Here at NRG, five key power values drive our company forward: Safety and Well-Being, Customer-Focus, Inclusion and Diversity, Accountability, and Collaboration.
More specifically, it’s our employees who empower these values in meaningful ways, bringing the power of energy to our organization and to the customers we serve. Each month, we profile an individual employee, showing how our values are uniquely taking hold each day.
The employees we’ve selected for 2020 are shown below.
Go to our archive to read all seven from 2019.
Power Value: Customer Focus
Whether temperatures dip to 0°F or soar to about 100°F, Alex G., Operations Supervisor at the Astoria power plant, and his team are dedicated to putting the customer first. As a peaking facility, the Astoria power plant converts energy into bulk electrical power and is only called upon during high-demand days or emergencies, when the grid needs it to provide electricity to millions of New Yorkers. Acting quickly, reliably, and safely serve as key performance indicators for Alex’s customer focus.
This year has brought many changes to the Astoria power plant, including responding to safety concerns related to COVID-19. “We’ve learned a lot about the enhanced precautions we must take in order to keep each other safe,” he says. “We understand it a lot better than six months ago, and we keep learning more every day.”
Alex cites the response from NRG towards the pandemic as one of the company’s elements that makes him proud. “It was very stressful at the beginning,” he says, “but the company implemented strict guidelines that will serve to benefit everyone.”
In his free time, Alex enjoys playing badminton and taking hikes with his daughter.
Power Value: Collaboration
Rhonda R., Senior Telecommunications Engineer, IT, is passionate about collaborating with her colleagues, especially in times of change, to ensure they are effectively using technology to achieve their best results.
Transitioning to a work-from-home environment was a major shift for Rhonda and one that she struggled with at first. But, there was a silver lining. She had a chance to help NRG employees find new solutions and adjust to new technology.
“I am fortunate that I am able to connect with so many wonderful people and support them on their professional journey,” said Rhonda.
Rhonda also assists with technology solutions during mergers and acquisitions — which she’s seen quite a few of throughout her 32-year tenure at NRG. During times of change, she credits teamwork as the key to a successful transition.
In her free time, Rhonda enjoys sitting poolside listening to Astros baseball or Sinatra music.
Power Value: Collaboration
Robert P., Vice President and head of Development, Engineering & Construction for NRG, believes his most important job is to motivate and guide the talented people on his team to be the best versions of themselves.
Robert leads an accomplished group of 23 professionals with over 700 total years of experience in project development, engineering, and construction. The team manages a variety of projects, with a focus on power plant construction and repowering.
“We’ve had to be more creative, agile, disciplined, and tenacious to succeed in developing projects that meet stakeholder expectations,” said Robert. “We rely heavily on many important internal partners to achieve our goals – Legal, Finance, Operations, Asset Management, and Supply Chain, to name a few. We appreciate what they do for us every day.”
In the past few years, Robert and his team have developed and executed a considerable number of conventional and renewable projects to expand and enhance the NRG generation business. “Our team spends so much time together on the road and away from family that it’s important we enjoy each other’s company and what we do. I feel lucky to be part of the team I lead,” said Robert.
In his free time, Robert enjoys playing golf, spending time with his family, and being a coach to his teenage son’s soccer team.
Power Value: Safety and Well-Being
Safety and Well-being are part of the core values at NRG and have always been a priority. As many team members adjust to a new home workplace dynamic, this value has taken on strengthened meaning. Working behind the scenes is benefits analyst, Janelle C., who supports many of our employee programs, including those related to wellness.
Janelle collaborates with vendors and helps employees take advantage of programs that support their overall mental and physical well-being. One example is the Virgin Pulse Global Challenge, known to NRG employees as the GET MOVING Challenge, with teams currently competing across the company. Last year’s winning team was from the Limestone Generating Station in Texas.
Janelle says some of her personal go-to wellness activities include “taking my dog for long walks, staying connected with friends via Zoom, and stepping away from my desk for short meditation sessions.”
A home fitness app is a new tool she’s embraced. “It creates a personalized fitness training program based on your goals and the equipment you have readily available.” Currently, all NRG employees have free access to the app.
Beyond helping our employees stay active and healthy, Janelle’s ideal summer day includes the sun, the beach, and a good read.
Power Value: Accountability
From managing relationships with companywide travel partners and suppliers to handling contract negotiations, Aimee S., Lead Sourcing Specialist, exhibits accountability across her multifaceted role.
As the NRG travel program lead, Aimee monitors coronavirus-related travel advisories and the impact on employees. Aimee remains dedicated to staying updated on real-time changes by working with our travel agency, airlines, hotels, and car rental companies.
The pandemic has also presented a unique challenge for Aimee and her team as they think outside-the-box to source personal protective equipment, IT equipment, and other necessary items from new suppliers and channels. “It’s been a collaborative effort across several departments comprised of thoughtful, talented, and creative people,” said Aimee.
In her free time, nature is Aimee’s favorite place. She and her husband plan vacations around places they want to run and cycle. So far, their favorites have been: Seattle, Washington; Burlington, Vermont; and Acadia National Park, Maine.
Power Value: Safety and Well-Being
Our mission to provide reliable energy to homes and businesses is more essential today than ever. At the forefront of this task are our generation teams who are working diligently to keep the lights on for our customers. Daryl M. was part of the team that developed and rolled out COVID-19 related pre-entry wellness procedures and protocols.
“We knew it was not going to be a one-size-fits-all plan,” Daryl said. “So, we offered a number of solutions that allowed each plant to choose what works best for them and still meet the safety expectations.”
The goal: Keep safety and well-being our top priority. Timing was crucial, but that was no problem, thanks to a team effort.
“Supply Chain secured the personal protective equipment we needed and plant managers adopted the guidelines we created, turned them into workable plans, and implemented them — all within days,” Daryl said.
Outside of work, Daryl is an avid cyclist and enjoys exploring the bike trails around his home.
Power Value: Collaboration
Cynthia P, IT Project Manager, believes that collaboration is like a puzzle — where every piece is needed to succeed. Cynthia recently led the change management and communications for Program IMPACT, one of many projects she’s managed in her 20+ years with NRG.
This project created a simplified enterprise platform that is integrated, efficient, and flexible for the next generation of NRG. As part of Cynthia’s role, she created a comprehensive plan to inform and train employees, ensuring a smooth transition to the new systems and processes. As with most large projects, it takes a village and she appreciates her colleagues who share the same work ethic and goal of helping NRG succeed.
“It starts with establishing a shared mindset,” she said. Maintaining a collaborative environment across many job functions, departments and locations isn’t an easy task, so it’s essential for “everyone to understand the common goal and their role in achieving it.”
When Cynthia isn’t working, there’s a good chance you can find her underwater. She has logged 121 dives in 17 countries — and counting.
Power Value: Inclusion and Diversity
As the Senior Manager for Reliant Market & Segment Strategy, Rolando S. helps our Reliant brand create meaningful connections with the 8+ million Hispanic individuals throughout ERCOT. He leverages research and performance metrics to identify opportunities and insights, and then collaborates with NRG teams to strategically reach Hispanic customers.
Rolando believes that resonating with this market is about more than just developing content in Spanish; to win a customer, you must first understand them. One of Rolando’s favorite aspects of his role is working with the many talented teams within NRG.
He says that connecting with people who have diverse backgrounds — whether it’s ethnicity, gender, culture, experience, or something else — is not just limited to our customers. He has found that diversity within an organization adds a richness of perspective, understanding, and creativity.
