With a continuous focus on safety, Easton Utilities recently offered CPR (Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation) to all employees. Paramedics from Talbot County Department of Emergency Services instructed the course and certified 94 employees on CPR and AED training over several days. “With employees spread across our entire service territory every day, we realize how beneficial it is to have them trained for an emergency that could happen any time,” stated Hugh E. Grunden, President and CEO of Easton Utilities.

Lieutenant/Paramedic Greg Fries, Paramedic Rachael Cox, and Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) TC Colbourne led the training which included videos, verbal information, and hands-on practice with CPR manikins. “This valuable skill can save someone’s life, and actually did at Easton Utilities back in July of 2016,” added Grunden. “I credit the training provided by Talbot County for their role in this positive outcome as we had just completed a training some months prior to the incident.”

According to the American Heart Association, every year more than 350,000 instances of cardiac arrest occur outside of US hospitals. CPR and AED training, along with general safety education keep people informed and prepared. “CPR classes are instrumental to improving the survivability from cardiac arrest and everyone has the ability to learn how to perform CPR and assist before EMS arrives,” said Paramedic Fries. “We are thankful for this partnership with Easton Utilities and their commitment to the community and their staff.” Talbot EMS is happy to provide this training for any business or community organization – for more information visit talbotdes.org.

Easton Utilities is a community-owned, not-for-profit utility and telecommunications company operating the Electric, Natural Gas, Water, Wastewater, Cable Television, and Internet services for the Town of Easton and portions of the surrounding area. Easton Velocity, a service of Easton Utilities, is committed to keeping our community connected and current with a variety of service offerings designed to meet the needs of both residential and commercial customers.

Easton Utilities announces the promotion of Ted L. Book to Vice President of Easton Velocity, the division providing internet, cable television, phone and advanced network services to over 8,700 customers. “Ted is a driven and dedicated leader with a wealth of experience and technical knowledge making him a great asset to our organization,” stated Hugh E. Grunden, President and CEO of Easton Utilities.

Ted started his career with Easton Utilities in 1997, and over the years has led the distribution, installation, service and maintenance to successfully deliver Easton Velocity services. He was a key contributor to the development and delivery of internet service to Easton back in 1998. He is also responsible for the continuous improvement of the systems by managing multiple facility and technology upgrades. In addition, he oversees network engineering, network operations, and technical support for Easton Velocity.

Ted Book and Hugh Grunden, President & CEO

Ted has been instrumental in planning the system design and strategy for Connect Talbot, the rural broadband project aimed at providing broadband access to the unserved residents and businesses in Talbot County. He will be critical to the implementation of this project over the next several years. “I am fortunate to work with an exceptional team and will be relying on these individuals for their expertise as we carry out this significant project,” stated Book.

Ted holds a BS in Computer Science from Lynchburg College and an MBA from the University of Maryland University College. He is a 2011 graduate of Shore Leadership and currently serves on the board of Maryland Broadband Cooperative. He has volunteered with many youth organizations including AWANA, Easton Little League, and Talbot County Parks & Recreation. He has previously served on the board at Real Life Chapel and currently volunteers for many outreach programs. Currently he resides in Easton and enjoys, boating, golfing and spending time with his wife of 31 years and their five adult children and soon to be daughter-in-law.

Easton Utilities is a community-owned, not-for-profit utility and telecommunications company operating the Electric, Natural Gas, Water, Wastewater, Cable Television, and Internet services for the Town of Easton and portions of the surrounding area. Easton Velocity, a service of Easton Utilities, is committed to keeping our community connected and current with a variety of service offerings designed to meet the needs of both residential and commercial customers.

Easton Utilities has earned the American Public Power Association’s Safety Award of Excellence for safe operating practices in 2021. The utility earned first place award in the category for utilities with60,000 – 109,999 worker-hours of annual worker exposure.

“In our industry, safety is the top priority,” said Bob Scudder, Chair of APPA’s Safety Committee and Industrial Hygiene and Corporate Risk Manager at Grand River Dam Authority. “This is a commitment that needs to come from the top down and permeate every aspect of operations. These awarded utilities have embraced this priority, and they deserve to be celebrated.”

318 utilities from across the country entered the annual Safety Awards. Entrants were placed in categories according to their number of worker-hours and ranked based on the most incident-free records during 2021. The incidence rate, used to judge entries, is based on the number of work-related reportable injuries or illnesses and the number of worker-hours during 2021, as defined by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

“Easton Utilities values employee safety above all else,” said Andy Ober, Safety Specialist for Easton Utilities. “We all recognize the importance of going home to our families each day; this is what drives our dedication to safety.”

The Safety Awards have been held annually for more than 65 years. APPA is the voice of not-for-profit, community-owned utilities that power 2,000 towns and cities nationwide.

Photo: Eddie Westerfield, Supervisor of Electrical Design and Inspection (L) accepted the award for Easton Utilities and is pictured with the APPA’s Safety Committee and Industrial Hygiene and Corporate Risk Manager at Grand River Dam Authority Bob Scudder (R).

Ray Fairbank, Jr. an Easton Utilities Inspector & Locator, has earned the Certified Public Infrastructure Inspector (CPII) designation from the American Public Works Association (APWA). The CPII designation is to recognize individuals who have proven their ability to promote quality public infrastructure throughout their community.

“Ray understands the importance of high-quality installed infrastructure and skillfully ensures our assets, and those assets of property owners, are constructed to EU’s standards,” said Rebecca Saduk, Easton Utilities Civil Engineer. Ray has over 22 years of construction experience, with nine of those years at Easton Utilities. His work is critical to ensure the safety of other employees as well as protect the reliability of Easton Utilities’ infrastructure. “Ray is extremely focused on his role, and this designation is just one more example of his commitment to our organization, employees, and the community,” added Saduk.

Ray Fairbank, Jr.

The Certified Public Infrastructure Inspector program was launched by APWA in 2006 to promote quality infrastructure by advancing the knowledge and practice of construction inspection to benefit communities and public agencies throughout the country.

The American Public Works Association (www.apwa.net) is a not-for-profit, international organization of more than 30,000 members involved in the field of public works. APWA serves its members by promoting professional excellence and public awareness through education, advocacy and the exchange of knowledge. APWA is headquartered in Kansas City, MO, has an office in Washington, DC, and 63 chapters in North America.

Easton Utilities is a community-owned, not-for-profit utility and telecommunications company operating the Electric, Natural Gas, Water, Wastewater, Cable Television, and Internet services for the Town of Easton and portions of the surrounding area. Please visit www.eastonutilities.com or call 410-822-6110 to learn more.

Hugh E. Grunden, President and CEO of Easton Utilities

The Daily Record selected Hugh E. Grunden, President and CEO of Easton Utilities, as an Icon Honors Award recipient. “It is truly rewarding to be recognized amongst such distinguished leaders who work diligently to make Maryland a great place to work and live,” stated Grunden.

Established in 2017, Icon Honors recognizes Maryland business leaders, over the age of 60, for their notable success and demonstration of strong leadership within and outside their fields. The honorees have moved their businesses and the state of Maryland forward by growing jobs and making a difference in the community. Under Hugh’s direction, Easton Utilities has become a competitive, multi-service provider committed to customer satisfaction, solving rural broadband issues in Talbot County, encouraging the use of renewable energy and resource conservation, and maintaining critical infrastructure for reliability.

“Sustained leadership and integrity are just two of many ways to describe this year’s Icon Honors recipients. They have withstood the whims and caprices of the moment to build what is lasting and durable,” said Suzanne Fischer-Huettner, senior group publisher of The Daily Record. “We at The Daily Record are proud to honor their impressive record of accomplishment, leadership and vision. Congratulations to the honorees.”

Easton Utilities is a community-owned, not-for-profit utility and telecommunications company operating the Electric, Natural Gas, Water, Wastewater, Cable Television, and Internet services for the Town of Easton and portions of the surrounding area. Visit eastonutilities.com for more information.

John J. Horner, Jr., MBA

Leadership Maryland announced today that John J. Horner, Jr., MBA, Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer at Easton Utilities, has completed the professional development program dedicated to building a better Maryland by harnessing the strength of its local business and community leaders. Leadership Maryland honored Horner, a resident of Easton, and the entire Class of 2021 at its 28^th annual graduation ceremony held December 7 at the Hilton Baltimore BWI Airport.

Horner was one of 49 applicants chosen by committee to complete Leadership Maryland’seight-month hands-on learning program. The class participated in an orientation and closing retreat that bookended five, two-day sessions focused on Maryland’s five main geographic regions and the most vital issues impacting economic development, education, health and human services, criminal justice, the environment, and multi-culturalism/diversity across the state. The class was originally selected as the Class of 2020 but was postponed one year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“With the events of the past two years, our communities greatly need connectedness, shared vision, and resilient leadership, which makes our mission of empowering a diverse network of local leaders more important than ever,” said Renée M. Winsky ‘05, president and Chief Executive Officer, Leadership Maryland. “With the understanding, connections, and clarity of purpose gained from their program experience, the 49 members of the Class of 2021 are now better poised to make a positive impact, and we look forward to seeing all they’ll accomplish for our state.”

Leadership Maryland is open to senior-level executives with significant achievements in either their careers and/or their communities. Ideal Leadership Maryland members have a desire to learn more about Maryland’s most critical issues and a personal commitment to be a force for positive change in their organizations, their communities, and their state. For more information about Leadership Maryland, please visit www.LeadershipMD.org, call 410-841-2101 or email [email protected].

About Leadership Maryland

Leadership Maryland is a professional development program dedicated to building a better Maryland by harnessing the strength of its local business and community leaders. Each year, as many as 52 diverse and accomplished executives from Maryland’s public and private sectors are selected to come together as a class for an eight-month hands-on learning program focused on the state’s most vital social, economic and environmental issues. The first Leadership Maryland class graduated in 1993, and the organization’s alumni network now consists of more than 1,300 leaders from all industries and regions of the state. To learn more, please call Leadership Maryland at 410-841-2101 or visit www.LeadershipMD.org.

Easton Utilities welcomes Tucker G. Bullock, P.E. to the Gas Department as part of the management team. With over 20 years of experience in the natural gas industry, he will oversee regulatory compliance, gas supply, construction, maintenance, operations, safety, and training. “I am excited to build new relationships and identify areas of growth, while preserving the level of reliability and customer service expected from Easton Utilities,” stated Bullock.

Tucker Bullock

Tucker began his career as an Engineer with Dominion Energy after receiving a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the University of South Carolina. During this time, he led teams to complete numerous transmission pipeline projects, supervised an in-house construction crew, and was responsible for emergency response and repair. In 2008 he was promoted to Operations Manager in Durham, NC where he led distribution, transmission, and liquefaction departments and later received an MBA from North Carolina State University. “Tucker’s experience and credentials are exactly what we needed for this role and we are excited he is now part of the Easton Utilities team,” said James Crowley, Gas Department Manager for Easton Utilities.

Tucker was very active in his prior community as a volunteer for the Raleigh Little Theatre and local Chambers of Commerce. He also enjoys hiking, traveling and playing board games with friends. Tucker lives with his partner and their adopted dog and is looking forward to spending time in Easton.

Easton Utilities is a community-owned, not-for-profit utility and telecommunications company operating the Electric, Natural Gas, Water, Wastewater, Cable Television, and Internet services for the Town of Easton and portions of the surrounding area. Visit eastonutilities.com for more information.