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Plus One recognition helps lineman finish career on a high note

Lineworkers are like celebrities when they roll in to restore power after a storm. In neighborhoods or on a lonely country road, there’s always someone who wants to say thanks, shake hands, offer a meal or ask for help. Hurricane Ida was no different.

Once the lights were back on for Entergy Mississippi customers affected by the storm, Greg McGriff hit the road. The shift serviceman from the Rankin County office was one of more than 28,000 workers from 41 states who traveled to Louisiana following Hurricane Ida. McGriff spent more than two weeks there rebuilding our infrastructure and restoring power. He wasn’t surprised to meet so many grateful customers during that restoration effort. But learning a customer contacted the company to thank him by name left him speechless. 

“I didn’t expect that,” he said. “Customers are always nice and appreciative when you’re there. They do all kinds of good things to thank us. But a letter to the company specifically thanking me? That’s never happened to me before.”

McGriff said he was just doing his job. The customer thought he was going above and beyond the call of duty.

Both the customer’s Amite, Louisiana home and farm, about a mile apart, were without power. Crews restored power to his neighbors on Sept. 13, but his home couldn’t take power. He was waiting on an electrician to make repairs to his weatherhead. It was damaged because a tree had taken down the service line to his home. After the electrician made the repairs, the customer saw McGriff working in the area and approached him to explain the problem. McGriff gladly went to the customer’s home and reconnected the line.

The next day, the customer learned power was restored at the neighbor’s home next to his farm, yet his property was still without power. Again, he saw McGriff working in the area and spoke to him about that outage. McGriff followed the customer to his farm and saw the line was reconnected, but a fuse was still open. He closed the fuse, restoring power at the customer’s farm.

“I would like to compliment Entergy on restoring power in our area after we were hit hard by Hurricane Ida,” the customer explained via email. “Entergy employees and contractors from all over the United States worked very hard under adverse conditions. I would like to acknowledge one employee in particular – Greg McGriff of Pelahatchie, Mississippi. Mr. McGriff was working in the area and when I approached him about the problem, he personally came and restored power to my home [and farm]. Entergy needs more employees like Greg McGriff.”

McGriff’s efforts earned him recognition in Entergy Mississippi’s Plus One program, which celebrates employees who provide exceptional customer service experiences. The recognition from the Louisiana customer and the Plus One program is timely, as McGriff retires this month with 32 years of service. He said receiving this honor is an unexpected yet fulfilling way to finish his career.

“I’m grateful to be recognized, especially by the customer,” he said. “My whole family has done this job, including me, my daddy and my brothers. We all do it for the same reason – to help get the lights back on when people need it the most. Working at Entergy gave me a good career, allowed me to help others and put my kids through college. I’ve had a good run.”