Industry Veteran Still Finding Ways to Keep Customers Satisfied

Ray Beland

Role with Caltech: Power Line Specialist
With Caltech since: March 2000
Industry Experience: 39 years

Ray started in the utility business with Calgary Power in 1966 after working on the oilrigs and the railroad. He retired in 1999 and then joined the Caltech team. He is now accountable for managing maintenance planning projects for a utility client. This includes overseeing the client's PCB project, ensuring timely collection of oil samples, diagnostic testing, maintaining a database and auditing the program to ensure client equipment conforms to industry standards. Ray also oversees the client's "Worst Performing Feeder" program, which requires analyzing initial data, creating work packages, ordering material and initializing crew start-up meetings.

Career Highlights

• Joined Calgary Power as a serviceman in 1966, working in various roles:
  • Assistant District Manager in Sylvan Lake
  • District Manager in Lac La Biche
  • Business Supervisor for TransAlta Utilities in Rocky Mountain House.
• Caltech:
  • Quotation Analyst
  • Field Coordinator for the pole replacement project
  • Field Design Specialist for the 3 wire to 4 wire conversion and the pole replacement project.

In these roles, Ray has helped develop processes and packages that provide cost savings for the client in the following areas:

• Reduced time spent by crews locating defective assets
• Created clear and concise packages that increased field staff efficiency.

Ray grew up in Drayton Valley, where he met his wife of 38 years. They love making trips to Ontario and Texas, where their daughters reside. Ray also picks up the tools every once in a while, and he recently helped his son-in law build a home. He's a prolific Michael Crichton reader, recently finishing Scare Tactic. His favorite book is John Grisham's A Painted House.

"The key for me is to keep clients satisfied. If they're satisfied, then Caltech is satisfied with my performance and that allows me to get a good night's sleep."