Management Update

New Subsidiary and Construction Managers

David Blount, former regional manager for our underground utility locating subsidiary, Central Locating Service, Ltd., advanced to regional director under Vice President of Operations Jim Gregory and President/COO Dick Steeg. Scott Asplundh sponsors Central Locating Service, Ltd. (CLS).

In 1996, David first came to work for another Asplundh locating subsidiary, Underground Utility Locating, Inc., which was recently consolidated with CLS. Hired as a manager of operations in the Southeast, he came to our organization with seven years of field and management experience in the locating industry in his home state of Alabama. In 1998, David transferred to New York to work for CLS as its manager of facility claims settlement and risk. The following year, he returned to the Southeast as a regional manager and is currently responsible for directing CLS operations in Alabama, Texas, Missouri, Nebraska, South Dakota, Minnesota, Wyoming and Nevada. David earned a Juris Doctor degree in 1995 from the Birmingham School of Law in Alabama and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Alabama,

Tom Hadley, former regional manager for All Clear Locating Service, Inc. (an Asplundh locating subsidiary that was recently consolidated with CLS), was named regional director for CLS under Vice President Jim Gregory and President/COO Dick Steeg. Scott Asplundh sponsors CLS.

A 32-year veteran of the telecommunications and underground utility locating industry, Tom brings to CLS a strong background in planning, developing and directing cost effective operations. He was instrumental in the start up and successful expansion of Sprint’s NoCuts business, which Asplundh acquired in March 2000. As a regional director for CLS, Tom is responsible for directing all locating operations in the states of Florida, the Carolinas and Tennessee. In addition to his many years of hands-on experience, Tom has advanced his education through over 1,800 hours of professional management training and development courses through the University of Central Florida and various community colleges.

Ralph Kennedy joined the Asplundh family of companies in December 2000 as president of Utility Meter Services, Inc. (UMS). George Graham sponsors the meter reading subsidiary.

Ralph brings to the company more than 15 years of experience in strategic planning, business development and operations in the electric utility industry. Before joining UMS, he was the director of metering and information services for a major investor-owned utility. As president of UMS, Ralph is responsible for managing all aspects of the subsidiary’s meter reading and installation services, electronic data management, quality assurance and new business development throughout the U.S. In addition to his professional experience, Ralph earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration and marketing from St. Leo University in Florida. He has also served on the Metering International Advisory Panel and the DistribuTech Marketing Strategies Panel.

Paul Prospero joined Central Locating Service, Ltd. (CLS), our underground utility locating subsidiary, in September. He is a regional director under Vice President of Operations Jim Gregory and President/COO Dick Steeg. Scott Asplundh sponsors CLS.

Paul brings to the company over 12 years of experience in the management of staff and assets in multiple locations over a widespread territory. In his most recent position, he managed the successful expansion of an underground utility locating operation based in Illinois. As a regional director for CLS, Paul is responsible for directing field operations throughout 11 states from New England through the Middle Atlantic and into the upper Midwest. His base of operations is in Mokena, Illinois. A graduate of Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, Paul earned a bachelor’s degree in business management and marketing.

Pete Sparacio joined our growing corporate family in February as manager of a new subsidiary, Utility Tree Service, Inc. (UTS) in northern California and parts of Oregon. He reports to Jeff Asplundh who sponsors the subsidiary.

A native Californian, Pete has 20 years of valuable experience in the line clearance industry there. In fact, 10 of those years (1982 to 1992) were spent working for Asplundh where he oversaw tree crews working on rugged transmission rights-of-way. An experienced manager of distribution and transmission tree work, Pete is responsible for overseeing UTS operations on the properties of various investor-owned, municipal and cooperative utility accounts in northern California and central Oregon. An ISA Certified Arborist/Utility Specialist, Pete is a member of the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) and the National Arborist Association (NAA). He served in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1970 to 1972.

Bernie Van Pelt joined Asplundh in November as manager of utility construction operations in California. Matt Asplundh sponsors this new and expanding construction region.

With over 38 years of experience in the electric line construction industry, Bernie’s career has taken him from his home state of Iowa to Saudi Arabia and throughout 14 western states. For the previous 11 years before joining Asplundh, he managed multiple distribution, transmission and substation projects (both overhead and underground) throughout California and Arizona. Bernie has expertise in new construction, as well as reconstruction and cable replacement. As a construction region manager for Asplundh, Bernie is responsible for directing the expansion of new construction projects throughout California for various investor-owned utilities, state agencies and municipalities.

New Supervisors in Construction, Tree Co. and Street Lighting Operations

Jerry Griggs, Sr. joined Asplundh in January as superintendent of a new branch—based in Louisiana—of the Preston Polk Construction Region in Georgia. The Polk Region is sponsored by Vice President Steven Asplundh.

Prior to joining Asplundh, Jerry served as vice president of a company that supplied a variety of trucks and equipment to the construction, forestry and utility industry. He has 35 years of experience in management, customer service, safety and human resources. In his position as a superintendent, Jerry is responsible for overseeing and expanding Asplundh construction operations in Louisiana, Arkansas, Mississippi and East Texas. Current projects include overhead and underground electric transmission and distribution, fiber optics, PCS towers, street lighting and directional drilling. Jerry served 10 years in the National Guard and has taken various continuing education courses in business management and personnel.

Joe Guerrero joined the company in November 2000 as a construction supervisor and is now working as an operations manager under Construction Region Manager Bernie VanPelt in California. Matt Asplundh sponsors the VanPelt Region.

With 30 years of experience in the electric line construction industry, Joe has worked at all levels to complete a wide variety of overhead and underground transmission and distribution projects ‘on time and under budget’. He started out in the industry as a lineman apprentice in 1971 in his home state of Arizona after completing a tour of duty as a U.S. Army officer in Vietnam. Since then, Joe has gained broad operations and management expertise by working for various investor-owned utilities, municipalities, state agencies and construction firms in California, Arizona and Nevada. In his position as operations manager, he is instrumental in estimating, planning, scheduling, coordinating and tracking construction projects. Joe attended the University of Arizona and has taken numerous courses in accounting, labor law and sociology.

Art Holland, II joined Asplundh in January as a project manager under Construction Region Manager Preston Polk in Georgia. Vice President Steven Asplundh sponsors the Polk Region.

A native of Indiana, Art has over 30 years of experience in the outside electrical construction industry in the Midwest and Southeast. He began his career as a journeyman electrician in 1969 after serving over three years in the U.S. Air Force. In 1981, after completing a bachelor’s degree at Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana, Art went to work for the City of Muncie as its director of electrical maintenance for wastewater treatment facilities. He went to work for an electric construction contracting firm in 1987 and since then has gained extensive background in managing field operations and working with utility customers in more than 13 states. As an Asplundh construction project manager, Art is responsible for overseeing overhead and underground distribution, substation maintenance and fiber optics operations for Jackson EMC in Georgia.

Mann McMillan, former general foreman in North Carolina, advanced to supervisor under Manager Barry Suddreth in January. Vice President Gregg Asplundh sponsors the Suddreth Region, which serves the western Carolinas.

A 16-year Asplundh veteran, Mann has worked his entire career in his home state of North Carolina. Skilled in equipment maintenance, he came to the company with five years of experience as a mechanic and bulldozer operator. However, Mann was adept at climbing and within four years, he had advanced to foreman of a manual crew. In 1990, after serving as an acting general foreman on occasion, Mann was promoted to general foreman. As a supervisor in the Suddreth Region, he is responsible for overseeing tree crews working on the property of Duke Energy and various municipal and rural electric cooperatives in North Carolina. He also supervises underground construction crews for two telephone companies. Mann is preparing to take the ISA Certified Arborist test.

Venancio Montero, former assistant supervisor in Florida, has advanced to supervisor under Outsourcing Manager Martin Arriola. Chris Asplundh, Jr. sponsors the Arriola Region.

Born in Mexico and raised in Texas, Venancio joined Asplundh in 1987 to work on a tree crew in Texas. Prior to joining Asplundh, he had worked for six years as a pipe inspector in the oil industry. Within two years, Venancio became a foreman and in 1993, he was promoted to general foreman. Five years later, Venancio transferred to South Florida as a general foreman and later, assistant supervisor, to oversee crews that are temporarily assigned or outsourced to other Asplundh regions throughout the U.S.  As a supervisor under Manager Martin Arriola, Venancio often travels to the various regions that have requested crews to bid on the work and then oversee all aspects of their work, equipment, housing arrangements, training, safety and customer relations. A 1997 graduate of the Asplundh Supervisory Training Program, Venancio is also a Certified CPR/First Aid Instructor and is preparing to take the ISA Certified Arborist exam.

Steve Portuese, former general foreman in the Asplundh Street Lighting Division, has been promoted to supervisor under Manager Larry Cassel. Matt Asplundh sponsors the Street Lighting Division.

Originally from Connecticut, Steve joined the Street Lighting Division in 1993 as a foreman in Pennsylvania with more than 19 years of experience as an electrician. He had also served five years in the U.S. Navy where he attained the rank of first class petty officer. Steve advanced to general foreman in the division in 1995. As a supervisor for the Street Lighting Division, Steve is responsible for overseeing street light and traffic signal maintenance and repair operations. His crews work for various municipal entities, utilities and a property management company in Pennsylvania and the eastern Carolinas. In addition to his electrician training in the Navy, Steve has studied drafting, computer programming and accounting at Montgomery County Community College in Pennsylvania.