Port Washington’s Adrianne Ortizo to Receive Con Edison’s Highest Honor
Ms. Ortizo is a section manager in Con Edison’s Distribution Engineering department, and has played a leading role in improving public safety in Con Edison’s contact voltage program. Con Edison has special vehicles that scan streets and sidewalks for stray (contact) electric voltage. When the company finds it, steps are immediately taken to protect everyone from the danger of receiving an electric shock until work crews arrive and the affected area can be made safe.
Her oversight of the program has led to the development of an aggressive team to address the issue. Process improvements have included new best practices, better quality and work management procedures, integration of information technology tracking methodologies, and enhanced stakeholder cooperation efforts. The combination has produced improved results.
"Adrianne is a champion of public safety, and has served as our key speaker and organizer concerning urban contact voltage prevention, detection and mitigation,” said James Leary, a department manager in the company’s Distribution Engineering unit. “Her work has brought continued engagement across the utility industry, with broad participation by utilities in the U.S. and abroad, as well as with vendors, research institutions, academia, and regulators. The forum serves to improve the safety of not just people in New York City, but around the country and around the world."
Adrianne also has been active as a volunteer in the ACE Mentor Program for many years. As a program mentor, she organizes activities and events to support high school students considering careers in architecture, engineering, construction management or other disciplines. Through this program, she helps the students understand what to expect in a career in these areas and how to prepare for it. She provides expertise, support, and encouragement for students as they work on real projects. Several of the student program participants have earned scholarships to institutions that include M.I.T., Boston University and Cooper Union.
For people who know Adrianne, her commitment and dedication to this program is no surprise. It's obvious that her sense of teamwork is merely a facet of her strong sense of community. Adrianne also volunteers and has been a supporter of Bottomless Closet, an organization dedicated assisting economically disadvantaged women in New York City secure employment, and achieve self-sufficiency and success in their careers.
Con Edison is a subsidiary of Consolidated Edison, Inc. [NYSE: ED], one of the nation's largest investor-owned energy companies, with approximately $12 billion in annual revenues and $48 billion in assets. The utility provides electric, gas and steam service to more than three million customers in New York City and Westchester County, New York.