From the Editor

I would like to take this opportunity to say goodbye to all my friends at NEPPA as I will be retiring on Aug. 13 after 25 years with the association. I wish NEPPA’s new Executive Director Larry Brownell and the entire NEPPA organization all the best in their new endeavor, the training facility at Littleton. This is an exciting time to be part of NEPPA.

If you’ll bear with me, I’d like to mention some highlights of my long career with NEPPA:

• Being hired by Andrew Natsios in 1987 and told that public power people were the best people in the world. I have never found reason to dispute that.
• Being made welcome by Dave Fabrizius when I was very new and needed a friend.
• Being greeted every morning by the warmth and friendship of our receptionist Sheila Boone (who beat me out the door by just a few months).
• Being taken care of by Kris DiGirolomo, our accountant and benefits manager who never said "it’s not my job" and always went well beyond what was required to help us out.
• Working for possibly the last true gentleman in the world, Patrick Hyland, who earned the overwhelming respect and affection of his staff and the membership.
• Being able to see the forest through the trees when Sharon Davies boiled down problems to the basics and made us all laugh.
• Having the honor of working with Steve Socoby, whose personal and work ethics I very much admire.
• Getting to know the contractors, Bob, Bill, Linda, Lou and John who were always a joy to work with.
• Elaine O’Neill, who has managed our communications services program for many years and has been a wonderful mentor, a wonderful friend.
• Our IT guys, Jonathan and Jerry, whose patience with me has been immeasurable.

What I will remember the most is all the utility people who welcomed me into their systems, gave of their time, and taught me everything I ever wanted to know and more about substations, power supply and disaster recovery. I will remember our corporate and associate members who livened up our conferences and events and cheered the NEPPA staff on, on so many occasions.

I have a quote from W.B. Yeats over my desk at home:
"Think where glory most begins and ends, and say my glory was I had such friends."
I will always think of my NEPPA friends when I read it. Thank you for making me feel this way.

Mary Harrington