Soucy Retires After 27 Years of Service

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Linda Soucy of Rowley Municipal Lighting Plant has retired after 32 years of service to public power.

Soucy began her career at Merrimac Municipal Light Department as a billing clerk in 1978 when she hand wrote the utility bills.

"And they were duplicate copies," she added. It was not until 1981 that Merrimac had their first computer.

Soucy soon became General Manager Richard Kennedy’s right hand person. She read meters, trained office personnel as well as meter readers and took the minutes of Board meetings. She was the logical replacement when Kennedy retired in 1992.

There were not a lot of female managers in 1992 but, according to Soucy, she received an abundance of help and support.

"Other managers, the Merrimac staff, associations like NEPPA and engineering consultants were all there to lend a hand and answer questions," she said. "There is no better place to be than in public power when you’re advancing in the utility world."

During her tenure as manager of both the water and light departments of the Town of Merrimac, Soucy oversaw many changes including a large system upgrade. Under her direction, the department was involved in community activities that helped promote customer awareness of the benefits of public power.

In February of 2005, Soucy made the difficult decision to leave Merrimac after 27 years and accept the position of general manager at Rowley Municipal Light Department.

"I was apprehensive about taking on something new and leaving people behind after being comfortable in my home town for all those years," she said, "but when Rowley General Manager Carl Benson suggested it would be a good fit, I decided to look into it."

Benson had the utility in good working order before his premature death in 2004, and, according to Soucy, the transition was relatively easy. The biggest difference was she did not have to divide herself between the water and electric departments. This gave her more time to get involved with the community and local businesses and establish better lines of communication with her customers.

Soucy now plans to spend time with her new "retirement" golden poodle puppy Maggie, help her brother with his plumbing business and volunteer at a local senior center.

Soucy feels that the utility is in good hands with the appointment of Kristina Frizzell as the new general manager. Frizzell had been serving as accountant/customer service director at Belmont Municipal Light Department.

Frizzell came to Belmont in 1998 as an intern working the town accounting office. After receiving her accounting degree from Bentley College, she divided her time between the town and the light department. She has been active in the Municipal Electric Association of Massachusetts Communications Committee, and she recently received her masters in public administration from Bentley.

Frizzell says it has been an easy transition to Rowley thanks to Soucy’s mentoring and the public power community.

"There’s a comfort level knowing managers and outside vendors through NEPPA and MEAM," she said.

Kristina Frizzell stands ready to take over for Linda Soucy (seated), who retired in February.