Tennessee Valley Authority
TVA Nuclear Group Names Professionals of the Year for 2009
April 6, 2010
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The Tennessee Valley Authority’s nuclear organization has selected six employees as professionals of the year for 2009 for exemplifying key values that help ensure safe, reliable and efficient operation of TVA’s nuclear plants.
The honorees will be recognized at a ceremony on Friday, April 9, in Franklin, Tenn. They are Jake Nelson, Moulton, Ala., and James “Randy” Patterson, Sheffield, Ala., at Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant; Jerry Delaney, Ringgold, Ga., and Mark Oldham, Soddy-Daisy, Tenn., at Sequoyah Nuclear Plant; and Dale Henderson, Dayton, Tenn., and Robert Phipps Jr., Sweetwater, Tenn., at Watts Bar Nuclear Plant.
"These awards were created to acknowledge our nuclear workers who demonstrate a commitment to safe work habits, pride in their work and professional performance while setting positive examples for others,” said Preston Swafford, chief nuclear officer and executive vice president of TVA nuclear generation.
Employees can be nominated for the annual awards by co-workers, managers or subordinates.
Nelson, Oldham and Phipps were named nuclear maintenance professionals of the year.
Nelson, a steamfitter at Browns Ferry, was chosen for his positive attitude, people skills, knowledge of his craft and work ethic and for consistently putting safety first and being a team player.
Oldham, an electrician at Sequoyah, was selected for his leadership qualities, safety-conscious attitude and knowledge of his craft, along with his continuous promotion of TVA goals and values.
Phipps, an electrician foreman at Watts Bar, was recognized for his willingness to take “ownership” of his duties and responsibilities, as well as for his initiative to promote and share knowledge of the Motor Operated Valve program.
Delaney, Henderson and Patterson were named radiation protection and chemistry professionals of the year.
Delaney, a radiation protection technician at Sequoyah, was chosen for his professionalism, strict adherence to plant procedures, and superior and concise documentation, in addition to always making safety his No. 1 priority.
Henderson, a labor foreman at Watts Bar, was recognized for his commitment to plant safety, attention to detail, questioning attitude and initiative, in addition to a consistent willingness to help others once his tasks are completed.
Patterson, a nuclear chemist at Browns Ferry, was selected for displaying a positive attitude, being a team player and promoting safety, as well as for his dedication to the chemistry lab, including the training of new technicians.
This is the ninth year to jointly celebrate the radiation protection and chemistry professional awards and the maintenance professional awards, and it’s the 19th year for the maintenance professional awards.
Quarterly winners are selected at each site, with the professional of the year selected from among quarterly recipients.
The radiation protection and chemistry nominees demonstrate high safety standards, a commitment to teamwork and daily support for eight professional values – safety, integrity, respect for the individual, innovation and continuous improvement, accountability, teamwork, honest communication and flexibility.
The maintenance professional nominees exemplify the values in TVA Nuclear’s maintenance professional code – safety, pride, teamwork, performance, positive attitude and effective communication. The code was developed in 1989 by a team of craft representatives from each TVA nuclear plant and was among the first developed in the nuclear industry.
The Tennessee Valley Authority, a corporation owned by the U.S. government, provides electricity for 9 million people in parts of seven southeastern states at prices below the national average. TVA, which receives no taxpayer money and makes no profits, also provides flood control, navigation and land management for the Tennessee River system and assists utilities and state and local governments with economic development.
Media Contact
Jim Allen, Knoxville, (865) 632-7453
TVA News Bureau, Knoxville (865) 632-6000