Citizens Energy Group is proud to partner with the Jefferson Awards Foundation to promote the value of community service by recognizing outstanding volunteers among our workforce. For more than 45 years, the Jefferson Awards have served to change communities and the world by inspiring action through celebration.

Volunteer forms must be submitted by January 15 to be eligible for a volunteer gift and a $250 grant for your favorite non-profit organization!

Shorter days, fatigue, compromised night vision, rush hour and impaired drivers all contribute to making driving at night more dangerous than any other time of day. In fact, the risk of a fatal crash is three times greater at night, according to National Safety Council research.

Find out who the latest Wellness Champion is and how you can win a great prize in the next Wellness Challenge! Also, don't miss out on a cooking demonstration to learn how to make healthier Thanksgiving side dishes!

Throughout the month of October, Citizens employees were active in the community raising financial support for, and awareness about, various diseases. Their fundraising efforts are tremendous!

Congratulations to the employees and guests who were named winners in Citizens’ annual fall fishing tournament, held Saturday, September 29 at Waveland Lake! Money collected from entry fees and donations, totaling nearly $1,000, was delivered to Riley Hospital for Children.

Find out who has reached a milestone for their years of service to Citizens Energy Group and meet our new employees!

In his third annual State of the Trust Address on October 4, President and CEO Jeffrey Harrison focused on how Citizens employees are “Inspired to Create Value” for our customers and communities. Harrison provided an industry overview, shared accomplishments of the 2018 fiscal year and discussed the company’s strategic plan. Below are highlights from the speech.

Citizens employees responded well to two sewer system failures that occurred in July, including completion of a rapid condition assessment of our underground infrastructure in downtown Indianapolis.

At the 79th annual Quarter Century Club reception, seven Citizens Energy Group employees were honored for their years of service to the utility.

In late June, a group of employees and retirees started a summer league on Thursdays at South Grove Golf Course for players of all skill levels. Twelve pairs played weekly scrambles against a new team each week, enabling all participants to get to know each other.

The Indianapolis Indians hosted 8-1-1 Night on Saturday, August 11.

Citizens Energy Group’s Community Volunteer Support Program recognizes employees and retirees for the time and effort they invest in the local community. Volunteers must meet certain requirements and must provide two completed forms to Jennifer Mentink, Corporate Events Coordinator, by January 15 to be eligible for a volunteer gift and/or a grant for a non-profit for which they volunteer.

Since being named Citizens Energy Group’s 2018 Jefferson Award winner in March, Olivia Hawbaker, Project Manager, has attended both local and national ceremonies honoring the community service efforts of this year’s recipients. In late June, she traveled to Washington, D.C., where she heard about individuals across the country who are positively impacting the lives of others.

Last month, Citizens Energy Group supported events aimed at raising awareness about environmental stewardship.

Richard Wise, Supplier Diversity Administrator, received the Edwin J. Simcox Distinguished Service Award at the Indiana Energy Association (IEA) conference on September 28.

The Citizens United Way Team appreciates your participation during the 2018 campaign week, held August 27-30.

For the sixth year, employees from Citizens Energy Group and Bowen Engineering spent a day working together to make an impact on the community.

The employee entrance at the General Office received a makeover last month. The remodel included new paint and carpeting, along with décor on the walls that serves as a reminder of Citizens Energy Group’s vision, mission, and values. Quotes reinforce our values of Safety, Integrity, Diversity, Teamwork, and Quality.

Congratulations to John Trypus, Director of Underground Engineering and Construction, for being named the Collections Systems Professional of the Year from the Indiana Water Environment Association!

Find out who has been named a Wellness Champion, who won the most recent wellness challenge, and how to register for an upcoming healthy cooking demonstration!

Congratulations to employees who have reached milestones for their years of service to Citizens Energy Group, and welcome to 20 new employees!

Becoming an employer of choice in Indiana is one of Citizens Energy Group’s long-term goals under the employee engagement pillar of our strategic plan. In order to gather employee feedback about what it’s like to work at Citizens, the utility participated in the most recent Best Places to Work in Indiana survey. This annual survey recognizes organizations for creating a culture in which employees can thrive and be successful. Listed below is a brief summary of Citizens’ results:

After emergency repairs of two downtown sewer structures, Tim Shutters, Construction Specialist VII, who helped manage the work, said he feels inspired by the efforts of Citizens employees, our contractors, and the community.

Citizens Energy Group’s United Way 2018 Campaign Week is August 27-30! Get ready for free food and fun as we celebrate this year’s theme, “We are Game Changers!” and raise funds for those in need.

Citizens Energy Group’s Commitment to Sustainability is a pledge to our customers, communities, employees, and regulators that we will be prudent with investments and balance costs and benefits for all stakeholders as we contribute to the long-term sustainability of the community. This commitment was formalized in 2013 when Citizens recognized an opportunity to demonstrate a leadership role in environmental and sustainability practices. This new section of Engauge seeks to share the building blocks of our Commitment to Sustainability – a focus on the Environment, our Businesses, and the Communities in which we live and work. We hope through these stories of sustainability, you will learn more about the EBCs! Vehicle Idle Reduction Program Promotes Clean Air, Reduces Fuel Use An essential part of Citizens’ Commitment to Sustainability is implementing operational policies. One such example is the Vehicle Idle Reduction Program. Employees are expected to avoid all unnecessary vehicle idling. Exceptions to the Vehicle Idle Reduction Program do apply. For example, vehicle idling can be necessary to power equipment and safety lights. Also,in cold weather, diesel vehicles need time to warm up. Under the Vehicle Idle Reduction Program, diesel vehicles shall not idle more than 15 minutes if the ambient outside air temperature is between 20 and 32 degrees Fahrenheit, and not more than 30 minutes if the ambient outside air temperature is below 20 degrees Fahrenheit.

Wastewater Collections is inspecting and cleaning sewers more efficiently and cost effectively after recently implementing new technology.

Citizens Energy Group employees began using an updated computer-aided dispatch (CAD) system in mid-June.

At the July Leadership Forum, Dennis “J.R.” Peckinpaugh, Construction Specialist III, was announced as the most recent winner of the Customer Champion Award.

Jeffrey Harrison, President & CEO of Citizens Energy Group, joined Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett and other community leaders on July 12 to celebrate the groundbreaking for a new Community Justice Center campus on the site of Citizens former coke and manufactured gas plant on Prospect Street.