We are excited to welcome Mark Steele, our Safety and Compliance Manager, to the team! He and his family reside in West Unity, Ohio, with a wide range of pets, including dogs and reptiles. 

Here's a fun Q&A with Mark to help our members get to know the newest member of our PPEC family.

Can you tell us a bit about your family?

I live with my fiancé, Tiffany, and her 19-year-old daughter, who claims to be moving out soon, but you know how that goes. Between the two of us, we have four kids and five grandchildren, with one still cooking. We have four dogs (two huskies, one pit, and one mastiff mix) that like to hog our bed and sleep between us. We also have two bearded dragons, a leopard-tailed gecko, a crested gecko, one regular gecko, two turtles, and two axolotls (commonly known as water dogs or fish with legs.) Donations are always welcome. 

Why did you want to work at PPEC? 

I wanted to work for PPEC because of the 7 Cooperative Principles; yes, I'm serious. 

Can you tell us about your former work history and any related experience? 

I have about 15 years of experience in natural gas, pipeline, water, and sewer utilities and over 16 years of safety and compliance experience in utilities and other industries, including time with Indiana OSHA. I was also pretty good at landscaping and was on an episode of the Ground Breakers TV show that featured one of the jobs I was managing. 

What sorts of tasks will you be doing here at PPEC?

I'll be making sure our team members have everything they need to get their jobs done and get home to whatever they have waiting for them when they get there every day.

What are you looking forward to? 

Getting to know my new family and the communities that we serve. 

What are some of your hobbies and interests outside of work? 

I like to be out in nature. We are planning on getting kayaks in the spring so we can hop on some of the rivers around here. I can usually be found at home working out, working on the yard, or just sitting by the river zoning out. 

A fun fact about you? 

I once completed a Spartan Trifecta. Spartans are obstacle course races where if you run a sprint (3-5 miles), Super (8-12 miles), and a Beast (15-20 miles) in one year, you earn a trifecta medal. 

A favorite quote or motto that inspires you or you like to live by? 

"Do, or do not. There is no "try." - Yoda

Is there anything else you'd like to share? 

Safety is not my job; safety is who I am.