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3 min read

Nov 10, 2017

by Invenergy Team

Nov 10, 2017

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Service & Commitment: Invenergy Veterans Get the Job Done

by Invenergy Team

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As we celebrate Veterans Day and recognize all those among us who have sacrificed through service in uniform to the United States, we caught up with Dan Smith, a Navy veteran and operations & maintenancetechnician at our Hardee natural gas plant in Florida. Dan has workedfor Invenergy at Hardee since 2007.
“After I graduated from high school, I went into the Navy and was trained as a nuclear propulsion mechanic. I was assigned to the USS Nimitz aircraft carrier where I was further trained in water chemistry andradiation controls,” he shares. “My training with the military qualified me for the position I have now at Hardee. Military training teaches you to pay attention to detail. For instance, every ten weeks, we rotate into a two-week cycle of maintenance on the plant, and it’s crucial to make sure you’re not overlooking things thatare necessary in effectively operating the plant.”

“Without you, Invenergy would be a different company. You represent the values we look for in great employees – hard work, dedication, problem-solving and a focus on our mission. We know that when we hire veterans, we hire high-quality individuals.”– Michael Polsky,Veterans Day, 2015


AtInvenergy, safety is paramount to our daily operations, and we takeseriously our commitment to ensuring that all team members areprotected at all times. However, unforeseen circumstances such asnatural disasters can present challenges beyond our control. In September, the Hardee plant was in the path of Hurricane Irma and our on-site team found themselves prepping, with little time, for apotentially dangerous situation. Our veterans like Dan help to bringorder during high-stress moments. They remain calm and responsive,and understand protocol needed to get through any ambiguity.


“The storm was scheduled to hit Sunday through Monday, and we knew we hadto be prepared. We came to the plant on Saturday afternoon and did awalk-through to check for anything that could be damaged by thehurricane or may become a hazard due to the strong wind. We cameacross an enclosed trailer we have on the plant site. We knew itwouldn’t be secure in the path of the hurricane and made sure tomove it to a protected location and secure it down to prevent it frombecoming airborne or damaged. Making sure you’re ready in thesesituations is key, and we all work well together as a team—we don’tget too excited, just prepared!”


Thankfully for us, Dan is just one of many veteran men and women whose hard work and dedication to quality help support the success of our business.Veterans greatly enhance our workplace, and we are committed tobringing more to the team.


In August 2017, we launched the Invenergy Veterans Network, an internalnetworking group for all employees to assist our Human Resources inrecruiting top talent, to extend outreach to the communities where weoperate, and to support existing veteran employees. We supportveterans through recruitment campaigns at Fort Hood in Texas andGreat Lakes Naval Station in Illinois, and we also sponsor localAmerican Legions and Veterans of Foreign Wars in our hostcommunities.


And as an organization, we are continuing our long-standing commitment to have veterans represent at least 10% of our new hires. In 2017, 13% of our new hires have been veterans, and we currently have 112veterans across our U.S. offices and fleet.


Not just today, but every day, we thank the men and women who have givenso much for our freedom. We thank those who fought, and those whostill fight, to keep our country safe.

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