University thanks companies for ice storm assistance

aquila small energizer small
Aquila Inc. (top) and Energizer (bottom) emplpoyees pose with Northwest
President Dean L. Hubbard following a luncheon held to thank the companies for
providing resources that allowed the University to remains open following a
severe December ice storm.

(Top) At left is electric supervisor Larry Stuart, at center is Dr. Hubbard, at right
is Field Supervisor Ronnie Vandiver.

(Bottom) Pictured from left: Sandy Davison, Kyle Garrett, Jaime Dombek,
Dr. Hubbard, Steve Miller, Karen Walk, Brenda Stiens and Greg Giesken.

Northwest President Dean L. Hubbard welcomed employees of Aquila Inc. and Energizer to a campus reception last week (Thursday, Jan. 17) to thank them for their role in helping the University ride out a severe mid-December ice storm.

Aquila is a utility company that provides electricity to Maryville and other northwest Missouri communities. Energizer is a major battery manufacturer that maintains a large local production facility.

In the aftermath of the storm, Aquila crews successfully kept power flowing to all of the campus’ major academic, student services and classroom buildings, which allowed Northwest to keep operating through most of finals week. Northwest did close on Tuesday, Dec. 11, the day after the storm, but re-opened the following day.

Even after re-opening, however, University officials remained concerned about the possibility of a power failure, fearing especially that students living in residence halls might resort to burning candles.

A request from Hubbard resulted in Energizer donating 1,700 battery-powered flashlights for student use in the event of an outage.

“After the truck got here, I asked (Campus Safety Director) Clarence Green if he got an invoice,” Hubbard said, by way of describing how he learned Energizer was providing the flashlights at no cost. “He told me, ‘They wouldn’t give me one.’”

Being able to provide both electricity and student access to personal emergency lighting allowed the University to get through finals week without canceling examinations. But more importantly, Hubbard said, remaining open kept 6,000 automobiles -- most of which would have been driven by students trying to get home -- off treacherously slick highways.

That very likely prevented accidents, the president said, and would have been impossible without heat and the electricity needed to prepare and store food.

“We’re here to thank two corporate friends that really made a difference when we were in dire need,” said Hubbard, thanking Aquila for “making us feel that we were the most important account you had” and Energizer for responding instantly to a plea for “a couple of thousand flashlights.”

For more information, please contact:

Anthony Brown,
News Bureau Manager
E-Mail: abrown@nwmissouri.edu
Phone: 660.562.1704
Fax: 660.562.1900

Northwest Missouri State University
219 Administration Building,
800 University Drive
Maryville, MO 64468

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