Everyday people come into work and look for ways to make their daily responsibilities more effective and productive. For Michael Scudder, of Oxford, that search brought him not only succcess in his task, but also recognition for his accomplishment.
Scudder was one of only nine recipients this year to be honored with DTE Energy’s Alex Dow Award. The award, named after the second president of the company, has been given annually since 1946 to either current or retired DTE Energy employees in recognition of outstanding achievements in innovation, emergency action, improved company operations, extraordinary performance or humanitarian achievements.
‘I was very surprised they honored us with such a high company award,? said Scudder, a two year employee with the company. ‘You just really feel honored.?
Scudder, along with coworkers Keith Knepp and Daniel Puggini, received the award for developing a method to utilize a portable Compressed Natural Gas unit to provide gas pressure needed to uprate the natural gas system in a residential area of Van Buren Township. The CNG unit is normally used to fuel gas-powered vehicles.
This new innovation saved DTE Energy in excess of $280,000 by circumventing the need to construct almost a full mile of higher-pressure gas line and the purchase of a new compressor. Also, since the design allowed the area to be segmented into smaller sections with the work being done in phases, the company used less manpower and saved in overtime costs.
The Oxford resident designed the CNG while mechanic Keith Knepp did the actual construction. Neither man thought that doing their jobs would garner them recognition.
‘I never expected it,? said Scudder. ‘I thought the other two guys should have been rewarded for their work – they deserved some recognition for their efforts and time commitment.?
In fact, Scudder originally wrote an article on the project himself as a way of thanking his ‘teammates.? The ingenuity of the idea impressed coworker Susan King, also an engineer, who decided to nominate the three men for an award.
‘There were over 300 people nominated and only nine received the award,? said Scudder. ‘When I look over some of the other winners, I just don’t feel that we really compare.?
Scudder, who lives on Indian Lake Rd. with his wife Angela, their daughter Kelly and son Brent, has been an Oxford resident for 15 years. He received his degree in mechanical engineering from Lawrence Technology University in Southfield, and worked for A.N.R. Pipeline for 23 years before retiring and going to DTE Energy.
At DTE Energy he is a supervising engineer in charge of the distribution gas supply system for Detroit and neighboring areas. Along with his co-workers, Scudder put a significant amount of his own time and effort into creating a more efficient and productive way of ‘doing his job.?