b'NATURAL GASRELIABLESAFEINNOVATIONSOLUTIONPARTNERSHIPSFRASTRUCTURECOMMUNITYRESOURCESNATURAL GASRELIABLE the opportunity to offer our members When looking for a partnership forTell us about the American GasAssociation (AGA). What drew you toconferences, meetings, webcasts, AGA or CGA, what are some traitsSAFEINNOVATIONSOLUTIONPARTNERSHIPSINFRASTRUCTURE this position? discussion groups, and other forums toyou look for? The AGA represents over 200 energy share leading practices and innovative OMMUNITYRESOURCESNATURAL GASRELIABLESAFEINNOVATION technology developments. It allows us toThe broader the engagement of acompanies that work to deliver cleanpartnership, the more varied theTIONPARTNERSHIPSINFRASTRUCTURECOMMUNITYRESOURCES natural gas throughout the United States.collectively bring together the best mindsperspectives, backgrounds, knowledge, across the industry to develop standards ASRELIABLESAFEINNOVATIONSOLUTIONPARTNERSHIPSINFRA Today, more than one-fourth of the Unitedand innovate and, in general, identifyand expertise, the better chance you have States energy needs are supplied by of thoroughly addressing an issue and AGA members.ways to continually improve operations. It YRESOURCESNATURAL GASRELIABLESAFEINNOVATIONSOLUTION allows us to work together to understandadvancing a viable solution withoutunintended consequences. WheneverMost of my career has been spent with PARTNERSHIPSINFRASTRUCTURECOMMUNITYRESOURCESNATURAL energy trends and provide credible we have the opportunity, we seekthe AGA. I was first hired as an engineerfact-based information and to beLIABLESAFEINNOVATIONSOLUTIONPARTNERSHIPSINFRASTRUCTURE informed participants in energy policypartnerships. For myself, I want a partner over thirty years ago, and while I wasnt familiar with the association at the time, discussions. It is clear to AGA and ourwho shares an interest in the issue, who isCOMMUNITYRESOURCESNATURAL GASRELIABLESAFEINNOVATION membership that we are better whenhonest, open-minded, and willing to listen. I became very impressed and passionate They must bring the same enthusiasm about the work I was doing. Over that SOLUTIONPARTNERSHIPSINFRASTRUCTURECOMMUNITYRESOURCE we work together and engage partnersand commitment that I do to find and time, my career at AGA was working outtoward acheiving a common goal.NATURAL GASRELIABLESAFEINNOVATIONSOLUTIONPARTNERSHIPS Tell us about the Common Ground advocate for a workable solution. so well. It has been so rewarding and I have progressed with the company to myHow have partnerships evolved during FRASTRUCTURECOMMUNITYRESOURCESNATURAL GASRELIABLE Alliance (CGA) and your role in launchingyour tenure with AGA? current role as chief operating officer. the association?SAFEINNOVATIONSOLUTIONPARTNERSHIPSINFRASTRUCTURE What is most inspiring about the Damage to underground pipelines causedWhen I first came to AGA, we would often work AGA does for utilities and their communities? work on issues in a vacuum with little OMMUNITYRESOURCESNATURAL GASRELIABLESAFEINNOVATION by excavation has been a leading causecommunication with stakeholders who of incidents in the natural gas industry. TIONPARTNERSHIPSINFRASTRUCTURECOMMUNITYRESOURCES Energy is so foundationalso criticaltoIn 2000, under the leadership of Richarddid not share our vision. That resulted in our everyday quality of life. Yet, mosta combative environment that bogged ASRELIABLESAFEINNOVATIONSOLUTIONPARTNERSHIPSINFRA people dont realize what it takes to keepFelder, the former Department of down progress and rarely resulted in Transportation associate administrator for these resources performing at the favorable outcomes. It became clear YRESOURCESNATURAL GASRELIABLESAFEINNOVATIONSOLUTION pipeline safety, various members of that building relationshipsengaging all capacity we need them to. For us to industry groups, such as myself on behalf PARTNERSHIPSINFRASTRUCTURECOMMUNITYRESOURCESNATURAL of AGA, leadership from gas distributionthe stakeholderswould lead to more function as a society, it requires daily commitment of hundreds of thousandsefficient and better solutions. Over my 30 and transmission, and others, concluded LIABLESAFEINNOVATIONSOLUTIONPARTNERSHIPSINFRASTRUCTURE that the best way to make a significantyear career at AGA, I have strived to build of skilled employees, innovation, and relationships with all of the stakeholders:COMMUNITYRESOURCESNATURAL GASRELIABLESAFEINNOVATION impact on reducing incidents was topolicymakers, industry leaders, federal necessary infrastructure to get the heat, hot water, and fuel to cook that were allbring together all of the stakeholders SOLUTIONPARTNERSHIPSINFRASTRUCTURECOMMUNITYRESOURCE that engaged in the underground utilityand state regulators, environmental and accustomed to. AGA is actively involvedin advocating on behalf of our safety advocates, educators, equipment industryincluding gas, electric, railroads, NATURAL GASRELIABLESAFEINNOVATIONSOLUTIONPARTNERSHIPS public works, OneCall organizations, andand services providers, customers and membership and helping our members representatives for the publicanyone achieve operational excellence in the safe, FRASTRUCTURECOMMUNITYRESOURCESNATURAL GASRELIABLE equipment and services contractors. who has a stake in any given issue andreliable, efficient, and environmentally SAFEINNOVATIONSOLUTIONPARTNERSHIPSINFRASTRUCTURE responsible delivery of natural gas. It isCGA was formed with the focused is sincerely interested in constructiveinspirational to work with these mission of preventing damage to thedialogue. And having those partnerships OMMUNITYRESOURCESNATURAL GASRELIABLESAFEINNOVATION underground utility infrastructure andhas resulted in better informed and morededicated gas company employeesfrom protecting those who live and work neareffective solutions. the workers in the field to the CEOsto TIONPARTNERSHIPSINFRASTRUCTURECOMMUNITYRESOURCES deliver on these goals affordably to thethese underground pipes, wires, cables,and other facilities. Over the years, ASRELIABLESAFEINNOVATIONSOLUTIONPARTNERSHIPSINFRA 177 million Americans whose quality ofthrough a recognition that accepting life is enhanced thanks to natural gas.LORI TRAWEEK How has AGA worked with their progress, the CGA has collected statisticsYRESOURCESNATURAL GASRELIABLESAFEINNOVATIONSOLUTION shared responsibility is key to makingHaving thosePARTNERSHIPSINFRASTRUCTURECOMMUNITYRESOURCESNATURAL and developed leading practices. Thepartnerships CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER, AMERICAN GAS ASSOCIATION members to improve partnershipsbetween them?Lori Traweek, chief operating officer of the American Gas Association, has been in the oil and gas industry for mostresults have shown a significant reduction LIABLESAFEINNOVATIONSOLUTIONPARTNERSHIPSINFRASTRUCTURE of incidents. And while there is still roomhas resulted in better of her career. When she started with the organization more than thirty years ago, she was involved in pipeline safetyOne of the wonderful characteristics of and environmental advocacy, served on a steering team for the Department of Transportations distribution integritynatural gas utilities is that they dont informed & more COMMUNITYRESOURCESNATURAL GASRELIABLESAFEINNOVATION for improvement, this has been a great management program, and assisted in the launch of the Common Ground Alliance. In her current role, she overseescompete. They also recognize that theexample of what you can achieve wheneffective solutions . SOLUTIONPARTNERSHIPSINFRASTRUCTURECOMMUNITYRESOURCE you partner, bringing togetherthe development of abundant, domestic, affordable, and clean natural gas for consumers to meet the nations energyentire industry benefits when they do theirNATURAL GASRELIABLESAFEINNOVATIONSOLUTIONPARTNERSHIPS stakeholders with a common mission. and environmental needs.job well individually. And perhaps,because so many have engineeringFRASTRUCTURECOMMUNITYRESOURCESNATURAL GASRELIABLE INDUSTRY INTERVIEWbackgrounds, they favor efficiency over SAFEINNOVATIONSOLUTIONPARTNERSHIPSINFRASTRUCTURE reinventing the wheel. This provides AGACONTINUED ON TOP OF PAGE 8SIXOMMUNITYRESOURCESNATURAL GASRELIABLESAFEINNOVATION'