Spring/Summer 2016 Resource Newsletter NJ

the resource
spring/summer 2016
magazine for New Jersey Operations
championing
environmental
causes
table of contents
01
14
the big 5-0!
02
take a safety break — hurricane season
15
strategic meters - tracking the flow
03
defense is the best offense
16
streamlining system maintenance workflow
04
doing it right!
17
earth month
06
environment, health & safety statistics
18
one on one with Kathy Ofeldt
08gearing up for an emergency
20
look who’s awesome
09
make safety a habit
22
learning to be Bergen leaders
10
teaching tools of the trade
24
learning the abc’s of SUEZ
11
reuse and recycle
25
welcome aboard
26
kudos
30
community communications
12
vice president & general manager update
keeping the pipelines of
communication flowing
13
investments in the future
Cover photo: The annual Hackensack Riverkeeper Reservoir Challenge, a fundraising event that allows members of the
B
community an opportunity to paddle the Oradell Reservoir and gain a better understanding of our local watershed.
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vice president
& general manager update
Laurent Carrot
Vice President & General Manager
New Jersey Operations
Dear Colleagues:
With your support and engagement, we have made significant
progress in creating a shared safety culture. I am very proud of all
our employees that are challenging unsafe behaviors or practices,
actively seeking new ways to perform work in a safer manner, and
reinforcing our safety culture every day by wearing the appropriate
equipment and other proactive tools to prevent injury. These
collaborative efforts have delivered sustainable and innovative
solutions that are defining and inspiring a new cultural norm. As
we approach the warm summer months, let us continue to keep
safety at the forefront of all that we do and ensure that our EH&S
performance continues on the right path.
I am pleased to report that the company’s application for rate
relief, filed with the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities, has
been approved. The $11 million in rate relief will allow us to
cover the costs associated with investments made to maintain
safe and reliable water service, including critical infrastructure
improvements such as the dam safety upgrade project for the
Woodcliff Lake Dam and the installation of a new $9 million
electrical substation at the Haworth Plant. Significant operational
improvements and innovations continue to be made, including
the completion of the new Edgehill Booster Pumping Station in
Franklin Lakes and the new Arlington Wastewater Treatment Plant
in Mount Arlington (Morris County). These investments reinforce
our commitment to provide high quality service to the communities
we serve.
Great things are being accomplished through collaborative,
interdepartmental efforts, forging us closer to becoming a smart
utility. A focused implementation of automatic meters and data
loggers has significantly increased our ability to find leaks in the
system and harness non-revenue water – which is at the lowest
percentage in more than 13 years! Out of the 637 strategic
meters that have been installed to date, 57% (or 359 meters) are
equipped with Sensus RF. In addition, advanced equipment and
training has allowed the distribution department to reach a leak
detection accuracy rate of 90%, detecting a record 98 leaks thus
far this year. These are no small accomplishments. While we
still have some work to do, I am extremely impressed with the
results and would like to take this opportunity to commend all
of our operations personnel who have worked so hard to exceed
expectations.
Focus, dedication and above all collaboration have enabled us to
meet many unexpected challenges and surpass target goals. As
the great humanitarian Helen Keller once said, “Alone we can do
so little, together we can do so much.” Let us continue to stay the
course, be mindful of safety practices, and put forth new ideas
and suggestions that will help us lead our industry.
1
environment, health & safety
take a safety break―
hurricane season
Hurricane season began June 1st and ends November 30th. As
the company takes the time to review and update its emergency
preparedness plans, so should you.
The basics of preparedness for virtually all hazards are the same:
Prepare an emergency plan.
Make plans with family and friends in case you’re not together when any type of emergency – natural,
technological or civil - occurs. Discuss how you will contact each other, where you will meet and what
you will do in different situations. Become familiar with your town’s evacuation routes.
Prepare an emergency kit.
Emergency kits will help individuals and families to survive several days without access to food, water
or electricity. Emergency kits should include at least a three to five day supply of non-perishable food
and water, prescription medications for up to two weeks if available, baby supplies and any additional
items for special medical needs such as an extra pair of eye glasses and batteries for hearing aids. Your
kit should also include important phone numbers for doctors as well as car cell-phone chargers.
Stay informed.
Use credible websites and social media to get information about natural hazards, weather forecasts
and other important disaster news. Sign up to receive mobile alerts, text messages and e-mails from
emergency alert systems in your town or state such as NJ Alert (www.njalert.gov) or NJ State Police
(http://local.nixle.com/new-jersey-state-police).
Being ready now means you will be prepared for the unexpected and reduce the stress you may feel
should an emergency arise. For information on how to put a family emergency plan together, visit www.
ready.nj.gov.
2
the resource
defense is
the best
offense
WINTER
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SPRING/SUMMER
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According to the National Safety Council (NSC), traffic incidents kill more than 1.3
million people a year. More than 80% of injuries and fatalities are due to driver
behavior. However, with proper driver safety training and awareness, those numbers
can be reduced dramatically.
One important piece of safety on the road is defensive driving. Drivers cannot control
what others are going to do, so it’s important that they put themselves in a solid
position to avoid the consequences of any risky actions others may take. Defensive
driving includes being aware of potential issues and taking actions to avoid them
before they occur, not merely reacting to hazards as they arise.
The goal of learning to drive defensively is to become a driver who is less reactionary
and more proactive. Reducing risk through the avoidance of dangerous situations
helps maintain driving safety on the road.
All employees who utilize a vehicle to perform their job tasks are required to complete
a defensive driving course. Recently, employees attended the National Safety Council’s
Defensive Driving Course held at the Haworth Treatment Plant. The course provided
Below: Eddie Rubenacker, Mike Duda
(instructor), Matthew Cotter, William
O’Sullivan, Chris Schmidt, Melissa Cook and
Andy Lai attended the recent safe driving
course and learned to be defensive drivers.
employees with insightful tips and useful tools for remaining safe on the road.
Regardless of whether you are a new driver or veteran, everyone can benefit from
learning about defensive driving techniques.
3
environment, health & safety
doing it right!
basin wash
cleaning –
safety success
in
Dra
ing
Lambertville’s Orville Tillett
(below, far right) works with
licensed contractors to safely
succeed in draining and
cleaning a backwash clarifier
that is pending an integrity
inspection by the state.
an
Cle
4
ing
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tripping hazard
eliminated
fo
Be
re
Aft
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er
Lou Jacob and Chris Retty,
members of the Haworth
production support team,
eliminated a tripping hazard
by replacing the entrance
gate to the Carlstadt booster
station. In addition, the new,
full size swing gate closes and
locks securely.
fall protection
installed for
tank ladders
Jea
t
nS
t
re e
k
Ta n
Wo
odc
k
Ta n
t
s
re
Cabling devices for fall
protection were installed
at two tank facilities in
Lambertville. This adds an
additional level of safety for
an operator when performing
tank inspections.
5
environment, health & safety
statistics
NJ Division – performance year-to-date
6
2016 Environmental Performance
Regulatory Inspections
NOVs/NONs/Citations
Arrived At ZERO!
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executive training summary
thanks to the
collaborative efforts
of every department,
we have successfully
reduced the NonRevenue Water
volume by 25% in
the past 2 years and
reached our lowest
volume in more than
13 years!
7
environment health & safety
gearing up for an
emergency
Members of the Haworth Emergency
Response Team participated in a
training session conducted by Miller
Environmental Group on the use of
new emergency equipment. The new
equipment will be used to protect the
Haworth Water Treatment Plant in the
event that hazardous materials enter
our water supply due to an accidental
train derailment. During the training,
employees familiarized themselves
with the equipment, utilized incident
management skills, and practiced
response and reporting procedures.
Above: Members of the Haworth Emergency Team, including Julio Pereira, Mike
Cappuccio, George Bodecker (contractor), Prince Metalia, Patrick Touhy, Jeff Conklin,
Phil Kedzierski, Vinnie Ruff, and Ray DiMenna are addressed by an instructor
from Miller Environmental Group (center) on the use of new emergency response
equipment. Below: New emergency response equipment.
8
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make safety
a habit
The first week in May, SUEZ joined millions of people across
the United States and Canada in marking North American
Occupational Health and Safety (NAOSH) week. This international
recognition event raises awareness about the importance of
preventing injuries and illnesses at work and strengthens the
company’s commitment to occupational safety and health. This
year’s theme was “Make Safety A Habit”.
“As a steward of life’s most essential resources, we recognize
that there is no resource more important to our business than our
employees,” commented Eric Gernath, chief executive officer of
SUEZ North America. “Health and safety is not just a priority for
us - it is a commitment that we take very seriously and is the very
foundation of our Grow-Collaborate-Optimize strategy. We realize
that you, your family and your loved ones are at the heart of our
business.”
Throughout the course of the week, employees gathered for an
open dialogue on safety, including a kickoff breakfast at Devoe
hosted by Laurent Carrot, vice president and general manager.
“While we have shown improvement in our health and safety
performance, our ultimate goal is zero injuries. Simply put,
that means every employee returns home to his/her family
from a day’s effort safe and sound,” stressed Carrot. “And we
can only achieve this target if each one of us makes a personal
commitment to preventing all injuries. I encourage every
employee to make a personal commitment to take care of each
other and prevent hazards. Working together, we can make safety
a habit and celebrate many health and safety milestones in the
years ahead.”
Left: Tom Neilan reaffirms
his commitment to safety.
9
environment, health & safety
teaching tools of the trade
Mike Hlavaty, superintendent, and
Stephen (Roddy) Morinho, equipment
maintenance, conducted a training class
on the operation and maintenance of a
demolition saw for employees to become
qualified users.
The training session consisted of a safety
video produced by the manufacturer
(STIHL), which illustrated and reviewed
proper PPE, handling processes and
start/stop procedures. Following
the video, there was a step-by-step
qualification evaluation that required
the trainee to describe, in great detail,
all facets of the demolition saw – from
startup to shut down.
As trainers, Mike and Roddy methodically
reviewed a checklist of items that needed
to be successfully met in order to certify a
new user.
Employees who attended the training
provided positive feedback on the
program as well as the trainers,
Mike and Roddy. Great job!
Above: Roddy Morihno, Keith Sudol and Mike Hlavaty observe Tommy Kropp (kneeling) demonstrate the
proper use and handling of a demolition saw.
10
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reuse and recycle
At SUEZ, we strive to be a socially responsible corporate citizen and good neighbor. As a corporate citizen, we are committed to
empowering and transforming the communities we serve through outreach initiatives and partnerships with organizations that focus on
environmental sustainability, economic development, education, literacy and workforce development.
We know we can make the greatest impact on our communities by supporting causes that are important to our employees and
customers in their own neighborhoods. We encourage recommendations and suggestions on how we can best apply our knowledge,
expertise and resources to make a meaningful and sustainable difference in our communities. So it comes as no surprise that a
suggestion was made to “recycle” the excess inventory, such as artwork and furniture, which would no longer be used at the new
corporate headquarters.
A silent auction was held for employees to bid on the artwork. All proceeds from the auction were donated to Children’s Aide & Family
Service (CAFS) of Bergen County. “This was a collaborative effort,” said Jaime Patriarca, facilities manager. “Instead of throwing the
furniture and artwork away, we wanted it to go to good use. Auctioning off the artwork was a very simple way for employees to give and
support the community.” The SUEZ Foundation matched the amount raised, bringing the total donation to $2,150.
The furniture from the corporate office was donated to local nonprofit partners in need. Nearly 2,000 square feet of furniture and office
related equipment, valued in excess of $16,000, was redistributed, enabling the company to divert surplus inventory away from landfills.
Habitat for Humanity of Bergen County was one of the recipients and was able to furnish its new office space in River Edge with the
donated items. “Fully furnishing our new office is an expense that we would not have been able to absorb,” said Jacey Raimondo,
executive director for Habitat. “SUEZ’ donation is the only reason we are able to have our doors open and be fully operational on the day
of our move. What makes this donation even better is the fact that we are reusing and recycling functional items rather than throwing
them away, staying true to our shared commitment to the environment.”
Right: Habitat for Humanity
of Bergen County was one of
the recipients of the corporate
furniture donation and was
able to furnish its new office
space in River Edge.
11
innovation stories
keeping the pipelines of
communication flowing
Communication is the key to success,
through the fire service 15 years ago,
especially during an emergency.
before either of us worked for SUEZ,”
Establishing and maintaining a direct
commented Musicant. “As firefighters,
relationship and open dialogue with
we know many of the players who
first responders is critical for the safety
attend the meetings and can speak their
and well-being of our employees and
language, helping to bridge the gap
customers.
between the two entities. We are able to
To keep the lines of communication open,
representatives from the distribution
concerns of both parties.”
department attend the Bergen County
At the meeting, Larry Rauch, chief fire
Fire Chiefs Association meetings held
instructor at the Fire Academy
at various locations around the county.
in Mahwah, underscored
“At least twice a year, I try to attend the
the importance
meetings to introduce myself to all the
of continuous
new fire chiefs, hand out my business
communication with the
card and make sure they all have the
company as he discussed
SUEZ hotline number specifically for first
the critical role SUEZ
responders,” said Jack McNaughton,
played in fighting the
superintendent systems maintenance.
five-alarm fire that
“On occasion, I am able to make an
informal presentation to the group. I
typically discuss hydrant testing,
maintenance and painting. I want fire
departments to contact us when they
have issues with hydrants or when they
see the improper use of a hydrant without
a meter. Most importantly, I want them
to call us when there is a fire so that
we can assist them and then perform
the necessary follow up testing on the
hydrants.”
Fellow employees and volunteer
firefighters, Rich Musicant and Anthony
Bruno, accompanied McNaughton to
the most recent Fire Chiefs Association
meeting. “Anthony and I actually met
12
anticipate and understand the needs and
ravaged an apartment
complex in Edgewater
back in January 2015.
Rauch remarked, “I
have never seen such
seamless coordination
between SUEZ and first
responders. With over
500 firefighters on the
scene, the guidance they
provided in directing fire
coordinators to hydrants
that were connected
to the large main was
invaluable.”
Anthony Bruno, Rich Musicant and Jack McNaughton
attend Bergen County Fire Chiefs Association meetings.
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investments in
the future
Since 2009, New Jersey has made significant
investments aimed at supporting continuous
operational improvements and innovation, as
well as ensuring safe facilities and reliable water
service for our customers. Of the numerous
engineering projects, two noteworthy initiatives
include the new Arlington Wastewater Treatment
Plant in Mount Arlington (Sussex County) and
the new Edgehill Booster Pumping Station in
Franklin Lakes.
Ensuring environmental compliance for the
treatment of wastewater for a new development
complex in Mount Arlington, construction
began in the summer of 2015 for the Arlington
Wastewater Treatment Plant. To address the
numerous limitations associated with the
location of the treatment plant, advanced
treatment technology has been incorporated
into the design. This includes sequencing batch
Rafel Flores, Anthony Delescinskis, Laurent Carrot, Tony Vicente, George Lavatelli and
Emad Sidhom tour the the new Arlington Wastewater Treatment Plant in Mount Arlington.
reactors that provide multiple treatment steps
in the same tank and ultraviolet treatment to
eliminate chemical additions for disinfection.
There is also a 0.43 million gallon water tank,
originally constructed by the developer of the
new community, which will now be owned and
operated by SUEZ. The new facility will serve
approximately 1,200 customers and is
60% complete.
The Edgehill Booster Pumping Station, which has
been substantially completed, will serve Franklin
Lakes Pressure District 81. It will provide fire
protection and supplement the water supply to
two hundred plus customers in the area. The
station will also serve the Bergen County Riding
Center, currently served by a different system.
These investments not only improve the quality
of service we provide to our customers, but
reinforce our leadership in the utility industry.
Rafel Flores, Laurent Carrot, Anthony Delescinskis, Tony Vicente, and George Lavatelli visit the
the new Edgehill Booster Pumping Station in Franklin Lakes.
13
innovation stories
the big 5-0!
This past October, the Haworth Water
A community-wide celebration was held
work so hard every day to ensure the
Treatment Plant celebrated 50 years of
in May to commemorate this 50 year
delivery of high quality drinking water to
outstanding water quality. Built in 1964, it
milestone. The day’s festivities featured
over 850,000 people throughout Bergen
is one of the region’s most critical pieces
a short ceremony followed by public
County and parts of Hudson. Their 24
of infrastructure and one of the most
tours of the Haworth facility. In addition,
hour, 365 day commitment is exceptional.
advanced treatment facilities in the world.
younger visitors had the opportunity to
Over the last fifty years this plant has
play hands-on water education games
served our customers well and I am proud
and win prizes.
of our water quality and reliability record.
“Since its inception, the Haworth Water
Treatment Plant has always been at
the forefront of the latest technology,”
“This is was an event for everyone –
commented Laurent Carrot, vice
families, community leaders, employees
president and general manager. “For
– anyone interested in learning how
the last 50 years it has served residents
the Haworth Water Treatment Plant
and businesses in northern New Jersey
has remained on the forefront of water
with outstanding quality water that has
treatment technology over the last
continuously been ahead of safe drinking
fifty years,” said Carrot. “It was also
water standards.”
an opportunity to thank the certified
In 1989, Haworth became the largest
water plant in the United States to
generate ozone, an environmentallyfriendly purification process that is
produced by splitting and recombining
oxygen molecules in a chamber. Twenty
years later, the facility underwent a $100
million upgrade, the largest in company
history. The upgrade added a new, more
efficient ozone system and introduced an
advanced and highly-efficient purification
technique called Dissolved Air Flotation
(DAF), which uses millions of tiny bubbles
to lift unwanted particles in water, making
Haworth one of the largest DAF plants in
the United States.
14
But fifty years is only the beginning and I
look forward to what’s yet to come.”
Cheers to 50 more years!
operators, production specialists, water
quality chemists, maintenance personnel
and a host of other professionals who
Haworth Mayor John Smart and SUEZ’ Laurent Carrot, David Stanton and Steve Goudsmith
toast Haworth’s 50 years.
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strategic meters―
tracking the flow
Strategic meters are defined as high
“The strategic metering initiative
volume users, representing the top 20%
increases efficiencies by enabling us
of overall consumption. Approximately
to review consumption data and more
637 meters have been identified as
accurately bill customers, particularly
strategic meters and are comprised of the
large end users,” said Frank Cordero,
following: production, bulk purchase and
manager metering services. “We are now
key system meters, bulk sales (wholesale
able to gather information, for most of
customers), and large retail customers
these customers, in 5 minute intervals.
known as “service points”.
This allows us to review usage patterns,
The initial goal of strategic metering is
to correct inefficiencies with registered
consumption (metering) data. As
detect metering anomalies such as drops
in consumption, and proactively correct or
replace defective meters.”
meters age, due to normal wear and
tear, accuracy begins to degrade and the
meters need to be replaced. Last year,
the company began installing single
jet meters for all large consumers.
These meters have limited internal
working parts which help prolong the
life of the meter, thus ensuring more
accurate reads. The ultimate goal of
strategic metering is 100% consumption
being registered and anomalies being
proactively addressed. In addition, as the
company transitions to a full advanced
meter infrastructure (AMI), the platform
can be utilized to detect and troubleshoot
metering issues at a faster rate.
15
innovation stories
streamlining system
maintenance workflow
In a continuing effort to streamline workflow and improve
Of these 109 checklists, only 1 required requalification after
the efficiency of work force management, the company’s
the job was sent out into the field for construction. That’s a
transmission and distribution group has developed a new
noteworthy improvement.”
workforce and work order process known as PRISM 2017
(Process Improvement System Maintenance). This will allow
construction, distribution, central service bureau (CSB), and
systems office to standardize job types and materials, improve
job scheduling and resource allocation, and establish clear
definitions for emergencies.
Construction is now able to plan and schedule projects 10 days
in advance. The department also holds a weekly meeting to
set the schedule for the following week. Backlog is trending
downward and fewer jobs have been sent out to contractors. “Of
the total number of construction jobs completed, only 7% were
deemed emergencies and just 15% of the planned jobs were
The pilot program kicked off in May and the initial results are
rescheduled – mostly due to inclement weather, the need for
very promising. Within the first two weeks, the construction and
police or postings, or because the previous job ran longer than
distribution departments have seen a significant improvement in
anticipated. In the southern region, inspectors completed 101
managing the daily flow of referrals.
backlog work orders, 95 emergency orders and 61 planned work
“All departments creating work demands for the transmission
orders,” added Reger.
and distribution department (T&D) are following a checklist to
In addition, field operating procedures (FOP) have been
ensure standardized information is provided regarding the task at
implemented for the replacement of curb boxes and annual fire
hand,” reported Doug Reger, project manager. “The distribution
hydrant testing. Under the new standard, 33 curb boxes were
system has been split into a north and south region, streamlining
completed, with only 3 ‘non-standard’ installations, and the
the assignment of work orders. Fifty-seven checklists were
execution time decreased by almost one hour – from 2.5 to 1.7.
generated by the district inspectors, 52 by the other departments.
The new FOP for hydrant testing follows the latest American
Water Works Association (AWWA) standards and the average
tested per day has increased from 14 to 18 hydrants.
“Although still in the pilot phase, the initial results are fantastic,”
added Reger. “The goal of PRISM 2017 is to foster best practices
and efficiencies that will help us better serve our customers. We
are anxiously awaiting the next round of successful pilot results.”
Frank Hlavaty, Curtis Patterson, Jack McNaughton, Paul Smith,
Mike Figueroa, Eric Von Rudenborg attend the daily distribution
inspector meeting to review and track work completed to date
and distribute daily assignments.
16
the resource
earth month
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Below: Volunteers at the 1st Annual EarthShare Challenge (standing): Patrick
Scheuer (New Jersey Audubon), Gary Prettyman, Stephen Wiessner, Bill Lenart,
Quentin Lalama, Bob Jennes; (kneeling): Carla Krueger and Steve Cirino.
Since 1970, Earth Day has been a catalyst for ongoing
education, action, and change. At SUEZ, we feel one day
isn’t enough. Although April as been designated as Earth
Month, we believe in supporting sustainability initiatives
throughout the year.
To kick off this year’s celebrations, SUEZ participated in
the 1st annual EarthShare Challenge where volunteers
worked on blazing a handicap accessible trail for the
community to enjoy. A leadership breakfast was also
held to recognize exceptional volunteers. Laurent
Below: Paula Aldarelli of Earthshare presents SUEZ’ Lori Murray, Sonja Clark and
Laurent Carrot with the Herculean Award for outstanding participation and work.
Carrot, vice president and general manager, was a
panelist at the breakfast and spoke to attendees about
SUEZ’ sustainability efforts. The company received the
“Herculean Award” for outstanding participation and work.
At this year’s annual Bi-State Cleanup, volunteers joined
forces with others from several neighboring towns to
removed trash and debris along the watershed area.
Partnering with the Hackensack Riverkeeper, our largest
group of volunteers focused on cleaning up the shoreline
and water along the Woodcliff Lake Reservoir.
In addition, SUEZ participated in numerous Earth Day
celebrations including Paramus Earth Day and the
Northern Valley Earth Fair – an event which was a
collaboration of environmental commissions, green teams
Below: Ray Cywinski, Joannie Turner, Frank Osterhoudt and Janet Eyerman at the
Bi-State Cleanup.
and representatives from over six towns with a focus on
developing “cleaner & greener” communities in Bergen
County. Close to 5,000 Bergen County residents took part
in these two events.
Earth Month carried over into May, as volunteers attended
Secaucus’ Green Festival and worked hard to clean up
Palisades Interstate Park’s Ross Dock Picnic area. A
final highlight to this year’s events came when Flat Rock
Brook Nature Center honored SUEZ for its environmental
stewardship and on-going support of “green” projects and
initiatives.
17
one on one
one on one
with Kathy
Ofeldt
In 2014, New Jersey’s days billed outstanding (DBO), the average
number of days in which customers pay their bills, stood at 34 days.
The Corporate goal was to decrease that number to 30 days however,
the internal team set the bar even higher to 25 DBO. Through a
collaborative, interdepartmental effort, New Jersey Operations was
able to supersede their goal – reducing DBO to 22 days, resulting in a
$6 million dollar savings! The Resource sat down with Kathy Ofeldt,
manager of customer operations, to discuss how the team was able to
realize this outstanding achievement.
Resource: First off, congratulations to the
entire team for surpassing its goal – what
a wonderful accomplishment! What were
some of the challenges the team faced at the
beginning of 2014 and how were you able to
overcome them?
KO: DBO targets vary month to month,
depending on the amount of billed revenue.
This is based upon the number of calendar
days within the month and the percentage of
outstanding debt in accounts receivable. The
biggest challenge we faced at the beginning
of 2014, and continue to focus on today, is
changing the mindset of our customers. This
involves how and when customers pay their
bills and the mailing of invoices based upon
actual reads, without delay, to eliminate
questions that may cause customers to
postpone prompt payment. It also involves
training our field and office personnel to
offer convenient payment options, such as
DBO project team: (front row) Perry Drummer, Mark Massella, Maryann Setteducatti, Odesa Parsons,
Chauncey Wright, Jeanene Hunter, Carolyn Thrower; (back row) Rick Stoll, Sheldon Artis, Ricky Velez
and Kathy Ofeldt; (not pictured) Bobby Hansen, Debra Malone and Barbara Wade.
18
electronic billing, and ensuing curb boxes are
fully functional, in the unfortunate event that
termination of service is required.
the resource
Resource: Why is the reduction of DBO such a priority?
KO: Stabilizing DBO is important not only from a dollar savings
standpoint, but it helps to manage daily work flow for the
office and field collections staff. In addition, we are able to
work more efficiently by prioritizing and managing our meter
reading bill schedules. Mailing customer invoices on a regular
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Since the initial project was so successful, we decided to increase
the number of accounts being monitored with debt to 200. With
a lot of hard work and determination, DBO gradually declined
month to month, meeting 10 out of 12 targets set for 2015. Today,
we are able to manage those outstanding accounts with no extra
effort – a true team effort!
schedule based upon actual readings, gives us leverage for
Resource: Wow! What a remarkable accomplishment…and
faster payments, avoids customer complaints and decreases the
wonderful example of teamwork and collaboration.
volume of cancelled or billing corrections spilling over into future
revenue months.
KO: Yes! Collaboration of departments to prioritize DBO efforts
was the driver to success. It was an extraordinary achievement
Billing accuracy was a key component to the successes achieved
accomplished through commitment, planning, detailed analysis
with days billed outstanding and accounts receivable. When
and exceptional effort. Some of the significant contributions each
an estimated invoice is sent to a customer, payment typically is
department made included:
delayed until an actual consumption bill is sent, resulting in aged
debt. When access to a premise is needed to obtain an actual
read, this becomes a bigger challenge and postpones payment
even further.
Resource: Tell us a little bit more about the initial goal and how
the team was able to exceed expectations?
KO: Teamwork was a key factor to our early success. Our initial
goal was to work collaboratively with various departments to
push the DBO trend downward. We began by targeting the top
100 eligible accounts with aged debt. The accounts we focused
on had a total of $1.2 million dollars outstanding and were not in
dispute or on any type of payment plan. The accounts varied in
premise type and customer class, however all had one thing in
common – debt age over 120 days with minimal or no payment
received.
Working together with the information technology reporting
team, our first task was to create a report that detailed these type
of outstanding accounts. A small team was assembled to focus
on collecting full payment from these accounts and manage their
activity going forward. The team exceeded initial expectation by
• Meter department supplying actual reads and changing out
meters
• Revenue integrity team expediting reading and billing errors
to shorten the number of read to bill days so payment could be
collected as scheduled, without delay or risk of write off
• Call center and collections representatives validating customer
data so that the correct contact information is available for
collections and business processes. In addition, suggesting
alternative payment options and services, such as ebilling and
direct debit, to expedite billing and payment collections
• Collection team members effectively utilizing techniques to
obtain past due and future payments as well as following up on
accounts to ensure services are disconnected and/or payment
is received before restoration
• Construction department prioritizing curb box repairs to ensure
the disconnection of services when needed
Challenging the status quo and working towards a common goal
takes ‘buy in’ from everyone, management included. I feel so
fortunate to work with such a dedicated team, who work together
to push the bar even higher and continuously strive for success.
reducing the total outstanding debt to $300K!
19
employee recognition
look who’s
awesome!
AWESOME is an easy, online platform
that serves as a one-stop venue
to recognize excellence at SUEZ.
In essence, it is the go-to place to
acknowledge AWESOME innovation,
customer service, collaboration, and
community involvement. There’s no
doubt that AWESOME has inspired
some powerful performances. Check
out the list of names below to see
who’s been AWESOME:
20
Paramus
Donald Distante
Timmy Abraham
Anthony Dusovic
Keith Allen
Oleh Dzydzora
Eugene Anderson
John Ekman
Katherine Arp
Patricia Fay
Julien Bellorgey
Jennifer Fletcher
Mercy Bonaventure
Shari Gold
Ishaaq Cali
Steven Goudsmith
Mary Campbell
Carla Hjelm
Javier Carbonell
Elizabeth Keddy
Anthony Cardazone Jr
Kanwer Khan
Concetta Cardone
Nadim Khouri-Raphael
Daisy Carpenter
Janet King
Keith Cartnick
Erika Knight
Kathleen Cevoli
Donna Koeniges
Aaron Chin
Ann Koesterer
Rodolfo Ciprian
Keith Kolkebeck
Hilda Conrad
Monika Krulikowsky
Joseph Cornejo
Edward Lynch
Sherry Corvino
Terry Macleay
Meagan Cummings
Ritu Madan
Peter Dazza
Matthew Mahoney
Alfonso Deangelo
Joseph Marano
Federico DeLima
Eva Martinez
Mary Deluise
Elizabeth Master
David Destephen
Diana Mccullough
the resource
WINTER
2016
SPRING/SUMMER
2016
2016 AWESOME recipients
Christine Mednick
Dawn Stephans
Cynthia Meehan
Douglas Mende
Raj Menon
Charlotte Sweeney
Julio Ortiz
Joseph Montalto Jr
James Nekus
Sharon Tammen
Joseph Romano
Melissa Moreira
David Njuguna
Kevin Tarantino
Donato Sforza
Robert Munson
Craig O’Connell
Jonathan Tardiff
Gregory Stewart
Daniel Nickel
Jaime Patriarca
Manoj Thomas
Richard Tecchio
Sean O’Regan
Joan Patzer
Evette Thompson
Sean Valle
Mary Outwater
Eduardo Pena
Leonel Urena
Chienan Wey
Richard Paez
Rocco Perino
Mark Vanagel
Horace Yates
Julio Pereira
Kalpana Phulara
Charlene Viger
Haworth
Christopher Retty
Madeline Power
Edward Wallace
Anthony Bariso
Edward Rubenacker
Robert Raczko
Adela Wekselblatt
George Cabrera
Vincent Ruff Jr
Chitra Raghavacharya
Pu Zhang
Laurent Carrot
Michael Rummell
Alina Rocha
Hackensack
Jorge Casiano
Raymond Schwerdtfeger Jr
Joan Roqueni
Jorge Arias
Jeffrey Conklin
Antonio Silano
Samuel Ruff
Paul Barsalona
Matthew Cotter
Albert Sireno
Cheryl Rybacki
Thomas Benedict
Salvatore Dimaria
David Stewart
Gerard Scalera
Anthony Bruno
Raymond Dimenna
Patrick Tuohy
Lorna Scully
James Deahl
Ralph Engroff
Michael Vanore
Denise Seitter
Javier DelRio
Charlie Erskine
Katherine Whartnaby
Sumeet Sikka
Neil Engelhardt
Peter Fitzpatrick
Steven Wondrack
Jessica Sirico
Lisa Harry
Lawrence Gelok
Lamberville
Jennifer Sislin
Michael Hlavaty
Ahren Hilburn
Orville Tillett
Treva Spencer
Madeline Jannicelli
Louis Jacob
Nicholas Stabile
Brent Mattos
Philip Kedzierski
Sophia Staveris
Jack McNaughton
Patrick Mcconville
21
employee recognition
learning to be bergen
leaders
Bergen LEADS is a yearlong learning and leadership
experience for adults who live
and work in Bergen County.
Since its inception in 2009,
New Jersey employees have
participated in the program
and graduates have gone on to
further expand their leadership
roles both within the company
and the community at large.
As we congratulate Class of
2016 graduates Kelly Devin
and Wilma Spray, alumni
of the program share their
experiences and impart
words of wisdom to the
new Bergen LEADers.
Treva Spencer
Ray Cywinski
“Bergen LEADS structures its program so
“I have benefited both personally and
that there is a different topic and speaker
professionally by participating in Bergen
at each month’s workshop. I was able
LEADS. The wealth of knowledge I
to further develop my public speaking
obtained regarding the needs of Bergen
presentation skills by taking copious
County residents and the resources and
notes on each speaker’s ability to present
services available to them has served me
information in an articulate manner. After
well in my role as a company employee
graduating, I wanted to become more
and a local mayor. On a personal level,
involved in my community, so I took on
the opportunity to work and network
roles such as board membership at the
with such a diverse group as the Bergen
YMCA of Greater Bergen County and the
LEADS alumni has further enhanced
Bergen County Workforce Investment
my ability to communicate and interact
Board. My advice for new members is to
with people from varying backgrounds
make the experience work for you.”
and enhance my leadership skills. I
–Treva Spencer, manager,
communications & community relations,
Class of 2009
wholeheartedly recommend the Bergen
LEADS program to others, especially if
they want to learn about opportunities
to serve their community. The chance
to learn from the participants and
instructors who serve in a variety of roles
is an invaluable professional development
experience.”
– Ray Cywinski, manager of watershed
and environmental resources,
Class of 2010
22
the resource
Alex Noriega
JoAnn Berenguer
“The most valuable thing I learned
was the importance of taking risks
“From the initial assessment you
and stepping outside my comfort
take before the first class to the self-
zone. The experience has helped me
evaluations at every month’s meeting, I
realize that being genuine and leading
learned a lot about myself and how I can
people naturally from within is the key
improve upon my successes. I now have
to successful leadership. While it may
more confidence, which has helped me
sound a bit cliché, it isn’t. If you try to
communicate more effectively with my
emulate someone you’re not, people will
fellow co-workers at all levels within the
notice. Just remember, you don’t need a
organization. Since graduation, I have
team reporting to you to be considered a
become a shop steward for our union,
leader!”
Local 375, and made good use of all the
– Alex Noriega, executive assistant,
Class of 2013
communication skills I acquired. My
words of wisdom are simple – have fun!
– JoAnn Berenguer, administrative
support representative,
Class of 2014
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2016
SPRING/SUMMER
2016
Shonya Jordan
“Through my participation in Bergen
LEADS, I learned so much about myself
and how I am perceived by others. It
gave me the opportunity to improve my
weaknesses and focus on my strengths.
In my current position as senior clerk,
the lessons I learned have allowed me
to work better with members of my
team and be open to the thoughts and
ideas of others. On a personal level, my
involvement in Bergen LEADS ignited a
desire to become a certified professional
life and leadership coach. My advice
for new members is to not be afraid to
share your thoughts or ask questions. I
can honestly say that the experience has
changed my life for the better.”
– Shonya Jordan, senior clerk,
Class of 2015
23
employee recognition
learning the abc’s
of SUEZ
The first day of a new job is exciting – but
it can also be overwhelming. Acclimating
to a new work culture and environment
isn’t always easy, especially for a new
hire. The key to success is acquiring
the necessary tools, resources and
knowledge early on from organizational
managers and leaders.
Discovery Day is designed specifically for
that purpose – learning about SUEZ and
orientating new hires on the many ways
to become successful and productive
members of the organization. It also
helps new employees to feel welcome,
informed, prepared, and supported.
Part of the SUEZ culture is good corporate
citizenship. For this reason, Discovery
Day activities have included a community
outreach component. For the past five
years, new hires have donated school
supplies, basic baby items and nonperishable food to local nonprofits in
need.
“By learning to engage in initiatives
that support sustainability, the
environment and the local community,
employees quickly become connected
to the company, culture and team in
Ritu Madan, recruiter, and Jen Sislin, senior learning and development specialist,
a meaningful way,” commented Sonja
display the food items donated by new hires as part of Discovery Day.
Clark, director of community relations.
“This not only has a positive effect on the
employee, but allows SUEZ to continue to
meet target goals and objectives as well
as fulfill its mission.”
24
the resource
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SPRING/SUMMER
2016
welcome aboard
Lambertville operations welcomes two
college interns to the team this summer:
Emily Maruszewski and Cory Edwards.
Cory is majoring in engineering at Rowan
University and Emily recently graduated
from Bowling Green University in Ohio
with a degree in education.
This summer, both will assist with plant
operations, distribution and metering
activities as well as office administration.
“Emily and Cory are a welcome addition
to our team,” said David Fournier,
operations manager. “Their diverse
backgrounds will be a great asset to our
daily operations and both are eager to
learn, first-hand, about water treatment
and system operations.”
Lambertville interns Emily Maruszewski and Cory Edwards.
25
employee recognition
kudos
Congratulations to Orville Tillett (left), Lambertville’s
senior technician, who recently celebrated 30 years
of service. David Fournier, operations manager,
presented Orville with his service award.
Hats off once again to the transportation department team: Tom Benedict, Sean Valle, Jim Deahl, Julio Ortiz, Greg Stewart, Horace
Yates, Paul Barsalona, Neil Engelhardt, Bill Lawrence, and Joe Romano (not pictured) who continue to move the bar even higher in
safety - recently surpassing 7 years without a lost time incident. Awesome!
26
the resource
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SPRING/SUMMER
2016
Sonja Clark, director of community relations,
was honored by the Women’s Rights
Information Center of Englewood for her
outstanding commitment and dedication to
the local community.
The Haworth Water Treatment Plant has received
No good deed goes unnoticed – Larry Gelok and Jeff
a certificate of environmental stewardship from
Conklin were looking into a problem at the Saddle
the New Jersey Department of Environmental
River Diversion Station and found a dog (GiGi) trapped
Protection (NJDEP). The facility was recognized
inside the fence. Fortunately, Gigi had a collar, so they
for taking voluntary and proactive measures to
were able to call her owner, and reunited them. GiGi
improve the environment and ensure a sustainable
had traveled all the way from Ridgewood and had
future. Great job!
been missing for several days.
27
employee recognition
kudos
Kudos to the following employees
who earned new distribution
licenses from New Jersey’s
Department of Environmental
Protection (NJDEP): Bob Mannon
(T1 & W1) and David Fournier
(W2).
Bob Mannon
David Fournier
The International Society of
Business Leaders named Bruce
Ottogalli, transportation manager,
Member of the Year for his
perseverance in providing “green
solutions” and his commitment
to innovation within the utility
industry. Congratulations Bruce –
Bruce Ottogalli
keep up the great work!
Alice Brinson, customer service
representative, received a
compliment from a customer who
praised her for being delightful and
accommodating – “a rare find in
customer service.”
Alice Brinson
28
the resource
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2016
This email is to inform you about the wonderful service I received from
Curtis Patterson. Curtis went above and beyond the call of duty in helping
me determine that I had Leak Guard and assisted me working with Leak
Guard to address my issue with the incoming water line, which has now
been successfully replaced. I am most appreciative to Curtis for his
help. Please pass this along to the appropriate senior personnel who are
responsible for employees in my neighborhood.
– D. Hirschfelder, customer
Curtis Patterson
What a wonderful person you are, Ruth Cuevas-Serrano, for going out of
your way for me! You have no idea what a difference this has made. Please
forward this to your supervisor – they should know what an excellent
customer service representative they have on their team (but I’m quite sure
they already know). Bravo!!
– L. Pavlovich, customer
Ruth Cuevas-Serrano
I am so pleased to write this letter on behalf of Joannie Turner. In today’s
world not every employee goes out of their way to be of assistance for a
customer. I was billed and accidently paid for another customer’s account
(Hovnanian Corporation). When I realized what had happened I contacted
your company and spoke with Joannie, who assured me that she would
help resolve the issue. Not everyone keeps their word, but she certainly
did, for which I am ever so appreciative. I thank her for her kindness and
appreciate all her efforts. Please acknowledge her efforts….we need more
representatives like her.
– D. Chapdelaine, a most appreciative customer
Joannie Turner
29
community connections
Dave Fournier and
Orville Tillett
represented the
company at
Lambertville’s
annual
Shad Fest.
Team players: Tim Chou, Dejan Pandza,
Colleen Lawerance, Roddy Morihno,
Jack McNaughten, Doug Reger,
Christi Schimel, Ed Stotz, Steve
Cardanes, James Morton, Ray Bauer
and Angelo Balistrieri had a great time
at this year’s annual Crohn’s & Colitis
Touch Football event at MetLife Stadium.
30
the resource
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2016
Coming together for a great cause,
our employees supported the Office
of Concern Food Pantry by collecting
cereal boxes for its annual food drive.
Employees participated in a
company-wide book collection
to support Bergen County
Volunteer Center’s Mentoring
Moms Program. Over 1,100 books
were collected from Paramus,
Hackensack and Haworth and then
distributed to attendees at the
Center’s “Great Book Giveaway”
event. In addition, 200 books were
donated by Sam Wekselblatt, son of
senior paralegal Adela Wekselblatt.
Since 2007, Adela has been
assisting her son Sam collect and
donate over 5,000 books to worthy
causes.
31
community connections
Our assembly team, (standing)
David Sheldon, Judy Rizzo,
Pat Fay, Lisa Babcock, (sitting)
Tina Lin, Colleen Costello and
Dawn Stephans, did an awesome
job stuffing and sealing envelopes
for Bergen Volunteer Medical
Initiative’s annual campaign.
Hackensack Riverkeeper’s
“Build Your Own Rain
Barrel” workshop was a
huge success, thanks in
part to our volunteers,
including Mike Cappuccio
and Dean Pachuta, who
not only delivered the rain
barrels, but did all the prep
and assembly work.
32
the resource
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2016
Mark Janovic, Adela Wekselblatt
and Donna Koeniges were among
the emloyee volunteers that
spent the morning reading their
favorite Dr. Seuss books to pre-k
and kindergarten students during
Read Across America Day.
The annual Hackensack Riverkeeper Reservoir
Challenge, a fundraising event that allows
members of the community an opportunity to
paddle the Oradell Reservoir and gain a better
understanding of our local watershed.
The day’s events included 5- and 10-kilometer
races, a guided paddle tour for non-racers and
the highly anticipated Mayor’s Cup Challenge.
33
community connections
Glenn Bickford and Javier Carbonell
tune up a tricycle for racing at the
Children’s Aid and Family Services
annual field day.
Bob Jennes works hard to spruce up
the garden at the Southeast Senior
Center for Independent Living in
Englewood.
ready for the resource revolution