American Gas - March 2011 - (Page 18)

ask aga your association at work The Value of Participation An investment in AGA Operations and Engineering Services forums may pay off in increased efficiency and reduced operating costs. in todAy’s challenging economic climate, AGA’s utility members are under great pressure to prudently manage operating and business expenses. Activities perceived to have minimal impact on core operations often are targets for cuts. While it may be tempting for senior executives to also view participation in association meetings and conferences as an expense that can be reduced without having an immediate effect on the utility, several AGA members have found attendance at such events to be a critical company investment that directly leads to increased efficiency and decreased operating costs. AGA recently visited with some of its most active committee members within the Operating Section: Brian Moidel, compliance engineer for Dominion East Ohio; Chuck Dippo, vice president of engineering services and system integrity for South Jersey Gas; and Craig Hoeferlin, assistant vice president of engineering and field services for Laclede Gas Co. AGA: What is your company’s phi- losophy in authorizing employees to attend AGA workshops or conferences? How does your company expect to benefit? Moidel: Dominion values the 18 march 2011 AmericAn GAs benefits gained from participating on AGA committees. The information that is gathered at meetings, workshops and conferences keeps Dominion abreast of current industry issues. Dominion has benefited specifically through its newfound knowledge of new and proposed federal regulations. Through AGA, Dominion is afforded the opportunity to comment on pipeline safety issues with a broad industry coalition. For instance, many times we participated in discussions with AGA regarding pipeline safety reauthorization during which we had input into the legislative process, and after the pipeline safety bill was passed and signed into law, we then were involved in the regulatory process of the DOT (Department of Transportation) rulemaking. We were able to educate both legislators and regulators with an industry perspective of the issues at hand, giving Dominion a voice in both the legislative and regulatory processes. Dippo: While I wish we could be actively involved in every opportunity the AGA Operating Section has to offer, South Jersey Gas (SJG) prioritizes its association expenditures to those areas that best fit our collective needs while simultaneously attempting to maximize the anticipated benefits derived from participation. For SJG, this translates into taking part in a combination of activities that include committee involvement, selected topical workshop attendance, gathering people together for scheduled audioconferences and webinars, and participation in the Best Practices Program. ANDREW LU is AGA manag- ing director, operations and engineering.

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of American Gas - March 2011

American Gas - March 2011
Contents
President’s Message Greetings
Industry News
Safety First Keeping Safety First
To Be the Best To Your Credit
Ask AGA The Value of Participation
A Passion for Excellence
Vendor News
Noteworthies
Marketplace
Places to Be
Jobline
Advertisers’ Index
Facts on Gas

American Gas - March 2011