LOADING

Type to search

AVANGRID Employees Share Their Stories In Honor Of Veteran’s Day

Avangrid

AVANGRID Employees Share Their Stories In Honor Of Veteran’s Day

Share

Veterans bring a unique perspective to AVANGRID. Let’s meet some of the veterans among our workforce and hear directly from them about their service experience, why they joined the AVAN-Veterans Business Resource Group and what Veterans Day means to them.

Niaomi Thibodeau, Manager, Plant Administration

Tell us about your service experience.

I served in the United States Navy from 1996 through 2004. I served in Japan, Bahrain, Ecuador and Whidbey Island, Washington as an Aviation Maintenance Administrationman (AZ). I ended my service as a Petty Officer Second Class with my Air Warfare wings.

Why did you join AVAN-Veterans?

I joined AVAN-Veterans as a means to meet others in the organization that have served their country and to build relationships with others who have had similar military experiences as I have.

What have you gained from being a member from your service experience and now being a member of the AVAN-Veterans community?

I have gained camaraderie with people who are also veterans and being part of a team that has the common goal of supporting our Military members as well as the communities that we are all located in.

What value do veterans bring to working at AVANGRID?

Veterans bring a unique experience in the way they think about the world around them, their incredible work ethic, their problem-solving skills and their ability to build strong relationships.

What does Veterans Day mean to you?

Veterans Day is a day that we take the time to recognize and remember all heroes past, present and future that have served our nation to protect the freedoms that we have today. It is also a day for military members to reflect on their time in service and all of the sacrifices they made while serving their country.

Craig Weaver, El Cabo Plant Manager

Tell us about your service experience.

I spent seven years in the U.S Army as a 19D Cavalry Scout reconnaissance specialist, including two deployments to Iraq.

Why did you join AVAN-Veterans?

Veterans can have a different perspective than those who have never served, from the way we view problems to our sense of humor. It is always good to spend time talking with people who have been through what you have and see things the way you do.

What have you gained from being a member from your service experience and now being a member of the AVAN-Veterans community?

How to be a team member and work with people from various backgrounds that have various skills and experiences. It also taught me the dedication needed to see things through.

What value do veterans bring to working at AVANGRID?

Teamwork and the ability to handle stressful situations. Trying to get a turbine back online or meet a tight deadline isn’t quite as stressful if you have trained for or been through an ambush.

What does Veterans Day mean to you?

The trials and tribulations that service members face is largely unnoticed in day-to-day life after the military, and everyone who has served has had to make sacrifice. Veterans Day helps to remind people of what veterans have done and to take a few moments out of their day to thank a veteran.

Connor Smith, Engineering Intern

Tell us about your service experience.

I served on active duty in the Army for four years, where I was an infantry officer. During this time, I served for a year as a platoon leader followed by a year as a battalion training officer for 2-14 Infantry Battalion in Fort Drum, NY. I left active duty in 2021 to pursue a master’s degree in mechanical engineering at Boston University and continue to serve in the army reserves as a civil affairs team leader.

Why did you join AVAN-Veterans?

AVANGRID’s internship program was my first post-military professional experience, and I was looking for insight from other veterans who had made successful transitions into civilian professional life. Through AVAN-Veterans, I have had the opportunity to connect with people who share many of my experiences and have seen many encouraging examples of those transitions.

What have you gained from being a member from your service experience and now being a member of the AVAN-Veterans community?

As a platoon leader, I had to rapidly develop management and leadership skills, having been given a level of responsibility that is extremely rare for civilians so early in their careers. I was given the opportunity to lead and directly impact the lives of 30 soldiers through a wide variety of developmental opportunities ranging from live fire exercises to teaching financial literacy to kids for whom the Army was their first real job. Serving in a more administrative role as a battalion training officer, I learned a great deal about organizational leadership, and how deeply organizational leaders can affect their team despite their relative lack of formal authority.

What value do veterans bring to working at AVANGRID?

The decision-making processes of the military comes with a somewhat unique attitude towards risk management. On one hand, every military operation is inherently risky, and the cost of mistakes can be exceptionally high. On the other, indecision and hesitation carry substantial risks of their own. Military leaders are forced to develop an intuition about how to navigate a world in which they must accept serious risks to achieve their mission, while simultaneously understanding that some fundamental aspects of their mission absolutely cannot fail.

This intuition is extremely relevant to the power industry. There is a constant tension here between a need for innovation (and the uncertainty that comes along with it) and the recognition that reliable power systems are vital for everything from running hospital life support systems to sustaining national economies.

What does Veterans Day mean to you?

Veterans Day is a day to remember the sacrifices of the friends I served with, many of whom continue to serve both in garrison and deployed around the world. It is a time to reflect on my own time in service, to ask myself if my past and ongoing work in the Army does right by the people I serve with, and to consider whether my small contribution to the arms services profession has had a positive impact.

Larry Wilson, Sr Director, EHS and Training  

Tell us about your service experience.

I grew up in a family of veterans and always saw military service as a great way to give back to our country, gain experience and start a life with a solid foundation. The 9/11 terrorist attacks solidified my commitment, and I joined the Navy right out of high school. Academically, I was always interested in engineering, math and physics, so when I was given the chance, I chose to specialize in nuclear power generation.

The Navy nuclear program is known for its intense training and high standards, but it was the people I served with that helped me along most in my career. After almost nine years, 3 deployments and countless hours working with some of the brightest men and woman in the world I learned the value of leadership and teamwork. I was privileged to have some great mentors who guided me and continue to inspire me to this day.

Why did you join AVAN-Veterans?

To support my community and help my brothers and sisters succeed in life after the service. Leaving the military is not an easy thing. The culture, the people even the language we speak is different and it took me a while to adapt to civilian life completely. I wish I had the AVAN-Veterans group when I first started out with AVANGRID to help me feel a little more connected with individuals who had experienced what I was experiencing.

What have you gained from being a member from your service experience and now being a member of the AVAN-Veterans community?

For me it’s very therapeutic to be able to help serve veterans in some capacity. When you are so closely bound to people, a unit or a team your whole identity is impacted when you break that connection. Often Post Traumatic Stress (PTSD) is more about the trauma of loss than it is about bombs and bullets specifically. I guess you could say I gain a little bit of myself by helping others in a similar situation.

What value do veterans bring to working at AVANGRID?

It’s easy to point out the high level of technical training and real-world leadership experience many veterans bring to any team. For me I love the perspective veterans have when it comes to hard work. We often have a very clear understanding of our own values, what we refuse to fail at, and what may not be worth stressing over. We understand the value of a good plan and are ready to pivot when that plan inevitably falls short. Align those values with those of an organization and you have a very powerful force on your team.

What does Veterans Day mean to you?

It’s a chance to reflect upon those who served and show my gratitude for their personal sacrifice. Personally, I try to remember how many good people it takes to keep the U.S. Military the strong force it remains today. I use Veterans Day as a reminder to live my own life in a way that honors the sacrifice of our men and woman in uniform.

Leave a Comment