operating Plan.

It would be narrow-sighted to focus on the negatives; the environmental challenge, the cost of repaying fl ood expenses, rising health care, and more. There is good news in the OPPD budget and Corporate Operating Plan for 2012; it just doesn’t jump out at you.

For instance, more customers and a slight in-crease in overall usage per customer means the operating plan anticipates a 2.8 percent increase in retail energy sales in 2012 over the projected number for 2011. That is a greater increase than experienced in the recent past, according the Vice President and Chief Financial Offi cer Edward Easterlin.

The hot summer in 2011 meant customers were using more energy than budgeted, result-ing in more revenue. Because of that, OPPD didn’t have to increase the Fuel and Purchased

Power Adjustment last summer and it will only need to tap $17 million from the Debt Retirement Account in 2011, instead of the $31 million it might have pulled.

But the budget for 2012 refl ects the damage done in 2011 by the Missouri River, an environmental regulatory change, and increasing health care costs. Those are the three major items pushing OPPD to increase its rates for 2012. On Janu-ary 1, 2012, an average rate increase of 4.5 percent went into effect along with an increase in the Fuel and Purchase Power Adjustment of 1.4 percent. To the average residen-tial customer, this will translate to an increase of $5.30 per month.A Flood of Expenses

OPPD spent more than $74 mil-lion in response to the Missouri

River fl ooding this summer. Of that amount, $43 million was spent to protect its plants, substa-tions and other property. It is a lot of money, but well spent considering it went to protect nearly $3 billion in assets. Some of those expenses will be recovered from the federal government’s emer-gency funds. Some will come from insurance. But, a lot will not.

Add to that, the money used to pay for power that Fort Calhoun Station could not generate because of its fl ood-induced shutdown extension, which totals about $32 million.

The good news that did not receive much atten-tion from outside the company was the hard work it took to keep Nebraska City Station and North

Missouri River fl ood costs are having an impact on OPPD’s budget.

2012 Corporate Operating Plan

Outside Influences Affect Budget


Omaha Station online and operating well. Their availability was crucial as OPPD met record demands for electricity from customers during the hot summer.

To pay the bills that OPPD incurred during the fl ood fi ght, the district pulled $32 million from the Rate Stabilization Fund, depleting it. Without it and the Debt Retirement Account, OPPD probably would have had to increase the Fuel and Purchased Power Adjustment (FPPA) in mid-year, according to Edward.

“We are using both funds,” said Edward. “Now we must prepare fi nancially for the next unexpected event.”

That means replacing about a third of the Rate Stabilization Fund in 2012 with plans to spread the rest of the payback over 2013 and 2014. For 2012, about $30 million of the Debt Retirement Account will be used to defer the need to raise rates even higher.

A new rule from the U.S. Environmental Pro-tection Agency (EPA) also is hitting the budget in 2012. When it came out on July 1, 2011, the Cross State Air Pollution Rule (CSAPR) called for drastic cuts in emissions and gave OPPD only six months to make them effective. Complying with this rule will require paying more for an ultra-low sulfur coal, limiting our sales to other utilities in order to limit emissions, and may require new capital investment.

“This means our expenses will go up,” said Edward. “With fewer off-system sales, we will be selling less electricity than usual for less of a return than before.”

That double hit on the budget comes with the EPA planning other regulations that will raise OPPD’s costs of producing electricity. That kind of uncertainty makes planning diffi cult.Unhealthy Increases

The rising cost of medical care has given sticker shock, both to employees and to OPPD, which contributes 80 percent of the insurance cost. This part of the budget also is getting a double dose of economic illness. Costs are going

up at a rate far above the infl ation rate.“We are not any different than anyone else,” said Edward. “Companies and families looking at health care bills are fi nding them very expensive.”

Additionally, the bad economy

means that the funds OPPD sets aside to pay these costs are not earning as favorable a rate of return as they did in the past. In fact, Interest Income that OPPD receives is forecast to drop by about $2.1 million from 2011’s projections.

“We used to assume a three percent rate of return,” said Edward. Now, the rate of return is considerably less than that, meaning less interest income coming in.

Sadly, infl ationary pressures also are raising costs at OPPD. Edward notes that OPPD is seeing price increases in many of the items it buys.

Spending on capital projects will drop in 2012 by $30 million compared to 2011 projections. The most signifi cant project contributing to the decrease is the postponement of the Fort Calhoun

Station Extended Power Uprate and related Fort Calhoun Station upgrades.The Bottom Line

The bottom line for all OPPD employees is that the budget is being greatly stressed by outside infl uences and increasing internal costs. Raising rates on customers already strapped by a lethargic economy is a diffi cult decision, especially as it will decrease the “public power advantage” OPPD has over regional rates.

“Everyone will need to look into their budgets and ask, ‘Do we really need this?’ ” said Edward. “If we don’t, we shouldn’t be spending it.”

By the numbers 2012 Increase from

Projection 2011 Projection

IncomeOperating Revenues $1,082,785 1.4%ExpensesOperations and Maintenance (O&M) $798,207 -0.2%Depreciation $127,746 2.7%Payments in Lieu of Taxes $30,249 6.7%Total Operating Expenses $956,202 0.4%GenerationTotal Net Generation 15,444,500 MWH 9.3%RatiosDebt-to-Equity 50.0%Senior Debt – Debt Service Coverage 2.46 All Debt – Fixed Charge 1.81

By Jeff Hanson


It’s been quite a year for OPPD, and any-one who works at the utility knows that 2011 brought obstacles and challenges that will carry over into coming years.

“The great majority of our employees really understand the importance of customer service, and that fared well for us in recent months as we publicly managed several big issues,” said Tim Burke, Vice President of Customer Service & Public Affairs.

“Because employees have taken time to build good relationships with customers and have taken time to work through service issues with customers, they have a high level of trust in OPPD.

“We are at a point, though, where we have to focus on exceptional customer delivery to fur-ther build and maintain that trust,” said Tim. “We are dealing with issues, such as regulatory challenges, rate increases and post-flood work

that are keeping us in the spotlight.” Interactions strengthen or weaken the

customer service margin, so it’s important to keep interactions positive, according to Tim.

“When we have a positive customer service margin, people have confidence in us, they rely on us and know we are going to do the right thing. That benefits us during challeng-ing periods, like the one we are in the midst of at this time,” said Tim.

OPPD learned that in 1997, when a surprise October storm dumped up to 13 inches of heavy, wet snow in southeast Nebraska. The sticky snow caused countless tree limbs to crash down on primary lines, secondary lines and service drops throughout the service area. It was an 11-day restoration effort, and an event that was a critical cornerstone for OPPD regarding customer service.

“We became a different company, all

Flooding. Rate increase. Heightened regulatory oversight at Fort Calhoun Station. OPPD has remained in the headlines and in social media conversations since June. Despite the negative attention, one positive factor has been on the utility’s side through it all – strong customer service. And now, says Vice President Tim Burke, is the time to step it up even more.

Customer Service is Key


More than 130 employees in Customer Service Operations and Customer Sales & Services completed customer-centric focused training in 2011, adopting the Integrity Solutions principles for customer service.

Based in Scottsdale, Ariz., Integrity Solutions is a 40-year-old performance-improvement organization, with extensive experience in utility customer service and sales training.

“This approach focuses not only on knowledge and skills, but also addresses attitudes, beliefs and values,” said Juli Comstock, division manager of Customer Service Opera-tions. “We see this offering as a strategy to enhance custom-er service for both internal and external customers, while developing skills and confidence amongst our employees.”

Angie Garfield, Denise Eucker, Diana Garges, Diane O’Hara and Patrice Wolf were certified to deliver the training to employees. Angie serves as Integrity Solutions project lead.

Following the classroom instruction, employees continued their training through regular teamwork sessions, individual coaching and refreshers.

The employees learned the Integrity Service process during a highly interactive one-day classroom seminar and six follow-up sessions led by facilitators. The process is designed to help employees develop their personal commitment to customer-focused behaviors by improving teamwork and service delivery for internal and external customers.

The Integrity Selling process was rolled out to employees who offer products and services to our external customers. This process aims to remove the barriers to productivity and sales, while helping employees dialogue with the customers to understand their wants and needs so they may communicate the value of the products and services OPPD has to offer them.

CSO employees Diana Garges, Patrice Wolf, Denise Eucker and project manager Angie Garfi eld were certifi ed by Integrity Solutions to deliver the training. So is Diane O’Hara, not pictured.

around, after that,” Tim said. “We ramped up our expectations regarding customer service, and we began communicating more openly and directly with customers.”

This past summer, OPPD was right there beside some of its largest customers – Cargill, the Omaha Airport Authority and ConAgra – who also were impacted by the Missouri River flooding.

“OPPD had the importance, from the cus-tomer’s perspective, to be at the table with them,” said Tim. “It wasn’t just our account executives, but others also pitched in, too. This high level of service is what differentiates us from other government agencies and other util-ities. We put ourselves out there to be proactive and helpful to our customers.”

Tim credits many areas for the proactive relationship-building that has been done over a number of years.

“This doesn’t just happen, it takes time and

effort,” he said.And the image of OPPD goes even beyond

customer service.“When people know you work for OPPD, or

they see you at a public place with clothing that has an OPPD logo, they expect more from you,” said Tim. “We have built the ‘energy partner’ brand, and we need to live up to it.”

“When we have a positive customer service

margin, people have confidence in us, they

rely on us and know we are going to do

the right thing. That benefits us during

challenging periods, like the one we are in

the midst of at this time.” – Tim Burke Vice President

By Paula Lukowski

Tim Burke

M th 130 l i C t S i O ti d C t S l & S i

Training Enhances Customer Service

6 Flash January/February 20126 FlFlFlF asasasa h h h JaJaJaJanunununuuararararary/y/y/y/y/FeFFeFeFebrbrbrbbbb uauau ryryryryryryry 222222201010101011222

In an effort to increase efficiency and customer satisfaction, the OPPD call center now gives customers the option of pressing 1 for residential or 2 for business when calling OPPD.

OPPD serves more than 346,000 customers and is constantly striving to provide them with exceptional customer service. While serving that many people with a limited number of customer care representatives can be challenging, OPPD’s customer care center has consistently risen to that challenge to provide high-quality customer service. The recent addition of OPPD’s new Business Solu-tions Center heightens that level of personal-ized service for OPPD’s business customers.

This year, Customer Service Operations implemented the new Business Solutions Center, a call center dedicated specifically to business customers, which has gotten great reviews from customers and employees alike.

“Launching a Business Solutions Center has been a recurring topic for many years,” said Jennifer Johnston, manager of Customer Care Services in Customer Service Operations. “Recently, J.D. Power and Associates con-ducted a study with findings that suggested customer satisfaction could be increased with a call center specifically for business custom-ers. That’s when we decided to implement the program.”

The Business Solutions Center was rolled out in January 2011. The center is made up of specific customer care representatives who field the majority of business calls. Shortly after the Business Solutions Center was imple-mented, OPPD’s business customers received a letter introducing these OPPD representatives. “We wanted our business customers to be able to put a face with the voice on the other end of the line,” said Jennifer.

This personalized service approach has not gone unnoticed. “I think customers feel a

sense of security in having specific representa-tives to talk to,” said Deb Mitchell, customer care representative. “They seem to appreci-ate the familiarity of working with a specific person. It’s nice for us, too, because we get to know them and, as a result, have a better understanding of their needs.”

While research on the call center’s effect on customer satisfaction has not yet been com-pleted, employees are optimistic about the potential results. The new center has resulted in customers experiencing shorter wait times and higher rates of problem-resolution the first time they call. “All these factors should result in higher customer satisfaction. That is what we’re hoping to see,” said Nitin Gambhir, customer care specialist.

These call center representatives do not just serve external customers, though. “As a business call center representative, I also serve internal customers,” said Deb. “Account executives, who handle these large business

Taking Care of Bu

January/February 2012 Flash 7 Jaanununununuuuuararararara y/y/y/y/y/y/y//FeFF bruary 22011012 2 FlFllasash h 7

siness Customerster’s representatives helped develop a list of frequently asked questions, checklists and instructions for future employees who may handle these business calls.

“Business custom-ers are often dealing with many challenges and have unique needs that need to be met,” said Deb. “They’re often rushed or multi-tasking and appreciate the respect of their time.

“Some are also fac-ing challenges that come along with set-ting up a new busi-ness. These startup businesses can often be a financial burden for our customers, and we want to be there to help them with that challenge,” she added.

Business Solutions Center representatives serve as partners and

educators to these customers, helping them understand different utility options and prod-ucts and services available to them.

“We are building partnerships with our busi-ness customers,” said Deb. “And they are all relationships we want to continue long-term.”

The Business Solutions Center is dedicated to business customers and is available from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. Representatives provide assistance on a variety of items including:

• Setting up a new account

• Transferring locations

• Updating account informa-tion

• Providing bill payment options

• Assisting with metering questions

• Answering rate-related questions

To contact the Business Solu-tions Center, call 402-536-4131 or toll free at 877-536-4131. The automated system will prompt you to choose the business customer option.

customers, can direct them to us, and we can provide them with billing information, account information and much more.”

The Business Solutions Center provides assistance on a variety of issues, including set-ting up new accounts, transferring locations, comparing rate options and more. The cen-

Customer Care Services receives about 56,000 calls each month. About 2,000 of those calls are from business customers. Deanna Huff talks with customers.

By Althea Pietsch


Make wellness a priority, and join the more than 1,000 employees who have participated in the SimplyWell health screenings and online management program the past two years.

“When you get a screening through SimplyWell, you don’t just get a blood draw, a blood pressure check and a printout,” said Angela Siebert, wellness specialist in Human Resources.

“Based on your personal results, SimplyWell provides good advice and practical steps you can take to improve your health. That’s one of the greatest things about this program.”

The program is being offered this year to active employees only.Plus, employees who take part year after year can compare progress of their health profiles

and stay on top of any potential health issues. And, the preventive measures will pay off in the long-run by lowering health-care costs of OPPD’s self-funded medical plans.

Life-Saving and Life-AlteringPast health screenings already have paid off for several employees. Among them is Scott

Schaefer of Central Maintenance, who was forewarned of prostate trouble after the 2010 screening. He since had surgery and changed his lifestyle to greatly improve his health.

An Omaha-based health solutions organization, SimplyWell was founded by doctors at The Nebraska Medical Center, and provides clinically based medical advice.

SimplyWell WebsiteEmployees who get a screening not only get their results online, they gain access to the Sim-

plyWell website. This robust site includes:My Information: A place to store your medical history, lab and test results, etc.My Action Plan: Suggestions for pursuing a healthier lifestyle.

Phyllis had a sneaking suspicion that the health screenings were coming up.

Start the year off with a health

screening, and encourage your

co-workers to do the same. They

take place in January and February.

Plus, it’s free this year, and you

get a $50 Visa gift card when

you complete a screening.

Jump on the Wellness Bandwagon

Receive a$50 VisaGift Card

®


Healthy Living Education: Info on topics such as blood pressure, cholesterol and stress.Health Guides & Tools: Details on common health issues for children, women and men.News & Online Resources: Links to current health-related articles and websites.Chart My Screening History: Charts that show your potential health risks.

Employees Get Visa Gift CardEmployees who sign up for a health screening will again receive basic blood work (lipid

panel and cholesterol testing), and will have their height, weight and blood pressure collect-ed. Additional blood tests, such as PSA (prostate), Hemoglobin A1c (diabetes), TSH (thyroid), CRP (inflammation) and Vitamin D (new this year) also will be available.

Employees pay nothing for the tests, because starting in 2012, preventive care is covered 100 percent due to of health care reform. All tests will be submitted to insurance. And, those who complete an online Health Risk Assessment (HRA) prior to their screening and who complete the screening will receive a $50 Visa® gift card. Because SimplyWell provides the gift cards, they are not considered taxable income.

Signing Up for a ScreeningEmployees can go to the Wellness Counts button on the intranet homepage and find a

link to simplywell.com to choose a screening date and access the online HRA, which must be completed before the screening.

• If it is your first visit to the site, type in OPPD (all uppercase) for user type, followed by your employee number.

• If you’ve done a screening before, you already have a SimplyWell user ID and password. If you’ve forgotten them, follow the online prompts or call 1-877-991-9355.

• If you can’t attend one of the onsite screenings, your screening can be done offsite at Bergan Mercy or Immanuel Medical Center in Omaha by Feb. 29.

For more details, visit the Wellness intranet site, or call OPPD’s Dave Williams, 402-636-3374, or Angela Siebert, 402-636-3058.

As in past years, all medical information collected is subject to HIPAA privacy laws and will be kept confidential. OPPD will see only overall group results, which will be used to help provide relevant wellness programming to employees.

Fasting Required for Testing

Tests will be administered via a blood draw from your arm.

• To ensure accurate results, you must fast 12 hours prior to testing. Only water should be consumed.

• Refrain from fatty foods and alcoholic beverages 2-3 days prior testing.

• Continue to take all pre-scribed medication during the fasting time period.

Three days after your screen-ing, test results and a personal-ized action plan will be available at simplywell.com.

Date Time Location Wellness Rep (all numbers area code 402) January 17 6:30-9 a.m. North Omaha Emery Horton, 636-2690/Tracey Roberts, 636-2734January 19 6:30-9 a.m. Nebraska City Patty Coates, 514-8143/David Hume, 636-8143 January 24 7:30-9:30 a.m. Papillion Center Mark Madler, 657-1157January 26 6:30-9:30 a.m. Energy Plaza Melissa Hansen, 636-3339/Terri Kelly, 636-2306January 31 6:30-9:30 a.m. Fort Calhoun Terri Herman, 533-6604/Carla Vice, 533-7469February 2 6:30-9:30 a.m. Elkhorn Center April McClemons, 552-4961/Deb McDonnell, 514-1617February 7 7:30-9:30 a.m. Syracuse Center Chris Ryan, 557-1486 (pager)February 8 7-10 a.m. Energy Plaza Melissa Hansen, 636-3339/Terri Kelly, 636-2306February 9 7:30-9:30 a.m. Omaha Center Jeremy Bryant, 552-5252February 14 6:30-8:30 a.m. Energy Control Center Jackie Jensen, 552-5629February 16 6:30-8 a.m. Nebraska City Patty Coates, 514-8143/David Hume, 636-8143February 21 6:30-9 a.m. Fort Calhoun Terri Herman, 533-6604/Carla Vice, 533-7469February 23 6:30-8:30 a.m. North Omaha Emery Horton, 636-2690/Tracey Roberts, 636-2734February 28 7-9 a.m. Elkhorn Center April McClemons, 552-4961/Deb McDonnell, 514-1617


Heart DiseaseNumber of noninstitutionalized adults with diagnosed heart disease: 27.1 million

Percent of noninstitutionalized adults with diagnosed heart disease: 11.8%

Number of visits (to physician offices, hospital outpatient and emergency departments) with heart disease, excluding isch-emic, as primary diagnosis: 16.7 million

Number of discharges with heart disease as first-listed diagnosis: 4 million

Average length of stay: 4.4 days

Number of deaths: 616,067

Deaths per 100,000 population: 204.3

Cause of death rank: 1

Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 2010 survey

BluePartnersThe Disease Management Program offers information and support to help employees reach a higher level of wellness. Changes in 2012 place the focus on diabetes and heart disease.

O Total Prevalence of DiabetesTotal: 25.8 million children and adults in the United States – 8.3% of the population – have diabetes.Diagnosed: 18.8 million peopleUndiagnosed: 7 million peoplePrediabetes: 79 million people*New Cases: 1.9 million new cases of diabetes are diagnosed in people aged 20 years and older in 2010.

* The 2011 National Diabetes Fact Sheet uses both fasting glucose and A1C levels to derive estimates for undiagnosed diabetes and pre-diabetes. These tests were chosen because they are most frequently used in clinical practice.

Under 20 years of age • 215,000, or 0.26% of all

people in this age group have diabetes

• About 1 in every 400 children and adolescents has diabetes

Age 20 years or older • 25.6 million, or 11.3% of all


Age 65 years or older • 10.9 million, or 26.9% of all


Men • 13 million, or 11.8% of all

men aged 20 years or older have diabetes

Women • 12.6 million, or 10.8% of

all women aged 20 years or older have diabetes

Source: American Diabetes Association

ne of the healthcare benefits available to a group of OPPD employees and retirees is the BluePartners program, designed to help individuals live a healthy life while dealing with a chronic illness.

BluePartners, administered by Blue Cross Blue Shield, serves as a form of outreach between an individual and their doctor. It’s done by phone and all the information is private.

Several modifications in the program have been made for 2012, said Vicki Lee, benefits specialist in Human Resources. The focus will be on those with diabetes or heart disease. Asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease will no longer be part of BluePartners.

Current enrollment numbers show 508 employees and retirees with diabetes participate in the plan, and 276 with cardiac/heart disease participate.

By helping an individual better manage a chronic illness, BluePartners can help OPPD manage the rising cost of healthcare. “An example would be assisting a diabetic individual before the condition reaches high-cost levels,” Vicki said. “It can be hard to get an exact return on investment, but the goal is keep patients healthier, while also managing costs.”

The program guarantees an individual’s privacy, and Human Resources personnel do not know the names of participants. “We do know how many people Blue Cross Blue Shield has contacted and how many respond,” she added.

Participation in the program includes these benefits:

• Better understanding of diagnosed condition(s)

• Review of medications and treatments

• Set goals and develop action plans

• Understanding of doctor’s recommendations

• Answers to questions

While studies show the cost-containment program is effective, BluePartners does not attract a high level of participation among active employees (251 of current enrollees are employees, 533 are retir-ees.) That’s partly because employees often receive a voicemail during the day and don’t really “get” what the message is about when they play it back, Vicki said.

If you receive a phone call from BluePartners, please call them back, said Vicki.

The majority of partici-pants are retirees, who tend to be home during the day when there’s a call from BluePartners.

The program is not meant to replace a person’s relationship with a doctor. Instead, it provides another set of eyes and ears for a doctor. In a typical phone call, a nurse from BluePartners might call a diabetic to be certain the patient is checking their blood level each week and to inquire about the most recent numbers.

A nurse might also ask if the individual is exercising regularly, maintaining a healthy diet and getting enough sleep. Further, a patient is urged to eat breakfast everyday and to see their doctor for regular checkups.

“We want to make sure people understand this is a legitimate program,” Vicki said. “It can help catch things before the condition becomes more serious.”

By Chris Cobbs January/February 2012 Flash 11


t 37, Becky Welstead is gradually learn- ing to breathe again. Until this fall, it had been more than a decade since she was able to inhale deeply because of fluid in her lungs. Her condition resulted from a life-long battle with cystic fibrosis that literally left her gasping for oxygen. Just taking a shower made her so tired and short-winded, she had to lie down for two hours.

Becky, mother of two girls, took a dramatic turn for the worse in September. Her husband, Mike, a machinist at Nebraska City Station, feared she would die and despaired of how he would raise daughters Lacie, 12, and Hanna, 7. After nearly a month of intensive treatment in Omaha, Becky was transported by air ambu-lance Oct. 4 to await a lung transplant at the

University of Minnesota Medical Center.Tests showed her heart and liver were sound

and doctors placed her on the list for a trans-plant. After seven days, a healthy set of lungs was harvested from an unidentified deceased donor. On Oct. 20, Becky underwent a six-hour procedure which required support from a mechanical heart and lungs as doctors made an 18-inch incision to replace her lungs.

She survived and is making steady progress, aided by drugs that prevent her body from rejecting her new lungs. Every two weeks, doctors perform a lung biopsy to make sure her lungs are healthy. Through it all, there hasn’t been a day when she hasn’t received a visit from one or more family member from Nebraska. Best of all, she talks daily by iPhone with Mike and the girls.

Breathing for BeckyA lung transplant means new life for Becky Welstead. It also means new hope for her

husband, Mike, and daughters, Lacie and Hanna, who are in the midst of a nearly

6-month separation while Mom recuperates in Minnesota.

Mike, Hanna and Lacie Welstead have been a rock for Becky, who is fi ghting hard to return home.

Breathing for Becky

A


Away for the HolidaysThe Christmas holidays were expected to

bring profound joy as her husband and girls decorated a tree and shared gifts with Becky. Their joy was tempered by the prospect of another two months’ separation from Becky before she can return home to Plattsmouth, where the family lives and her daughters attend school.

Along with her medical progress, the out-pouring of support for Becky has been uplift-ing for Mike and family members. “I am so blessed to work for OPPD,” Mike said. “The

support and understanding have been second to none.” Colleagues helped organize an Octo-ber fundraiser which netted about $28,000 to help with medical bills well into the six-figure range.

Big SupportOPPD managers are strongly supportive of

the Welstead family. “It’s very satisfying to see all the outpouring

of support from Nebraska City and elsewhere,” said Greg Krieser, division manager of Produc-tion Operations. “The fundraiser at Plattsmouth was like an extended family get-together. There was small-town support, along with big support from OPPD.”

Jon Hansen, vice president, Energy Produc-tion & Marketing, was equally moved by the show of support. “This shows the care and concern of our people,” he said. “I think you would find this level of care and support across the company.”

Together with the emotional and financial

“I am so blessed to work for OPPD.

The support and understanding have

been second to none.”

- Mike Welstead Nebraska City Station machinist

Family, friends and co-workers at one of the fundraisers for Becky.


support, there are other promising signs. Still very weak, Becky has been able to gain about 10 pounds – up from a low of 105 before the surgery – and needs to add another 20 pounds to her 5-foot-7 frame. Just as she had to learn to breathe again, she has also had to learn to eat again.

“Before the operation, she could use only about 30 percent of her lung capacity,” Mike said. “When she got the healthy new lungs, she had a hard time eating and drinking because she couldn’t stop breathing while trying to chew and swallow her food.”

Very DeterminedBut Becky is one very determined woman. As

part of her nutrition program, she at first had to feed herself with a spoon and fork with han-dles wrapped in spongy material she could grip. As she has learned to coordinate breathing and eating, she has developed a healthy appetite for pudding and cottage cheese. Her new favorite, however, is a chicken bacon ranch sandwich from Subway, which family members bring her everyday.

Slowly building strength, Becky has been able to make a couple of brief shopping out-ings. Accompanied by family, she has visited Wal-Mart to browse the aisles. She always wears a mask to reduce the chance of inhaling germs, and always carries hand-sanitizer.

Every two weeks, Mike makes the six-hour drive from Omaha to visit Becky. It’s been a grueling time for Mike, 38, who has been with OPPD for four years. Friend and supervisor Kevin Carpenter said it was difficult watching Mike deal with all of his worries.

“Before the operation, she could use only

about 30 percent of her lung capacity,”

- Mike Welstead Nebraska City Station machinist

Above, Hanna and Lacie pamper their mom. Lower right, Becky Welstead has been undergoing extensive rehabilitation at the University of Minnesota Medical Center.


You Can HelpIndividuals interested in making a financial contribution may do so in several ways:

• Via PayPal at http:www.breathing4becky.com/home-page.html

• Breathing for Becky Cass County Bank 2020 8th Ave.Plattsmouth, NE 68048

• Breathing for Becky, c/o Jeff and Lynn DeLinePinnacle Bank7001 S. 27th St.Lincoln, NE 68529-0769

• “Breathing for Becky” at local Pinnacle Bank branch offices.

As Becky’s condition has improved, so has Mike’s outlook. He has been especially encour-aged by the adaptability and strength of Lacie and Hanna.

“At first, they were crying themselves to sleep at night,” he said. “It was horrible. But the girls are a lot better now. They have seen their mother in the hospital and in her room in Min-nesota. They believe she is going to get well.”

Helpful KidsMike has been amazed at the

transformation in Lacie, who attends Plattsmouth Middle School. “Lacie has basically turned herself into her mother,” Mike said. “She has matured so much and does so much to help her little sister. She brushes Hanna’s hair and makes her cereal for breakfast. Hanna has chores, too, like helping me fill the dishwasher and putting the

clean dishes away. The girls also put their dirty clothes in the laundry and help with cleaning the house.”

If the girls have been deeply affected by the experience of their mother’s fight for life, so, too, has Mike. Although he has never been a church-goer, he said he has become a big believer in the power of prayer.

“I pray a lot on my own, and I pray with the girls,” he said. “I used to lay in bed with my head spinning, there was so much going on. I’d wonder, “What if she doesn’t make it?”” But, you know, I really never did believe she would

“It’s very satisfying to see all the outpour-

ing of support from Nebraska City and

elsewhere. The fundraiser at Plattsmouth

was like an extended family get-together.

There was small-town support, along with

big support from OPPD.” - Greg Krieser Division Manager, Production Operations

not make it.”Mike has spent 19 years – half his life – with

Becky and looks forward to many more years together. He was introduced to her through a cousin at Plattsmouth High School. Becky was then a student at Conestoga High School in Murray. Their first date was in May 1992, and they were married in 1996.

Promising PrognosisBecky’s battle with cystic fibrosis was a con-

cern, but the couple were heartened to learn they could have children without the risk of their offspring having the disease. The gene for cystic fibrosis must be present in both parents, and tests showed Mike didn’t have the gene for the disease, which causes lung damage and nutritional deficiencies.

“We knew it was safe to have kids, but the doctors said it was unlikely she could get preg-nant,” Mike said. “The doctors were wrong.”

Becky’s prognosis looks promising, and Mike tries not to fret about the costs of Becky’s health care. The support of OPPD workers and others has helped defray the costs of family members’ visits to Minnesota. Once Becky is released by doctors to come home, there will be ongoing medical costs, such as $250 a month in prescription drugs.

After all that has happened, Mike, Lacie and Hanna are eager for the anticipated return of Becky in February.

“The girls are ready for their mom to come home,” Mike said. “Me, too. I’m just really tired of eating my own cooking.”

A Welstead family portrait. From the left, Lacie, Becky, Hanna and Mike.

By Chris Cobbs


Watt’s up with the Bulb Phaseout?

Watt’s up with the Bulb Phaseout?


New Year’s shopping list:• Five pounds of deli meat• Two pounds of cheese• Four boxes of crackers• Six bags of chips• Three bottles of wine• 50 four-packs of 100-watt lightbulbs

Okay, so the lightbulbs probably didn’t make your list, but some people did stock up on 100W bulbs in advance of the phaseout. You may still find some standard 100W incan-descents until retailers sell out of them, but manufacturers are not allowed to produce them starting Jan. 1.

The Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 includes a gradual phase-out of standard incandescents, as follows.

• Jan. 1, 2012: 100W• Jan. 1, 2013: 75W• Jan. 1, 2014: 60W & 40WThe 2007 federal law requires manu-

facturers to meet gradually increas-ing standards for the efficacy – lumens per watt – of incandes-cent bulbs, noted Dave Tallon, senior field engineer in Customer Sales & Service. Lumens are the amount of light visible produced by a lighting source.

In mid-December, Congress passed a spending bill that

Manufacturers can no longer make standard 100-watt incandescent lightbulbs. This is the first step in a three-year phaseout of the energy-inefficient bulbs, but there are alternatives available.

doesn't actually amend the 2007 law, but it does prohibit the administration from spend-ing any more money to carry out the light bulb standards, which amounts to at least a tempo-rary reprieve.

Nonetheless, greater efficiencies in lighting are becoming more mainstream with costs on new technology coming down rapidly.

“Moving away from standard incandescent makes sense in the vast majority of applications and remain good for the environment and also the pocketbook for the consumer,” Dave said.

“About 85 to 90 percent of the energy con-

Bright IdeaThe Department of Energy (DOE) sponsored a competi-tion for manufacturers to develop a viable LED prod-uct that could replace the traditional, general purpose 60-watt A19-style lightbulb. The competition guidelines asked that the product use less than 10 watts of input power and produce a light output of 900 lumens. The DOE’s $1,000,000 “L Prize” winner was the Philip’s Endura LED. This LED is instant on, fully dim-mable and has a rated life of 25,000 hours. Still costly, a version of this award-winning product is available to residential consumers at just over $35 per bulb.

Continued

Dave Tallon, senior fi eld engineer, is a resident lighting expert.


Avg. Rated Reach Full Recommended Cost Life (hours) Brightness Uses Notes

CFLs Low - Med. 8,000 60 seconds, Everywhere, except Contain small amount Newer kinds cold environments of mercury; deal w/ broken 15 seconds bulbs properly

Fluorescent tubes Med. 24,000 30 seconds Kitchen, laundry, – 30,000 when cold shop, garage

LEDs High 35,000 Instantly Recessed can lights, Use 15-20% less energy track fixtures, than CFLs and last longer exterior fixtures, general purpose, table lamps

Halogens/ Med. 4,000 - 6,000 Instantly Recessed cans, A true incandescent crispPAR Halogen exterior flood, defined pattern dimming applications, general purpose, track

sumed by a traditional incandescent is given off as heat,” Dave explained. “The bulb design has not changed dramatically since Edison perfected it for the mass market in 1879.”

Dave said manufacturers have begun produc-ing general-purpose high-efficiency incandes-cent (HEI) bulbs that meet the new efficacy standards. As was the case with compact fluo-rescent lightbulbs (CFLs), it will take a few years for the price of HEIs to come down as they catch on with consumers and are produced in larger quantities.

Meanwhile, there’s a growing variety of CFLs and light-emitting diode (LED) bulbs available

today that meet the new standards. The price of LED bulbs is coming down very rapidly, Dave said.

“When deciding which type of lightbulb to buy, it’s important to match the bulb with how and where you’re going to use it,” he said. The chart below will help you find the right bulb for various applications.

There are numerous exceptions to the incandescent phase-out, including three-way bulbs, appliance bulbs, colored bulbs, plant lights, bug lights and shatter-resistant bulbs.

This watt meter measures the power consumed by lightbulbs.

By Terry Zank


People

So this is the new guy... He don't look so bright to me. Whadda ya say boys?

thi i th H d 't l k b i ht

Central Maintenance Celebrates 13-Year Safety RecordCentral Maintenance Machinists Dept. 489 celebrates 13 years without a lost-time acci-dent at a luncheon hosted by Production Operations Division Manager Greg Krieser and Central Maintenance manager Keith Morrison. Greg and Keith thank the group for their continued good work and chal-lenged the machinists to go another year without any accidents. Pictured are, from the left, Mark Patach, James West, Brad Kaufman, Tom Omer, Davey Rech, Kelly Hough, Mike Milledge, Rick Kellar, Arlo Christensen, Corey Childers, Todd Lewis, Rob Christianson, John Stroy, Dominick Mangano, Trevor Fiala, Larry Byers, Tracey Roberts, Andy Frye, Kirk Allen, Josh LeMay, Keith Morrison and Gerry Munoz.


Club News: High Voltage ClubThe November meeting started with 150 members bringing food for the Omaha Food Bank. A large quantity and variety of food was received… The club welcomed new members Cindy and Nick Koch... Pam Nowak has been busy traveling. Her first travel took her to Pennsylvania to visit her daughter and family. She then ventured off to England to attend the wedding of her cousin’s daugh-ter. South Africa is the home of one of her cousin’s and wife. They are now here visiting Pam and family along with enjoying Omaha… A surprise 50th wedding anniversary party was given recently to Sherry and Darrell Lundy. Their children did a good job of keeping it a secret. Congratulations ! ... Elaine and Harold Williamson recently traveled to Myrtle Beach, S.C. for a six-day vacation. They attended the reunion of Harold’s shipmates from World War II. It was their 67th anniversary of the biggest naval battle of the war… Jerry Krause has been active on the Ralston Chamber of Commerce in the development of the former Lakeview Golf Course in Ralston. It is becoming a 3,500-seat sports and events center, and the home of the Lancers, along with other top organizations. - Sharon Dickman

People

SympathiesRick Stanger, System Planning & Cost Management, for the death of his father.John Wichman, Production Engineering & Technical Support, for the death of his father.Randy Veik, Production Operations, for the death of his father.Ed Matthews, Substation Operations, for the death of his mother.Brian Stone, Substation Operations, for the death of his grandmother and for the death of his wife’s grandfather.Joe Turecek, Substation Operations, for the death of his mother-in-law.John Kudlacz, Material Management, for the death of his mother, Dolores Kudlacz on Nov. 14.Dave Sandstedt, Information Technology, for the death of his father, David C. Sandstedt, on Nov. 6.Jeff Faris, Substation Operations, for the death of his grandmother.Pam Czech, Substation Operations, for the death of her grandson.Jack Irons, retired, for the death of his mother-in-law.Dee and Kevin Hellbusch, Omaha Center, for the death of Dee’s grandfather, Boyd Cable, on Dec. 11.

John Childers, left, and Reuben Rosales are pictured inside North Omaha Station. Reuben, who retired Jan. 1, escorted Corporate Communication employees through the plant during an outage last year, when this and several other progress photos were taken.

December RetirementsReuben Rosales, Supervisor-Material Handling NO, Production Operations, retired Dec. 1 with 35 years of service. Reuben joined OPPD in 1976 as a utility man in Materials Handling, Produc-tion Operations. He is pictured at right.

Kenneth Roth, Division Man-ager-Production Engineering & Technical Support, retired Dec. 1 with 31 years of service. Ken joined OPPD in 1980 as an engineer in GSE-Mechanical, Engineering Division.

George Sinos, Manager-Emerg-ing Technologies, Information Technology, retired Dec. 1 with 30 years of service. George joined OPPD in 1981 as a pro-grammer analyst in the Techni-cal Applications Department,

Management Systems Services.

Salvatore Trombino, Instru-ment/Control Coordinator-NC Maintenance, Production Opera-tions, retired Dec. 1 with 36 years of service. Salvatore joined OPPD in 1974 as a helper in the Operations Department.

Eric Willis, Shift Security Supervisor FC, Nuclear Performance Improvement & Support, retired Dec. 1 with 19 years of service. Eric joined OPPD in 1991 as a security officer in Nuclear Operations.

January RetirementsBradley Kaufman, Supervisor-Mechanical Projects, Production Operations, retired Jan. 1 with 29 years of service. He joined OPPD as a senior engineer in 1982.

Donald Cook, Nuclear Security Officer, Nuclear Performance Improvement & Support, retired Jan. 1 with 10 years of service. He joined OPPD in 2001 as a security officer.

Patricia Holeman, Field Col-lector III, retired Jan. 1 with 30 years of service. She joined OPPD in 1981 as a utility worker.


November-December Service Anniversaries35 YearsMichael Daniels, T&D OperationsRonald McIvor, Substation Operations30 YearsMarlyn Anderson, FCS Plant OperationsPatrick Carnazzo, Customer Sales & ServiceDouglas Collins, Energy Marketing & TradingRick Gilman, Production OperationsRuth Jamieson, Customer Service OperationsJames Jershin, Production OperationsRandol Johnson, Production OperationsThomas Kipper, Production OperationsThomas Mayhan, System Planning & Cost ManagementTimothy McGinnis, Production OperationsJoseph Ramirez, T&D OperationsThomas Reilly, Substation OperationsPatricia Rumery, Material ManagementJohn Smith, Nuclear AssessmentsDennis Stading, Nuclear Site Operations25 YearsMichael Butt, Safety & Technical TrainingHoward Fields, T&D OperationsRaymond Herek, Customer Service OperationsGary Kelly, Information TechnologyPatricia Martin, Nuclear EngineeringLeslie Nano, Corporate AccountingSteven Neuverth, T&D OperationsEarley Smith, Production Engineering & Technical Support20 YearsGenea Davis, Information TechnologyBoling Dong, System Planning & Cost ManagementGordon Frank, Substation OperationsBassem Haddad, Nuclear EngineeringMarie Heins, T&D OperationsDavid Husak, Production OperationsNicholas Keating, Production OperationsLarry Kilpatrick, Production OperationsEbrahim Noseir, Nuclear EngineeringDavid Ponec, Customer Service OperationsRobert Porter, FCS Plant OperationsAnthony Silva, Substation OperationsRonald Vogel, Information TechnologyEric Willis, Nuclear Performance Improvement & SupportMichael Wordekemper, Production Operations15 YearsKimberly Barnes, Customer Sales & ServiceMichael Gobber, T&D OperationsRonald Hansen, T&D OperationsKevin Kroeger, Production Engineering & Technical SupportJames Helmberger, Substation Operations

10 YearsPatrick Barnes, Production OperationsMark Brasch, Nuclear Performance Improvement & SupportDonald Cook, Nuclear Performance Improvement & Support

Patrick Damme, T&D OperationsNeil Ferguson, Facilities ManagementGene Fischer, Production Engineering & Technical SupportJames Forhan, Nuclear Performance Improvement & SupportTracy Haessler, Customer Service OperationsJoseph Hanover, T&D OperationsBradley Hendricks, Nuclear Performance Improvement & SupportMichael Johnson, Customer Service OperationsClint Langan, Facilities ManagementRobert Loges, T&D OperationsLaura Manning, System Planning & Cost ManagementDerek Peckenpaugh, Information TechnologyJay Schubert, Customer Sales & ServiceDavid Swett, Customer Service OperationsLee Van Nurden, Nuclear Performance Improvement & Support Carla Vice, FCS Plant OperationsSteve Walz, T&D OperationsAlan Weis, Substation OperationsJamar Williams, T&D Operations5 YearsBradly Almquist, Production OperationsEric Bender, Production OperationsSteven Muell, Production OperationsDanny Oakes, Production OperationsMark Pohl, Operations AnalysisMichael Zeringue, Production Operations

DeathsServices were held Nov. 7

in Omaha for Kathleen M. Boler, 99. Kay joined OPPD in 1930 in Customer Account-ing and retired in 1977 as an officer of the company.

Kay was preceded in death by her parents, James and Mae Boler; brothers, John Boler, Maurice Boler and James Boler; and sister, Eileen Lynch. She is survived by a cousin, Rev. Martin Boler; sister-in-law, Virginia Boler; nieces and nephews.

Services were held Dec. 26 for Arthur L. Grell, 75. Art joined OPPD in 1960 as an assistant engineer. He retired in 1994 as manager of substa-tion construction at the Elk-horn Center. He is preceded in death by parents, Arthur and Bessie Grell. He is survived by wife of 55 years, Patricia (Ramey) Grell, Council Bluffs; children, Nancy (Dwight) Harts, Mathew (Lisa) Grell, Richard Grell, and Kathy (Scott) Emery; 4 grandchildren, Hannah, Sydney, Abby, and Jack; and sister, Ruth Applegate.

Services were held Dec. 29 for Lillian Hughes, 98. Lillian joined OPPD’s predecessor, Nebraska Power Company, in 1936. She retired from OPPD in 1976 as supervisor of Account Maintenance.

Lillian was preceded in death by husband, Richard E. Hughes; sisters, Anna, Marguerite, G. Dorothy, and Florence; and brothers, William and Richard. She is survived by sister-in-law, Stella Paulson; numerous nieces and nephews.

Services were held in Omaha on Nov. 14 for Thomas L. Quackenbush, shown in a 1977 photo. Tom joined OPPD in August 1937 in the shipping department in and retired in 1977 as supervisor of office services in Produc-tion Operations.

Tom is survived by daughter and son-in-law, Lynn and Robert Schmill, daughter-in-law, Julie A. Quackenbush; grandchildren, Erin (Jason) Humlicek, Steven Quackenbush and Nicole, Jenae Schmill; great grandchildren, Ella, Ian, Maya and Caitlin. Preceded in death by wife, Ruth, son, Jack and grandson, Matthew.

Services were held Dec. 8 for Jeffrey T. Thacker, 45. Jeff joined OPPD in October 1997 and at the time of death held the position of Electrician 1st Class in the Substation Opera-tions Division.

Jeff is survived by his wife, Julie, sons Jacob and Alexander, grandpar-ents, Thomas and Juanita Thacker, father, Carl Thomas Thacker, Sr., siblings, Carla (Dave), Carl, Jr. (Kristi) and Daniel (Amanda); parents-in-law, James and Theresa Clark, sisters-in-law, Janice (Pat) Dotzler and JoEllen (Brian) Keating, many aunts, uncles, nieces and nephews. Preceded in death by mother, Ruth Ann Byrd-Thacker.

Services were held Dec. 9 for Ralph D. “Curly” Johnson, 77. Ralph started in at OPPD 1982 as a steamfitter in the Central Mainte-nance Pressure Equipment area and retired in August 1993 as a journeyman steamfitter.

He was preceded in death by his parents, George and Alma Johnson and brother, William. Survived by children, JoLynn Williams, Daniel (Jody) Johnson, James Johnson and Connie Krueger; numerous grandchildren; brother, George, sister, Carolyn Clary.

®PRESORTED STANDARD

US POSTAGE PAID OMAHA NE PERMIT NO. 97

444 South 16th Street Mall Omaha, Nebraska 68102-2247

Address Service Requested

It’s a tale that spans 60-plus years – a timeline that captures OPPD’s history from the front lines. The new Omaha Center will soon be home to the photos and artifacts that make up the T&D wall of history.

The project, which started during discus-sions when the new Omaha Center was being designed, was quickly embraced by Facilities Management, the Omaha Center, Corporate

Communications and more recently, retirees. When word spread, so did the memories and the stories.

After a presentation about the wall at the High Voltage Club luncheon, several retirees offered to donate items. Bill Muff’s widow, Mary Muff, explained how she had

a 1957 linemen’s photo, as well as Bill’s gloves and climbers. She did not know what to do with them, and the wall of history seemed like a per-

fect place to preserve them. Others, such as Dick Lindsey, Jesse Brown,

Dean Hemphill and Bob Ward offered up old photos, bulbs, an anniversary watch, linemen rodeo items and a cast iron splicers’ bucket for melting lead.

As it turns out, the idea for a history wall had germinated years ago. Bruce Hayden further explained that items had been gathered for an intended T&D “museum” at the Energy Control Center (ECC) more than 20 years ago. The infor-mation was shared with Facilities, who found this box of history tucked away at ECC.

From a 1918 safety manual to a bosun’s chair, climbers, hard hats and amp readers, the wall recaps the history of Omaha Center, relives the storms battled and tracks the evolution of tech-nology throughout the years.

Spearheading this effort are Jerry Benedict, Jeremy Bryant, Jeff Hartung, Tim Potts and Gary Stephan from the Omaha Center, Kim Hoock and Ed Thiele of Facilities Management, and Paula Lukowski and Laurie Zagurski of Corporate Communications.

A Timeline About the Front LineNew Omaha Center home to memories, memorabilia

The display will show old photos,old equipment and other artifact used by employees.

Memorabilia will transform these alcoves into a wall of History.

Jan-Feb.2012 Flash

Documents

Transcript of Jan-Feb.2012 Flash