UPSA Virtual Webinar

December 3, 2024 2 p.m. EST
Teams invite to be sent out after registering.
The Importance of Effective Electric and Natural Gas Public Safety Education,
Presented by AEGIS Insurance, with presenters Laura Strowbridge and William Burnett, Senior Natural Gas Utility Professional

AEGIS Insurance services, Inc.
Webinar Title: Insights on Industry Losses

Laura is responsible for managing the Loss Control Division’s Casualty Operations, which provides member utilities products, services and programs that help improve their operations and reduce their overall long-term cost of risk. Laura has more than 34 years of experience in the electric utility industry. Since jointing AEGIS Insurance Services 15 years ago, she has worked with member utilities across the US and Canada on loss and safety issues related to electric operations and public safety by conducting on-site operational risk assessments. Prior to joining AEGIS, Laura held engineering and management positions at New York State Electric and Gas (NYSEG) and Rochester Gas and Electric Corporation (RG&E), including Vice President of Technical Services and Manager of Distribution Engineering. During her tenure at NYSEG and RG&E, Laura was responsible for distribution and transmission system engineering, vegetation management and capital planning. Laura is a member of IEEE, has served on the Industrial Advisory Board at Rochester Institute of Technology, and is the past President of the Electrical Association of Rochester. Laura graduated from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University with a B.S. in Electrical Engineering. She received an M.B.A. from Rochester Institute of Technology: M.B.A and is a Registered Professional Engineer in the state of New York

An AEGIS Casualty Risk Assessment is typically conducted on a three year cycle, involves the utilities Risk Manager and operational subject matter experts (SME’s) covering a variety of topics. Questions are posed to the SME’s that are derived from the professional ‘s experience, other utility operations observations or findings, and AEGIS claim experience as each topic element is evaluated for prudent standards, policy or procedures, as they relate to the public’s safety. Electric operation topics can include but not limited to; design standards, system inspections, substation inspections, emergency call handling and dispatch, dams, joint pole practices, wildfire mitigation, and public safety awareness programs. Natural gas operations can include but not limited to; damage prevention, continuing surveillance, odorization, emergency call handling and response, system inspections, customer premise practices, natural gas storage, and public safety awareness programs.

Conducting the webinar will be AEGIS Loss Control’s Laura Strowbridge, P.E., Vice President, Loss Control Utility Operations and William Burnett, Senior Natural Gas Utility Professional

Laura has more than 32 years of experience in the electric utility industry. In her current position, she works with AEGIS member utilities across the US and Canada on loss control and safety issues related to electric operations and public safety by conducting operational risk assessments. Prior to joining AEGIS 13 years ago, Laura held engineering and management positions at New York State Electric and Gas (NYSEG) and Rochester Gas and Electric Corporation (RG&E), including Vice President of Technical Services and Manager of Distribution Engineering. Laura graduated from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University with a B.S. in Electrical Engineering. She received an M.B.A. from Rochester Institute of Technology and is a Registered Professional Engineer in the state of New York.

Bill serves AEGIS Insurance Services as a Senior Natural Gas Utility Professional within the Loss Control Division, focusing on natural gas utility risk assessments and services aimed to promote public and employee safety and improve utility operations to reduce long-term cost of risk. Prior to joining AEGIS, Bill held numerous management positions over his 38-year career within Ameren Missouri, including Supervising Gas Engineer and Superintendent of the Central Missouri Gas Operations. He has a wide range of experiences in gas transmission and gas distribution design, construction best practices, gas strategic planning, budgeting and rate cases. Bill has served on boards and operating committees with the American Gas Association, Midwest Energy Association and the Missouri Association of Natural Gas Operators. Bill holds a B.S. Degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Missouri – Columbia.