Mike Jewell Receives Prestigious MGAG Award
May 28, 2019
The Municipal Gas Authority of Georgia honored Mike Jewell, Natural Gas Director of the City of Covington, with the 2018 Billy Hersey Sr. Award at its Annual Membership Meeting. The award is presented annually to a veteran gas system operator known by his peers to exhibit excellent leadership, be of upstanding character and demonstrate true commitment to the natural gas industry, as well as to his community.
This award represents a special tribute in memory of a great man, Mr. Billy Gail Hersey, Sr., the long-time gas director for the City of Douglas, Georgia. Billy would dispute being honored in this way because of the true humility he displayed. He never met a stranger or made an enemy; Billy had a special way of making friends from the moment he met someone. He always demonstrated genuine concern for those around him, including employees, supervisors, family, friends and his peers. During his eulogy, Billy’s pastor summed up his life best when he said, “Billy was a man you could follow.” He was definitely a man who could be followed …in all facets of life. The award winner is chosen each year by a committee of Gas Authority employees who have first-hand working experience with the gas system operators of its Member systems.
The Gas Authority’s Chief Membership Officer, Chris Strippelhoff, presented the award to Mr. Jewell, who has worked in various roles with four municipal natural gas departments and is currently serving as the Natural Gas Director for the City of Covington. Mr. Jewell is Past Chairman of the Georgia Municipal Association’s (GMA) Gas Section, the current Vice-Chair of the Gas Section Executive Committee, a member of GMA’s Legislative Policy Council, a past Board Member of the American
Public Gas Association (APGA), and the current Vice-Chair of the Heating Energy Assistance Team (H.E.A.T.). He was also instrumental in GMA’s effort to have Georgia Governor Brian Kemp declare March 18th as Natural Gas Utility Worker’s Day this year.
The Municipal Gas Authority of Georgia is the largest non-profit natural gas joint-action agency in the United States, serving 79 Members in Georgia, Alabama, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, and Florida that meet the gas needs of approximately 250,000 customers. The Gas Authority was formed in 1987 by an Act of the Georgia General Assembly to assist municipal Members who own and operate natural gas distribution systems.
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