The day started with a moment of silence for a utility worker who was killed on the job. It ended with nine employees being honored as unsung heroes.
In between it all — and mixed between informative panels from industry leaders — was a lunch ceremony in which four people were given Distinguished Service Awards by the NJUA.
No industry salutes its own like the utilities.
Michele O’Connell, the new chair of the New Jersey Utilities Association and president and CEO of Orange & Rockland Utilities, said the people being honored are the reason the industry works.
“They’re the ones that are out there in the middle of the storms and doing all the work that really takes to keep the lights on,” O’Connell said. “Without them, we don’t have a great company or a great industry.”
Longtime executive director Rich Henning said the idea to honor representatives of the companies who do behind-the-scenes work — think customer service, project manager, government affairs leader, community-service initiatives leader — started four years ago as a way to make sure the sector’s biggest event was all-inclusive.
“These are folks who are sort of like unsung heroes,” Henning said. “They go above and beyond, and they’re just never recognized for the things that they do and the value that they bring to the company. We wanted to find a way that really gives them an opportunity to shine — a spotlight that perhaps they’ve never been in.”
Henning added that the work these employees do is part of a larger story about an industry that rarely gets its due. “Utility work,” he said, “is probably just underappreciated.”
The luncheon ceremony was equally special.
Longtime PSE&G President David Daly and Mark Kahrer, the chief of regulatory affairs at New Jersey Natural Gas and also a longtime employee at PSEG, were honored along with former NBC reporter Brian Thompson. Assemblyman Wayne DeAngelo was honored the night before.
Daly and Kahrer gave thanks to the industry itself, detailing how proud they were to be a part of it.
Daly talked about the privilege of spending a career in a business where the work really matters for people’s daily lives and how the industry had given him more than he could ever give back.
Kahrer traced his own journey from his early PSE&G days to his current role, saying what kept him in the business for more than four decades was the shared mission of keeping customers safe and the satisfaction of mentoring the next generation of utility leaders.
Both received praise from PSEG Chair and CEO Ralph LaRossa, who said both had impacted his career immensely.
Daly, he said, was an unsung hero during Superstorm Sandy. LaRossa recalled how, when the lights went out at PSEG’s own headquarters in the middle of the storm, Daly was the one who figured out how to get a generator in place and keep the operation running — the kind of behind-the-scenes rescue that, LaRossa said, defined Daly’s career.
Kahrer, he added, has been a steady mentor and sounding board for years, the person colleagues turned to when they needed perspective, a plan and a calming voice.
The final word belongs to Kahrer, who summed up what so many in the room felt.
“This is truly a great industry,” he said. “Our customers really do not understand how deeply committed we are to their well-being.
“Sharing that responsibility with you over these past 43 rewarding years has been a privilege.”
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Here’s a look at the unsung heroes — employees who were celebrated for consistently going above and beyond and whose dedication, leadership and perseverance have made a meaningful impact on their teams, their colleagues and the industry.
Niki Allen — Elizabeth Town Gas, South Jersey Industries
A 16-year veteran who rose from customer service representative to field operations manager, Allen oversees meter reading, field collections, compliance, fleet and warehouse operations, leading with a strong safety focus and an empathetic approach that connects customers in financial hardship to energy-assistance programs.
Sam Kaplan — South Jersey Industries
A key member of South Jersey Industries’ government affairs team, Kaplan manages the company’s charitable giving efforts, regularly engages legislators and local officials to advance positive outcomes for the industry, and helps foster an inclusive employee culture where everyone is encouraged to bring their best selves to work.
Lauren D’Ambrosio — New Jersey Natural Gas
A former driving meter reader who became foundational to NJNG’s advanced methane leak detection work, D’Ambrosio helped pilot and refine the technology in the field, trained colleagues, and drove its evolution from a pilot project into the standard for how the company operates.
Sarah DeSandolo — New Jersey American Water
As a volunteer State Aquatic Culture Champion, DeSandolo has led major internal culture and community-impact initiatives — from Inclusion Week and Take Your Child to Work Day to veterans’ and breast-cancer awareness events and charity drives — becoming a trusted, collaborative partner to leaders and colleagues across the company.
Shauntel Martinez — PSE&G
As director of electric division planning and projects, Martinez has led operational and cultural change, including a collaboration with gas operations that repurposed gas crews for civil and excavation work on electric reconductoring projects — saving an estimated $20 million annually — and championed an AI-based vegetation-management pilot already delivering significant savings.
Sarah Jones — Rockland Electric Company
As project manager for Rockland Electric’s electric and gas damage-prevention education and outreach program, Jones leads safety initiatives that protect contractors and residents working near energy infrastructure, improves operations with data dashboards for community affairs and municipal officials, and plays an active role in regulatory and legislative engagement.
Adam Jones — Aqua, New Jersey
As Northern Division area supervisor for Aqua, New Jersey, Jones oversees day-to-day operations with professionalism, strong judgment and a deep focus on safety, and is recognized for guiding his team through unexpected, high-pressure situations while building a supportive, high-integrity culture.
Nancy Rochford — Middlesex Water Company
Over a 30-plus-year career at Middlesex Water, Rochford has risen from laboratory technician to assistant director of water quality, becoming a trusted technical expert in lab operations, water quality, regulatory compliance and utility systems, a cross-departmental communicator, and a champion of diversity and inclusion in the water industry.
Kathy Langella — Veolia
Since joining Veolia in 2020, Langella has advanced to GIS supervisor, serving as a key technical resource and liaison on GIS projects, strengthening the company’s data infrastructure and decision-making, and, as an adjunct professor at Hofstra University, mentoring the next generation of GIS professionals beyond her core role.
