CONTACT: Dave Christy, 916-353-4436,  email: christy@wapa.gov

FOLSOM, Calif., Redding native Scott Hicks received Western Area Power Administration’s highest honor today at a ceremony at Western’s Redding Maintenance Facility. Western Administrator Mike Hacskaylo presented the Exceptional Service Award to Hicks, a foreman II lineman.

"I congratulate Scott Hicks for making outstanding daily contributions to Western," said Hacskaylo. "He exemplifies the values we have outlined in our Strategic Plan, including a commitment to safety, technical improvement, diversity and customer focus. Because of his skills, initiative and commitment, Western is a premier power marketing and transmission organization."

A Western original, Hicks was recognized for consistently ensuring that all maintenance is completed accurately, safely and cost-effectively as the North line crew foreman in Western's Sierra Nevada Region. The North Line Crew has maintenance responsibilities for about 600 miles of transmission line extending from the Oregon border to 100 miles south of Redding. His expertise in line maintenance and his cooperative attitude have assured that the North Area transmission system remains reliable amid the ever-changing circumstances in California's energy arena. Hicks is especially commended for his in-depth planning on major projects, such as tower replacement, re-insulation, tree trimming and fiber optic installation.

Hicks began his Federal career in the U.S. Navy in 1967. After he left the Navy in 1971, he worked for Pacific Gas and Electric and then joined Western in 1978. Of his many accomplishments at Western, he is the most proud of working on the California-Oregon Transmission Project, a high-voltage transmission line extending from the Oregon border to Tracy, Calif., that was completed in 1993. He finds time to fly-fish and spend time with his family when he’s not out in the field. He and his wife, Pam, have two grown children, Tessa and Steve.

The Exceptional Service Award is the highest departmental honor that can be granted by Western’s Administrator. Criteria to earn this recognition include:

• Outstanding service or an established record of achievement
• Accomplishing assigned responsibilities in an exemplary manner
• Demonstrating unusual initiative in contributing to organizational efficiency or improved management
• Outstanding executive or technical ability
• Unusual devotion to duty under adverse conditions
• Western Area Power Administration markets and transmits reliable, cost-based hydroelectric power and related services. Western's service area covers 1.3 million square miles in 15 western and central states.