The Illuminating Company Adds New Line Workers from Power Systems Institute Training Program

AKRON, Ohio, June 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The Illuminating Company, a FirstEnergy Corp. (NYSE: FE) utility, has hired 20 graduates of the company's utility worker training program as part of its ongoing efforts to enhance service reliability for customers in northeast Ohio.

The new line workers represent the first graduating class since the Power Systems Institute (PSI) training program was reinstituted by FirstEnergy at Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C) in 2014.

"The PSI program is an effective pipeline for adding well-trained, highly skilled employees to our workforce," said John Skory, regional president of The Illuminating Company. "By teaming with our veteran linemen as part of the training process, these new employees will help ensure reliable service for our customers, now and in the future."

The new Illuminating Company lines employees listed by work location, with their hometowns, are:

    --  Brooklyn - David Fitzgerald, Brecksville; Craig Gedeon, Parma Heights;
        Nate Graber, Lakewood; Justin Morway, Cleveland; Trevor Schneck, Parma.
    --  Cleveland/Miles - Richard Balcer, Sagamore Hills; Devin Knapp, Fairview;
        Jesse Kyovsky, Broadview Heights; Jacob Martinelli, Lakewood; Kevin
        Oyler, Broadview Heights.
    --  Mayfield - Caleb Henery, Ashtabula; Keith Novak, Parma; Cory Sestak,
        Medina; Cory Trojan, Macedonia; Matthew Wargo, Mentor-on-the-Lake.
    --  Westlake - Matthew Flanigan, Conneaut; Ryan Ladegaard, Bay Village; Cody
        Novatny, Avon Lake; Jeremy Simon, Westlake; Devin Warat, Chardon.

In addition, two graduates of the Tri-C-based PSI program - Patrick Canfield of LaGrange and Zach Truman of Lorain - will be working for Ohio Edison in Elyria.

PSI is an award-winning, two-year educational program originally developed by FirstEnergy in 2000 to help prepare the company's next generation of utility line and substation workers.

PSI students split time between classes at Tri-C and The Illuminating Company's training facility in Brooklyn. Since the program's inception, FirstEnergy has hired nearly 1,500 line and substation personnel who completed PSI programs in Maryland, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia.

For information about the PSI program, call 1-800-829-6801, or go to www.firstenergycorp.com/psi.

The Illuminating Company serves more than 750,000 customers across Ashtabula, Cuyahoga, Geauga, Lake and Lorain counties. Follow The Illuminating Company on Twitter @IlluminatingCo and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/IlluminatingCo.

FirstEnergy is dedicated to safety, reliability and operational excellence. Its 10 electric distribution companies form one of the nation's largest investor-owned electric systems, serving customers in Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, West Virginia, Maryland and New York. The company's transmission subsidiaries operate more than 24,000 miles of transmission lines that connect the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions. Visit FirstEnergy online at www.firstenergycorp.com and follow on Twitter @FirstEnergyCorp.

Editor's Note: Photos of FirstEnergy Power Systems Institute graduates are available upon request.

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SOURCE FirstEnergy Corp.