September 9th, 2005
FKEC EMPLOYEE WILLIE WEST CELEBRATES 48 YEARS

On September 2, 1957, Willie West joined Florida Keys Electric Cooperative at 22 years old. The Co-op was just 17.

"After 48 years with FKEC, Willie has a rare first-hand perspective on the growth of our area and our company," said CEO Tim Planer. "When Willie joined the Co-op, we served one tenth of our current members and had only eight vehicles in our fleet. Today we have more than 70 vehicles, but there's still only one Willie West."

One of those original eight vehicles was a truck carrying an air compressor which West and his co-workers used to run a jack hammer. With the hammer the team dug hole after hole in the coral rock to set the first wooden power poles that carried electricity to homes in growing neighborhoods from Marathon to North Key Largo. West now works as an invaluable member of the Fleet Maintenance Department.

West is originally from Georgia. He worked briefly for a crop-duster in Homestead and then for a contractor in the Keys before finding his "home" at FKEC.