Six years after launching his career as an Engineer 1 at Okefenoke REMC, James Allen is stepping up to Reliability Engineer following Kane Lee’s promotion to Manager of Engineering. Allen says all the work in the field, with the Apparatus team and Kane these past six years has prepared him to take this next step in helping to deliver safe, reliable and affordable power to OREMC members.

 “It was a pleasant surprise to come to OREMC and get all the exposure to our distribution system beyond a desk,” notes Allen. “I’ve had the good fortune a being involved in the rebuilding of two substations, bringing two new substations onto the system, learning how to interface with Georgia System Operations and how to tie everything together. This was in addition to my primary focus of overseeing the metering system and making sure it’s healthy, while also working with Darren [now Assistant General Manager] on Key Accounts and customer choice loads.”

While he feels confident in his foundational experience, he is aware of the knowledge opportunities his new role presents. These include mastering engineering software that models the OREMC system and helps with load calculations and modeling/testing the system for developing construction work plan improvements, as well as learning more about relaying to downline devices and substations.

 “James' professional growth within the Engineering Department has prepared him exceptionally well for the Reliability role,” states OREMC Assistant General Manager Darren Crews. “His strong learning agility and ability to quickly master new technologies and systems will help ensure that Okefenoke's distribution system continues to improve and evolve. I am confident that James will elevate the Reliability function to a new level and make a significant impact on the organization's success.”

 Allen says, “I look forward to the professional growth. It may be hard in the moment, but also a lot of fun expanding my knowledge base and experience.”

Allen lives in Hickox with his wife Bailee and son Jude.