Kevin Cripps Commences Term as NUCA Chairman
At its 2025 annual meeting, the National Utility Contractors Association’s (NUCA) Board of Directors formally inducted Kevin Cripps as its new Chairman.
In his acceptance speech, Cripps discussed the year ahead for NUCA. He gave the meeting’s audience a taste of what his forthcoming work will emphasize for the benefit of our member’s companies and the nation’s utility construction industry.
“This year, I am going to focus my efforts as the top NUCA executive officer on an issue that continues to frustrate us on our projects: damage prevention,” said Cripps. “I have a personal passion for damage prevention issues. I helped rewrite the 811 laws in my state of North Carolina due to a fatality in my company from a power line not being marked. That accident should have been prevented, and I want to do as much as possible to reduce these incidents to zero. Over the next twelve months, I’m going to take it to the next level.”
In 2016, Cripps started Gen3 Energy Services building underground fiber-optic cable systems and today serves as the company president. The company’s name is a nod to his family’s three generations of pipeline builders.
He started in the utility construction industry when he was 15 years old, working for the family business, Distribution Construction Co., also found in Greensboro, North Carolina. His father insisted he learns every aspect of the business. So, he has worked as a laborer, operator, foreman, area manager, safety director, and ultimately, as the company’s vice president and chief operating officer.
Cripps has been involved with NUCA starting in 1980s with his local NUCA chapter, NUCA of the Carolinas. He served as president of NUCA of the Carolinas and also had a seat on the Common Ground Alliance board of directors for excavators.
NUCA Board of Directors
Also elected to the leadership team at the March 20 NUCA Annual Meeting was David Howell as vice-chair, Jason Clark as treasurer, and Kirk Blomgren as secretary. Tony Privitera, the former chairman, now becomes Immediate past chairman.
The association also elected several new vice-chairs to its top leadership team. Victor Serrambana (NorthEast Region vice-chair), Danny Anderson (MidWest Region vice-chair), Luke Lopez (West Region vice-chair), Mike Hewitt (SouthEast Region vice-chair), Tom Lingvai (Central Region vice-chair), and Andy Williams (at-large) were also elected to the NUCA Executive Committee.
Cripps concluded in his acceptance speech, “While we’ve made strides in reducing utility strikes, the road ahead requires unwavering commitment to training, reporting, and innovation. Every dollar spent on prevention is an investment in our industry’s future, in public safety, and in the seamless operation of our communities. Let’s continue to work together to turn the tide on utility strikes, ensuring that our construction projects are not only successful but also safe for everyone involved.”
Cripps’s term as chairman will end one year from now at the next NUCA Annual Meeting, scheduled for February 2025 in Tucson, Arizona. After his term is completed, Cripps will then become the association’s immediate past chairman, and continue to serve on the Board of Directors.
SOURCE – Utility Contractor Magazine
