ENERGY STAR Winners UPDATE:  Web Links Win A Free Energy Saving Appliance System Improvements News & Information About Your Consumer-Owned Utility. February 2002

Employee Profile:  Sandra Cruz It’s not uncommon to read about elaborate recruitment tactics, used to entice athletes from their former teams. Salem Electric’s recruitment efforts are scrawny by comparison. Nevertheless, the company is always scouting for talent to make the SE team perform more seamlessly. And so it came to pass that Sandra Cruz was recruited and hired to fill a Customer Service Representative position just over a year ago. She was working as a teller at a local bank when she came to the attention of Salem Electric administrator (and amateur recruiter) Jack Belleque. A regular customer at the bank, Belleque noticed the calm, confident and fun-loving way in which Sandra worked with customers. He also noted that she spoke both English and Spanish, which made her more valuable for the company’s diverse customer base.      The path Sandra took getting to Salem Electric was not a straight line. You’ll see from the following story how the best skills for a job aren’t always found in schools of higher education but rather in the school of everyday life.      Sandra was born in Corpus Christi, Texas, a border area that caters to a mix of American and Mexican culture and language. Coincidentally, Sandra’s husband Jose was also born in Texas.      Sandra’s parents moved to Oregon when she was only two. They settled first in Woodburn and ultimately in Mollala. "Coming from a family of 10 children (eight girls and two boys), I guess my parents wanted to raise us in a place where we wouldn’t be able to get into much trouble, a place where Mom could control us easier," Sandra jokes.      In high school, Sandra met and fell in love with Jose, who is five years older and who was working in construction and living in Salem. Sandra married in 1988, at 17, moved to Salem, and received her G.E.D. the same year. She and Jose share a love of sports (baseball and golf) as well as small dogs (two Pomeranians). They also have been long-time members of the Jehovah’s Witness Church, and now attend a Spanish-speaking congregation in Salem.      Construction was another shared experience between Sandra’s and Jose’s families. Sandra’s father has done drywall installation for a union contractor in the Portland metro area for years. Both Jose and Sandra worked for the same company for several years, but today Jose owns his own company in Salem, doing taping for several drywall contractors.      Sandra’s knowledge of Spanish has been an asset at Salem Electric, though she still must rely on customers to help her learn the nuances between the formal Spanish spoken by customers and the less formal, mixed Spanish/English she learned as a child.      Greeting and working with customers, Sandra’s job puts her face to face with people who could one day recruit her to another company. She sees that as unlikely. Besides enjoying the benefits, Sandra likes the job variety in her role as Customer Service Representative. "And I look forward to having the opportunity to work in other departments too," she says.

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ENERGY STAR Winners T hese four customers’ names were randomly drawn from over 1600 participants in our Residential Conservation Incentive Program. Look inside for more details. JEFF, TAMMY, MADISYN AND KENDALL - 11% savings - $500 winners "We only run full loads in the dishwasher." Remind the kids to turn off lights. Run full loads in the washer. Run full loads in the dryer. GIL AND SUE - 15% Savings -$500 winners "We use a lot of natural light." Installed compact fluorescent bulbs. Put interior and exterior lights on timers. Installed skylights to use natural light. PATTY, ADRIAN, DANIEL AND MELISSA - 27% savings - $1,000 winners "We turned off a lot of lights." Included the kids in the efforts to conserve. Adjusted schedule to take advantage of daylight. Changed some habits. CLYDE AND CONNIE (not pictured) 31% savings - $1,000 winners "We’re just doing everything we can to conserve." Turn off all unnecessary lights. Service the heating system annually. Wash dishes in the sink rather than partial loads in the dishwasher.      Photos by Michele Mogle

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UPDATE:  Web Links These are some resources to help you find ways to conserve energy, learn about forms of generation and get updates on the national energy supply. Salem Electric www.salemelectric.com Phone: 503 362-3601  Learn more about Salem Electric’s programs and ways to save energy. Lightsite www.lightsite.net Phone: 800 379-4121 A resource for energy-efficient lighting information and products. NW Energy Efficiency Alliance www.nwalliance.org Phone: 800 411-0834 Energy-efficient products and services are identified. Lighting Design Lab www.northwestlighting.com Phone: 800 354-3864 Quality lighting design and energy efficiency technologies. Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers www.aham.org Phone: 202 872-5955 Information about home appliances and manufacturers. Energy Ideas Clearinghouse www.energyideas.org Phone: 800 872-3568 Information, educational, resources and technical assistance for increasing energy-efficiency. Department of Energy www.energy.gov Phone: 800 342-5363 Energy saving tips including a section for kids. Solar Energy International www.solarenergy.org Phone: 970 963-8855 Educational and technical assistance on renewable energy technologies and sustainable development. Portland Office of Sustainable Development www.sustainableportland.org Phone: 503 823-7725 Information on resource conservation and sustainable development practices. The Geothermal Heat Pump Consortium www.ghpc.org Phone: 202 508-5500 Explains how GeoExchange heating and cooling systems work and compares different heating systems. Nexus Energy www.energyguide.com Phone: 781 283-9160 Learn about residential energy use. Also evaluate and purchase energy-efficient products. James Dulley Tips www.dulley.com Do-it-yourself guides, money saving tips and links to thousands of manufacturers. Gridwise Engineering Company www.gridwatch.com Information about different forms of power generation. Good Cents www.goodcents.com Phone: 800 653-3443 Information about energy-efficient residential conservation. OIKOS www.oikos.com Promotes sustainable design and conservation. Energy Star www.energystar.gov Phone: 888 STAR-YES Businesses and consumers can learn to save money and identify energy-efficient products. Information is also available for kids and teachers. The Alliance to Save Energy www.ase.org Phone: 202 857-0666 Promotes the efficient and clean use of energy. Provides a home energy checkup and conservation tips. The Home Energy Saver http://hes.lbl.gov Phone: 800 363-3732 Identifies ways to save energy in your home. The Oregon Office of Energy www.energy.state.or.us Phone: 800 221-8035 Information on Oregon’s energy future and conservation. Home Energy www.homeenergy.org Phone: 510 524-5405 Information on home performance including conservation, indoor air quality and energy- efficient construction. Solar Energy Association of Oregon www.solaror.org Promotes conservation, solar energy, renewable resources and resource planning. Center for Renewable Energy & Sustainable Technology www.crest.org Phone: 202 293-2898 Information about renewable and alternative sources of energy. The Rocky Mountain Institute www.rmi.org Phone: 970 927-3851 Extensive information on energy-efficiency topics. Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy Network www.eren.doe.gov Information about renewable energy technologies, energy efficiency tips and a resource for kids. More than 600 links are featured. Energy Outlet www.energyoutlet.com Phone: 541 683-5060 Home appliances, lighting, water heating, construction, remodeling, heating, ventilation and air conditioning topics are addressed. The California Energy Commission www.energy.ca.gov/education Phone: 916 654-4287 Presents energy information in a format geared for kids.

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System Improvements A 171 foot crane was used to remove rear lot line poles behind some homes in Salemtowne.  The lines  were placed underground when a new subdivision was  installed. Salem Electric lineman, Steve Gehley, can be  seen attaching the crane's cable to the pole.

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