PG&E Team Takes the Top Prize at the International Lineman’s Rodeo
For the second time in five years, a Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) journeyman lineman team took first place in the
world at the International Lineman’s Rodeo.
The team of Dustin Curry of Stockton, Jordan Chene of Bakersfield and Jacob Hunt of Fresno beat out 218 teams to take home top
honors at the 35th annual rodeo, held on Oct. 13 in Bonner Springs, Kansas.
Another PG&E journeyman team — Anthony Albright and JP Richard of Grass Valley and Adam Beene of Merced — took fourth place
overall for the journeyman lineman teams. They had won the top prize in 2014. Apprentice line worker Brandon Branch of Chico earned
fourth place overall for his performance during the day.
“PG&E line workers dedicate themselves every day to providing our customers—their family, friends and neighbors in the
communities where they live and work—with electric service that is safe and reliable. This is a victory we can all be proud of and
we are thrilled to see them get the recognition they so richly deserve,” said Pat Hogan, senior vice president of Electric
Operations at PG&E.
Lineman teams and apprentices from around the world participated in this elite competition that tests safety training and
technical skills. In all, PG&E linemen visited the podium 19 times during the awards ceremony, the best performance since the
company began participating in the rodeo in 2012. PG&E line workers earned one of the top spots in every event they competed
in.
Five journeyman lineman teams and 10 apprentices represented PG&E and the International Brotherhood of Electric Workers
(IBEW) Local 1245 in the competition held at the National Agriculture Center and Hall of Fame.
The International Lineman’s Rodeo is the most prestigious competition to test linemen on their safety skills and technical
training in an array of contests. These contests include a simulation that tests their ability to safely rescue an injured
colleague, and their ability to safely and rapidly climb to the top of a utility pole, as well as several “Mystery Events” that
test critical skills related to their jobs. Linemen undergo years of extensive safety and technical training to become qualified to
perform these critical jobs. PG&E linemen perform their work in a wide variety of challenging conditions, such as rain storms,
intense heat, blizzards and wildfires.
PG&E’s teams competed in a rigorous intra-company competition in May against linemen from Northern and Central California to
determine which linemen would win the honor of representing PG&E and IBEW Local 1245 at the International Rodeo. Teams from
Bakersfield, Fresno, Grass Valley, Merced and Stockton, as well as apprentice linemen from Chico, Fresno, Grass Valley, Lemoore,
Merced, Stockton and Templeton won the right to compete in the International Lineman’s Rodeo.
About PG&E
Pacific Gas and Electric Company, a subsidiary of
PG&E Corporation (NYSE:PCG), is one of the largest combined natural gas and electric energy companies in the United States.
Based in San Francisco, with more than 20,000 employees, the company delivers some of the nation’s cleanest energy to nearly 16
million people in Northern and Central California. For more information, visit
www.pge.com/ and
www.pge.com/en/about/newsroom/index.page.
Pacific Gas and Electric Company
Brandi Merlo, 415-973-5930
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