September 15, 2006

FKEC's Most Senior Employee Willie West Celebrates 49 Years

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

"We are lucky to have Willie and his first-hand perspective of FKEC," said CEO Scott Newberry. "He is an invaluable member of our Fleet Maintenance Department and company."

Willie has watched the co-op’s membership increase over ten times and the fleet to go from only eight vehicles to more than 70 vehicles.

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 holes 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, originally from Georgia, worked briefly for a crop-duster in Homestead and then for a contractor in the Keys before joining FKEC.