INFORM, INSPIRE, AND MOTIVATE

LAURA CROUCH

DIRECTOR, COMMUNITY RELATIONS, LOCAL GOVERNMENT, AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Whe I as p epa i g fo ollege a d de idi g hat I a ted to stud , fathe a high s hool tea he a d oa h suggested that I o side ele t i al e gi ee i g. We had a fa il f ie d ho had g aduated f o USF ith a ele t i al e gi ee i g deg ee, a d she late e t to o k fo Ta pa Ele t i . He lo ed the idea of a s a t o a i a halle gi g field a d thought the e e g i dust held so u h oppo tu it fo a lifelo g a ee . He also thought it as ool that that she had lea ed to li po e poles!

I itiall , I as ’t espe iall kee o his idea. I had ee the edito of high s hool ea ook a d lo ed lite atu e – e gi ee i g did ot sou d like the pla fo e. But as I sta ted taki g lasses, I dis o e ed that I had a affi it fo ath a d s ie e that, u til the , I had ’t tapped i to. I eall e jo ed the halle gi g ou se o k a d ega to pu sue a deg ee i he i al e gi ee i g. Du i g last se este , I had the oppo tu it to i te ith Ta pa Ele t i ’s e i o e tal depa t e t a d that is he it all sta ted o i g togethe . It as fi st oppo tu it to appl deg ee to the o k I ould e doi g. It as halle gi g a d e a di g – lea i g ho to o k ithi the a ious egulatio s a d pe its, hile ala i g the eeds of ope atio s – looki g fo i - i solutio s. Th ough this

e pe ie e, I as a le to see that the e e g i dust p o ides i tuall u li ited oppo tu ities fo o ti uous lea i g a d g o th. It got e e ited a out hat futu e a d a ee ight look like.

Du i g a ee at Ta pa Ele t i , I ha e o ked i e i o e tal, egulato , ge e atio pla i g, poli , st ateg , a d o o u it elatio s. While I ha e ’t lea ed to li a po e pole et, I ha e ee to the top of the -

foot tall sta ks at the Big Be d po e pla t. I a p ett su e that ould ha e i p essed Dad!

Ca ou tell us a out ou u e t ole?

Cu e tl , I a Di e to of Co u it Relatio s, Lo al Go e e t a d E o o i De elop e t fo the Ta pa/I- egio of Ta pa Ele t i a d Peoples Gas. I this ole, tea

a d I o k to ep ese t the o pa i the o u ities e se e – e e thi g f o f a hise ag ee e ts to p oje t out ea h to suppo t of o u it i itiati es a d esol i g o u it o e s. Ou tea se es as the e es a d ea s of

the o pa , a d i gi g the outside ie i to ou i te al de isio aki g is ou p i a issio . We a t to e e tai that the p io ities of the o u ities e se e a e ou p io ities as ell. We also a t to ake su e that the o u ities e se e a e a a e of ou a ti ities a d a le to

p o ide i put – esse tiall a feed a k loop.

What i spi ed ou to joi the e e g i dust ?

TAMPA ELECTRIC – PEOPLES GAS

Challe ge ourself to look for solutio s here others do ’t see the .

Attra ti g e o pa ies a d helpi g urre t o pa ies to e pa d learl helps the lo al e o o gro

a d akes for a i ra t o u it .

Please des i e to us ou jou e i a i i g he e ou a e o . What is a idea, a otto, a i sight, a pe so , o a e pe ie e that ou feel has oti ated ou alo g the a ?

M p i a d i e has ee a ti g to e i ol ed i p oje ts a d topi s that a e i pa tful to o pa a d i te esti g to e. I a t to ake a diffe e e he I o e to o k, a d I a t to lea e thi gs ette tha I fou d the . I also had a lot of good ad i e a d

e to i g alo g the a . Wo ki g i the e e g i dust , the e is o sho tage of halle gi g oppo tu ities. Looki g at the a ee

paths of people ho e e espe ted fo thei k o ledge a d ho I ad i ed as oti atio al alo g the a . I ould look fo oppo tu ities to gai si ila e pe ie es – th ough e i o e tal, egulato , ge e atio pla i g, poli a d st ateg – i a eas he e ou lea hat d i es the usi ess. Mo i g i to o u it a d

go e e t elatio s a d ei g a le to use all that I ha e lea ed to ide tif pa t e ships a d o e tio s et ee ou o pa a d the o u it has eall ee e iti g.

I a t to ake a differe e he I o e to

ork, a d I a t to lea e thi gs etter tha I fou d

the .

Ge e all , he people thi k of a ee s i the utilit se to , the a thi k e gi ee , li e o ke , o usto e se i e ep ese tati e. You ole is a u i ue o e. Ca ou tell us a out the sig ifi a e of ou ole

i the e e g i dust , espe iall as it pe tai s to the g o th of ou e o o ?

We a e a e e g pa t e i ou egio ’s g o th a d a o t i uto to a i o ati e o u it ultu e. Th ough o st u tio of e e a le e e g p oje ts, g id ode izatio , t a sitio i g to LED/s a t st eet lighti g a d sto

ha de i g – a o g othe thi gs – e a e aki g ou egio o e appeali g to usi ess. Att a ti g e o pa ies a d helpi g u e t o pa ies to e pa d lea l helps the lo al e o o g o a d akes fo a i a t o u it . We o k ith leade s i ou o u it a d i e o o i de elop e t to p o ide a o plete pi tu e to a p ospe ti e o pa of ou o u it ’s usi ess li ate.

Ma e pe ie es ha e a li k o e t. I the ou se of ou a ee , a ou e all a pa ti ula o e t he it t ul li ked fo ou that

e e g is the pla e to e?

This is fu , ut I al a s thi k of the o e t that I spoke to olde so ’s P e-Ki de ga te lass. I e t ith ha d hat, steel-toed oots, a d safet glasses. I also had TECO shi t o as ell. Afte talki g to the a out po e pla ts a d u ket t u ks, I left to go a k to o k. I late fou d out that the lass had sta ted efe i g to e as Ele t i Gi l – hi h ade e feel like a it of a supe he o! It also felt o the a k, so that as he I k e e e g

as the pla e fo e.

What is the ost e o a le lesso o skill that ou ha e lea ed i the e e g i dust ?

T o skills that ha e eall ade a diffe e e fo e e e lea i g to a t oth as a t a slato a d a p o le sol e . Co e i g ou sto to e te al stakeholde s a d i gi g thei sto a k i to the o pa to eate a o o solutio . Let’s e ho est, the e e g i dust is full of e gi ee s ho a e e st aightfo a d a d logi d i e – a d egulatio does ot al a s see logi al to the . Bei g a le to t a slate the te h i al aspe ts of the e gi ee ’s

ope atio al eeds to egulato s a d i e e sa eates a u h o e o ka le egotiati g positio . Bei g a le to p o le sol e th ough diffi ulties a d a hie e o ka le, lasti g solutio s is ke , too. Co o to oth is eall liste i g to hat the pa ties a e sa i g a d o ki g to ha e those eeds et.

Be ope to opportu ities to put o a hard hat, safet glasses a d steel-toed oots – the ti e spe t at the pla ts a d out i the field – orki g

ith pla t e gi eers a d proje t a agers ill help ou o u i ate, put issues

i o te t a d pai t a pi ture of hat is goi g o i our

orld to others.

What is a halle ge that ou ha e ee p oud to see the i dust o e o e?

Re e tl , ou i dust a d o u ities eall a e togethe o the Hu i a e I a e o e effo ts. It as a d a ati sho i g of ho ha d the people i ou i dust o k a d ho u h the a e a out thei o u ities. So a people pit hi g i a d doi g o pletel diffe e t sto dut jo s f o thei o al assig e ts. Nothi g akes

e p oude tha seei g o o s of u ket t u ks o i g i to the state a d a assi g at i ide t ases. We had li e e f o as fa a a as E e a No a S otia o ki g i ou se i e te ito . It as t ul a o u e tal effo t a d

hile the e a e al a s thi gs to o k o , it is o e halle ge e should olle ti el e p oud of as ell.

What is a spe ial a ea of oppo tu it that ou see i e e g ?

Fo Ta pa Ele t i , I see a oppo tu ities ei g ought th ough ou a uisitio E e a. Bei g pa t of a la ge o pa ith di e se e pe ie es a d k o ledge has eall e pa ded ou st ategi pla i g a d te h olog sele tio p o esses. Bei g e posed to e a s of thi ki g a d ha i g f esh

oi es as pa t of the p o ess is e e gizi g. I a also e e ited ith the e e t a ou e e t of Na To e as Ta pa Ele t i ’s P eside t a d CEO.

I et Na he the E e a t a sa tio as fi st a ou ed i a d she is a a i g a d olla o ati e leade . She is o itted to ou o u it a d a i g o the lo g sta di g t aditio s of Ta pa Ele t i . I look fo a d to o ki g ith he as she gets i ol ed i the e e g i dust at the lo al a d

state le el. She ill e a asset to oth Ta pa Ele t i a d Flo ida.

Ho do st o g o u it elatio s suppo t the oppo tu it a d g o th that the e e g i dust p o ises?

Bei g tu ed i to ou o u ities e su es that e a e g o i g i a s that suppo t thei isio fo the egio , i ludi g thei desi e fo lea e e e g a d i o atio . As ou o u ities g o , e eed to u de sta d ho e a e a pa t of that a d ho e a suppo t the as ell.

What ad i e ould ou gi e to othe o e ho aspi e to joi the e e g i dust , espe iall o the o u i atio s a d de elop e t side?

Bei g tu ed i to our o u ities e sures that

e are gro i g i a s that support their isio for the

regio – i ludi g their desire for lea er e erg

a d i o atio .

The est ad i e I a gi e is to sta t ith a solid, e satile deg ee i e gi ee i g o a othe e uall halle gi g field that ou lo e. Lea i g ho to thi k a d p o le -sol e is a skill that ill a ou th ough. Be o d this, lea the

usi ess f o as a a gles as ou a . U de sta d the d i e s. Be ope to oppo tu ities to put o a ha d hat, safet glasses a d steel-toed oots – the ti e spe t at the pla ts a d out i the field – o ki g ith pla t e gi ee s a d p oje t a age s ill help ou o u i ate, put issues i o te t a d pai t a pi tu e of hat is goi g o i ou

o ld to othe s. Challe ge ou self to look fo solutio s he e othe s do ’t see the . This is a g eat i dust ith i o atio happe i g dail . If ou ha e the agi skill set that i ludes te h i al k o ledge a d the a ilit to o u i ate, ou oppo tu ities a e e dless.

What do ou look fo a d to ost i the o k that ou do?

Co e ti g o pa to the o u ities e se e; telli g ou sto ; u de sta di g ho e a o k togethe ; ei g eati e; i o ati e pa t e ships; a d olla o atio .

O e of fa o ite olla o ati e p oje ts as o ki g ith I o atio Pla e USF A ea I o atio Dist i t , Hills o ough A ea Regio al T a sit HART Autho it , a d Tesla o HART’s H pe Li k se i e - a ide sha i g-like se i e

he e use s ill e a le to hi e a Tesla Model X to get the f o thei us stop to thei fi al lo atio . B i gi g togethe a o u it eed, a i o ati e app oa h a d utti g edge ele t i ehi les as a eall e a di g e pe ie e.

The a ual Florida's Wo e i E ergy Leadership Foru FWELF ai s to pro ote opportu ities i the e ergy i dustry y re og izi g the su ess that o e leaders i the e ergy i dustry ha e de o strated i gro i g Florida’s e o o y a d di ersifyi g a already tre e dous orkfor e.

.FLWo e i E ergy. o | @FLWo e i E ergy

Des i e the e e g i dust usi g o e o d, a d sha e ith us h ou hose this o d.

VIBRANT. I elie e this des i es the i dust as it is o – a i dust that is e ol i g, pe haps ei g dis upted e e gi g te h ologies, espo di g to ha gi g usto e e pe tatio s, e e a le

oppo tu ities.