Michele O’Connell, chair of the N.J. Utility Association, started the inaugural BINJE’s Best: Utility & Infrastructure Leaders event Thursday morning with some pretty powerful words.
“There are a few industries that touch people’s lives as directly, as consistently, and as meaningfully as ours,” she said. “Every morning, millions of New Jerseyans turn on their lights to start their day. They enjoy clean drinking water. They rely on the infrastructure that connects them to their families, their jobs, and their communities. And that’s a responsibility that none of us take lightly.”
O’Connell was talking to approximately 200 leaders in the greater utility sector. And her efforts to highlight how vast that network is — and how important the work it does — was one of the reasons why BINJE and the NJUA collaborated on the event.
As we all know, events such as this cannot happen with sponsors, so we salute those who contributed in a big way:
Premier Partners: JCP&L, New Jersey Natural Gas, ELEC825/Operating Engineers Local 825 and SJI.
Strategic Partners: PSEG, PS&S, Montana Construction, Moxie Strategies, Atlantic City Electric, MBI, Fuel Merchants Association of NJ, Hackensack Meridian Health and Jumping Brook Country Club.
Those in attendance were delighted that the sector was getting time in the spotlight for the positive impact it has on the state.
Eric DeGesero of the Fuel Merchants Association said he appreciated how the state is recognizing the impact, too.
“I think it’s rather refreshing to be recognized in the context of Governor Sherrill’s administration recognizes the benefit that all forms of energy, be it wind, solar, electric, petroleum, natural gas, all bring to the people of the state,” he said. “And we’re happy to continue to work with the governor to implement her common-sense agenda here in the state.”
O’Connell said all the honorees were worthy of the public tip of the hat.
“While the work itself might often take place behind the scenes, the people who perform it deserve to be front and center today,” she said. “I would like to congratulate all the utility professionals who dedicate themselves to this essential mission. Let’s continue working together to build a more resilient New Jersey for generations to come.”
See video coverage of the event (from Gelman Images) here.
