WAPA honors 2024 ESA winner Matthew Grozs

The Exceptional Service Award, WAPA’s highest honor, recognizes employees who consistently go above and beyond, contribute to critical projects or committees and advance WAPA’s strategic plan through exceptional performance and external activities. This year’s winners exemplify these qualities, showcasing remarkable dedication, innovation and leadership that have profoundly impacted WAPA and its communities. Their contributions reflect WAPA’s core values and help drive the organization’s mission forward, ensuring reliable, affordable power for millions across the western United States.

Matt Grozs: A leader in service, mentorship and innovation

Matt Grozs’ dedication, expertise and collaborative spirit have been invaluable to WAPA. As a Meter and Relay Electronic Integrated Systems Mechanic, he consistently embodies the organization’s core values, fostering a curiosity and continuous learning culture. He has built strong relationships across all levels, from craft employees to engineers and Operations staff, and approaches projects with a big-picture mindset and meticulous documentation.

His leadership on critical projects demonstrates his technical skills. During the Secure Enclave Service Center setup, Grozs programmed desktop computers as protocol break devices to manage relay passwords, working with the manufacturer to adapt IP to serial connections. When the North American Electric Reliability Corporation introduced Critical Infrastructure Protect-007 for Security Patch Management, he led the patching of Windows on 22 human-machine interface computers across the South Dakota Maintenance Office, devising a method with IT and training M&R staff for compliance.

In transitioning from Microsoft Windows for HMIs, Grozs collaborated with an engineer, learned the Python programming language and helped refine the Diagram Builder program to develop reusable controls across substations. He also trained M&R staff and engineers, ensuring compliance. Additionally, he facilitated Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition upgrades and trained dispatchers on the subnet server, allowing independent testing of the Open Systems Interconnection SCADA protocol, freeing maintenance staff for new substation projects and speeding up operations.

A knowledgeable mentor, Grozs supports M&R staff, Substation Electricians and Electronic Equipment Craftsmen and has volunteered to lead the first craft training week at SDMO. He eagerly shares his expertise and consistently supports the team’s growth and success. His dedication, technical skills and mentorship have driven innovation and efficiency across numerous projects.