Little Rock, Arkansas (June 22, 2023) – Summit Utilities, Inc. is proud to announce its team member received the Southern Gas Association (SGA) Meritorious Action Honoree award. This award celebrates individuals who have displayed courageous actions to save or attempt to save lives. Houston Southerland, the Supervisor of Corrosion Control Pipeline Safety, accepted the life-saving award at the annual SGA’s Natural Gas Connect Conference. Last year while on the job, Southerland’s quick efforts helped save and bring a mother and her two children to safety after their vehicle caught on fire following a car wreck in Fort Smith, Arkansas. 

“I was in the right place at the right time to help the mother and her kids after they experienced the accident,” said Southerland. “I credit the safety training we receive at Summit that helped me spring into action when I heard the crash and saw smoke coming from the engine.”

Along with the Meritorious Action award, Colorado Natural Gas (CNG), a subsidiary of Summit, received the SGA 2023 Health & Safety Industry Excellence Award. SGA presents the annual award to a natural gas company that exemplifies a best-in-class program that can be a model for others. CNG was awarded for its safety milestone because it has gone seven consecutive years without a recordable injury.

“At CNG, we prioritize safety-first values, and we do this by ensuring the safety of our colleagues, customers, and communities while performing our duties,” said Nathan Knell, Senior Director of Environmental Health Safety and Training for Summit. “Our crews come to work every morning with the goal that they will go home safely to their families each evening.” 

CNG has created a speak-up culture where employees take ownership of the safety program. The teams work together and watch out for each other while performing daily tasks. The goal is for team members to hold their colleagues accountable for safety, and mutual accountability is appreciated.

Last year, Summit was awarded the 2022 SGA Health & Safety Award for its “Parking Safety and Completing a 360-Degree Walkaround” training video. 

The SGA has been an important forum for recognizing leading natural gas companies across the United States and Canada. SGA Awards recognize members who are advancing the natural gas industry. The SGA aims to support and showcase the great work of companies that have achieved measurable business outcomes in their organizations. SGA Awards recognize individuals and teams for their technical contributions, professional excellence, career achievement, service to colleagues, industry leadership, and community service.