Greensboro, NC (8/1/2023) Chase Gibson, Natural Gas Supervisor with City of Kings Mountain was nominated and vetted as an NC811 Damage Prevention Most Valuable Professional. His standard of excavation damage prevention and safety has gone above and beyond being a safe digging partner.
In late spring of 2022, NC811 revamped the Safe Digging Partner Program to include the Damage Prevention Most Valuable Professional Honor and Challenge Coin. An individual, company or organization that has gone above and beyond being a safe digging partner can be nominated by meeting 6 of 10 criteria for standards of excellence. The recipient will receive a Challenge Coin and Award Certificate as an honor when they exceed the standard of Excavation Damage Prevention and Safety. They should keep the coin with them as a symbol of honor and a reminder that they are a part of an elite group committed to the highest standard of safety.
Chase was nominated by Lindsay Pontz, Damage Control Specialist with SAM to receive the challenge coin and honor. Chase has been an integral part of the local and State UCC’s since 2016. In 2016 he was elected as secretary of the NC UCC and served for 3 years. He took a year off and was re-elected as secretary again in 2020 and has finished his position as the Chair of the NC Utility Coordinating Committee. “Since I have known Chase, damage prevention has been his number one priority”, stated Pontz. He has exemplified this within the natural gas department at the City of Kings Mountain and by spreading the message through industry conversations and his involvement in the NCUCC. He poses strong leadership skills and fosters an environment for meaningful conversation amongst all parties involved to initiate ideas, welcome concerns, and discuss outcomes to further prevent damage to underground facilities.
Ann Rushing, NC811 Education Department Manager presented the award and coin at the July 11th State UCC meeting in Concord. “Chase will definitely be missed on the NC Utilities Coordinating Committee and I can’t think of a better recipient for Damage Prevention MVP”, stated Rushing.
Nearly two in five U.S. homeowners will put themselves and their community at risk without calling 811 first. Find out more about becoming a Safe Digging Partner.
About NC811
Since 1978, North Carolina 811 has provided a fast and easy communications link with local utility providers. The public provides NC811 information about excavation, NC811 transmits the information to utilities, and they send out locators to mark underground lines for free. Call 811 or 1-800-632-4949 three working days before you plan on digging.