November 2007

photo by Safety Manager Tom Kirby

FKEC Crew Leader Jason Heller and his family recently posed for a safety program poster to help remind co-op employees to work safely for their families. From left: Jason with his daughters Kelsey (11), Alli (14), and Haylie (13), and his wife Jennifer.

Meet Jason Heller...

Jason Heller's family moved to the Keys when he was 10 and he doesn't plan on leaving.

"I like the environment, fresh air, clean water, warm weather and safe communities," he said. "I also like the good-hearted people who live here."

Heller was born in Concord, Massachusetts, but spent his first nine years in Zephyrhills, where he says children play outside most of the time. He still enjoys fishing, bully-netting for lobster, golfing and working outdoors. He now serves our community as a Crew Leader and Journeyman Lineman.

"It's very rewarding to be there for your community," he said, "especially after a storm when they need to start putting their lives back together."

When asked about his greatest accomplishment, Heller mentions his family first. He met his wife Jennifer just after he graduated from high school in Marathon. They've been married for 16 years and have three beautiful daughters. Heller's mother still lives in Marathon and his father and brother live in Indiana. He has two sisters in Central Florida.

Family is important to Jason and he appreciates working for a small town electric cooperative. "It's really like a second family to me," he said. "My co-workers and crew members are very professional and helpful, and it's really a healthy environment to be around."

When he was 19 years old, Heller worked as an electrician but then turned his interest in electricity into a career by joining FKEC on the Right-of-Way Tree Crew. Within a year he was promoted to Groundman, and shortly thereafter was accepted into the challenging four-year Apprentice Lineman program. During this time, he built his own house in the neighborhood he grew up in with the help of "a couple of good friends" in Marathon.

Jason completed the Apprentice Program when he was only 26 and earned the designation of Journeyman Lineman. At 32, he was
promoted again to Crew Leader. He is also certified to perform Barehand Live Line maintenance on high voltage transmission lines.

In the future, Jason plans to help his daughters earn college educations and then possibly volunteer for Habitat for Humanity or similar affordable housing programs.

"I would like to be able to help the next generation enjoy the same thing I was able to experience growing up in the Florida Keys."