If the electric transmission business was a house, retired Director of Electric Systems for the City of Concord, William A. “Bill” Seamone, says he’s been in every room.
The 40-year veteran received the 2009 Public Power Lifetime Achievement Award on September 1, during a special awards banquet following the NCMPA1 Board of Commissioners meeting in Charlotte.
“It was a very humbling experience, but there were a lot of people more deserving,” said Seamone, who retired in April after heading up Concord’s electric department since 2001.
The Public Power Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes individual contributions throughout a lifetime to local systems, NC PublicPower and public power nationwide. The award is given based on leadership, public power service, innovation and creativity and longevity of service to public power.
Seamone provided decades of service to public power in NorthCarolina, beginning as a ground technician with Concord in 1968. Through his career, he served as NCAMES Board of Directors Chairman and Secretary/Treasurer, and he’s now serving a second consecutive term on the ElectriCities Board of Directors.
When asked about his most unforgettable experience while onthe job, Seamone remembered Hurricane Hugo as a tremendous challenge.
“It pretty much wiped out everything and we worked collectively to restore it,” he said.
But throughout his career, Seamone said keeping up with electric system growth across the country was most challenging.
“We had to build significant transmission capacity, improve distribution systems, build additional substations, and we were always challenged with staying current with technology,” he said.
Seamone has spent the last few months taking it easy, at least for now.
“I’m just enjoying retirement now, de-stressing and looking for the next chapter in my life,” he said. “But I’m going to do some productive things, and I’m very interested in doing volunteer work.”
Seamone still serves on a FEMA public works working group affiliated with FEMA devoted to restoration services following natural disasters.
Other Lifetime Achievement Award winners include Malcolm A.“Mack” Green, Greenville Utilities Commission; Jack F. Neel, Albemarle; Fred Turnage, Rocky Mount; and Richard Thomas, Lexington.