Awards

 
GU Receives the APPA Community Service Award

In recognition of our ongoing work to support and improve the quality of life in our community, the American Public Power Association (APPA) recently presented Groton Utilities with its Community Service Award. The national award recognizes “good neighbor” activities that demonstrate our commitment to the community.

David F. Collard, General Manager — Customer Care,  accepts the APPA Community Service Award (inset).

APPA, an organization of some 2,000 municipally owned and operated electric utilities across the country, recognized Groton Utilities for an array of community service efforts. These range from our participation in the McGruff Truck Program, a safety network program for children in conjunction with local police departments, to our local Earth Day celebration, which has grown from a tree-planting project to one of the largest area Earth Day celebrations.

David F. Collard, General Manager — Customer Care, accepted the recognition plaque on behalf of all the employees who worked so hard to make Groton Utilities eligible for this prestigious award.

During a typical year, employees from both Electric and Water Divisions are regular visitors to local schools, presenting programs on electric safety and water quality. Many employees staff exhibits, help with the cooking, and serve food at the annual City of Groton Day each August.

An when Mother nature fails to deliver the necessary natural snow for sledding in Washington Park, children both young and old benefit from the Groton Utilities-sponsored compressor that makes snow.

Since its creation more than three years ago, the Groton Division of the Chamber of Commerce has also benefited from Groton Utilities’ commitment of both personnel and sponsorship of Chamber events.

The Jacqueline B. Nixon Community Service Award

Leandri Presented APPA Award

City of Groton Utility Commissioner Julio H. Leandri is a recipient of the American Public Power Association’s (APPA) Vanderlinden Public Official Award. He received the award at the Association’s national conference held in Washington, D.C. APPA is the national industry association for more than 2,000 municipally owned and operated electric utilities across the country.

With more than 1,600 APPA delegates; his wife, Frances; his daughter, Lisa Troland; and a Groton Utilities delegation looking on, he accepted the Vanderlinden Award that recognizes elected or appointed officials whose contributions to APPA and their communities have enhanced the prestige of public power nationally.

Leandri has had more than 53 years of dedicated service to public power, including 37 years at Groton Utilities and 15 years as a Utility Commissioner. He retired from Groton Utilities as Manager of Utilities in June, 1985. He is also the sitting chairman of the Board of Directors of the Connecticut Electric Energy Cooperative (CMEEC), Groton Utilities electric wholesale supplier. He has chaired the CMEEC Board for most of his 14 years as a board member.

Leandri also held the post of Interim Executive Director of the Northeast Public Power Association (NEPPA) for a brief time during his early retirement years. NEPPA is an utility industry association, representing more than 70 municipal electric utilities in New England and New York.

Through the years, Leandri has been an active member of the community. He served many years on the Groton Visiting Nurses Association Board, including time as its President. Leandri has been a staunch supporter of the University of Connecticut Alumni Association. He is a past president and member of the Association’s Board of Directors.

Dion Presented The Fuller Award

Alfred C. Dion, General Manager of Administration for Groton Utilities, is the recipient of the George Warren Fuller Award. The presentation was made at The Fuller Award Society Breakfast held during the AWWA Annual Conference and Exposition in Washington, D. C. on June 21, 2001. The Connecticut Section of American Water Works Association (AWWA) nominated Dion for the Fuller Award at its annual meeting in May. The American Water Works Association organization is comprised of 57,000 water professionals.

The Fuller Award is presented annually by the AWWA to selected members in its various sections for “their distinguished service to the water supply field in commemoration of the sound engineering skill…the brilliant diplomatic talent…and the constructive leadership which characterized the life of George Warren Fuller.” Fuller was a longtime, highly respected consulting engineer in the water industry.

Dion has been a Groton Utilities employee for 36 years and has held several management positions, including General Manager of Customer Care and General Manager of Water Division. In 1965. He started in the Engineering Department and has held the positions of Engineering Aide, Civil Engineer and Operations Superintendent Water/Wastewater.

Dion has been actively involved in the CT Section AWWA, serving as the Chair of the Safety Committee and the Associates Committee. He has held the positions of Trustee, Vice Chair and Chairman of the organization in 1994–95. In addition, he has been involved in various local water related committees, including co-chair of the Southeastern Water Utility Coordinating Committee.

Dion is involved in many public relations programs and is presently working with area towns on regional water supply plan issues.