From being a hub for state government and business to its vibrant sports and entertainment scene – it takes a village to power Connecticut’s capital city. At Eversource’s Hartford Area Work Center, there’s a team of dedicated employees who work around the clock to help keep the lights on, and Sebastian Pandolfo Jr. – or Sebby as he’s known to his colleagues – is like the head coach calling the plays for them to execute.
“We’re in the heart of the city and the state. Hartford has the largest underground electric grid in the state, so when my team looks at the work we do in a year, even they’re impressed by how much we get done together,” said Pandolfo.
As the electric field operations manager for the greater Hartford area, Pandolfo is responsible for the day-to-day work plan for his highly skilled team, comprised of 10 electric field supervisors and nearly 60 lineworkers. That includes monitoring the electric system for any potential outages, maintaining both underground and overhead lines and equipment, and working on capital projects to enhance the reliability of the grid.
“I always say – it’s not us and them, it’s we,” Pandolfo said. “We all need each other to succeed in this line of work.”
A lifelong resident of the Nutmeg State, Pandolfo grew up in East Haddam before attending the University of Connecticut where he graduated with a degree in horticulture – an education that helped get his foot in the door as an electric field worker with Eversource.
“When we look at our employees, our folks mostly work in the communities where they live, so there’s certainly a pride factor in what we do. We want to do good work for our neighbors and respond quickly to restore any outages if they happen,” said Pandolfo.
That commitment to service applies 24/7, 365 days a year for Pandolfo. It’s a responsibility that’s always on his mind, especially during the holiday season.
“When there’s a storm and duty calls, my family knows where I have to be – even if it’s on Thanksgiving or Christmas. It’s a sacrifice for all of us, but everyone understands the expectations.”
Along with that commitment to service is a commitment to safety – which Pandolfo says is a top priority for him and his team in their daily work.
“It’s a dangerous job. Safety is all about attention to detail – your eyes are just as important as your peers to see what they might be missing.”
Pandolfo climbed the ladder at Eversource starting as an underground cable splicer apprentice in 2004. He attributes his success to the mentoring and encouragement he received from his managers as his career progressed.
“I have that same mindset now with my team. If there’s ever an opportunity, you don’t hold them back, you let them grow,” said Pandolfo. “I want to build my team up to be comfortable when I’m not around. To me, that’s a sign that I’m doing my job right.”
Those who work with Pandolfo say they appreciate the culture on their team.
“It’s been great working with Sebby. He’s patient, understanding and a good leader,” said Guillermo Maldonado, electric field supervisor for Hartford. “We spend a lot of time together at work, and the family here is one you can rely on.”
“I started working at Eversource a few weeks ago, and I can already say that the people are the best part,” said Kadean Brown, an associate scheduler and planner in Hartford.
Pandolfo agrees. “My favorite part about the job is the people and pride in what we do. If you look at the more than 10,000 people strong, we all have one goal – to keep the lights on and keep our customers living their normal lives. It’s really meaningful to help others in such an important way.”
Paid for by shareholders.
