The City of Monroe’s Natural Gas Division earned the prestigious System Operational Achievement Recognition (SOAR) award by the American Public Gas Association (APGA) for operational excellence.
The City of Monroe was selected for SOAR level Bronze by its peers on the APGA Operations and Safety Committee out of approximately 750 APGA members.
“We are thrilled to earn such an achievement in our first year applying to the program. This recognition is a testament to the value and dedication each team member brings to our incredible organization,” said Energy Services Director Robert Miller.
The SOAR program honors natural gas distribution utilities that demonstrate commitment to excellence in four areas:
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System Integrity – overall system performance functioning safely, efficiently, and effectively;
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System Improvement – commitment to improvements, research and development, and technology integration;
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Employee Safety – existing safety policies and procedures, safety education, accountability mechanisms, and tracking safety performance;
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Workforce Development – creative recruitment, training, education and development practices that provide a return on investment through increased employee loyalty, motivation, safety and productivity.
APGA evaluators were particularly impressed with the City of Monroe’s training and development efforts along with its emphasis on employee safety and empowerment.
“The City of Monroe consistently demonstrates a commitment to providing natural gas safely and efficiently to all those in their community and as such, serves as a model for all other natural gas utilities in the country. APGA is proud to recognize the City of Monroe and is confident in their continued success,” said APGA President and CEO Dave Schryver.
The City of Monroe was one of 21 SOAR recipients recognized in 2024, joining the 51 previous SOAR award recipients.
To learn more about the SOAR award, visit apga.org/programs/soar.
To learn more about the City of Monroe’s Natural Gas Division, visit monroenc.org.