Thank You to our Cypress Creek Veterans
Happy Veterans Day.
Since 1921, we have honored American men and women on November 11th who sacrificed through military service to our country. In appreciation of this service, Cypress Creek provided our veterans with an additional paid company holiday on Friday, November 10. Our veterans embody the shared values of our company: care, courage, creativity, conviction, and collaboration. We are honored to have them on our team and thankful for the sacrifices they have made for our nation.
Throughout this week a few of the veterans on our team shared their stories with us:
Veronica Tippie is a NERC Operations & Planning Analyst with our Operations and Management business, Cypress Creek Solutions . She also served in the United States Navy for 6 years as a Nuclear Electronics Technician (Nuclear Reactor Operator) on board the nuclear aircraft carrier USS John C Stennis. She achieved the rank of Petty Officer 2nd Class (E5).
“My time in the Navy as a nuclear reactor operator taught me that reliability and integrity are of the utmost importance. Reactor operators are responsible for keeping power to the ship and maintaining catapults for flight operations. Without them we couldn’t execute our mission. The values I learned in the Navy made transitioning to a company like Cypress Creek seamless – it was incredible to find a company whose values so strongly aligned with my own.”
Rick Borecki is a Senior Director on our Project Execution team. He also served three tours with the U.S. Navy. He wanted to share a few of the traits that he feels his military training instilled in him that have made him so successful at Cypress Creek.
Discipline, time management and a strong work ethic: “These qualities are highly valued in any field, including renewable energy, where projects often require strict adherence to timelines and consistent effort.”
Teamwork and Leadership: “military personnel are trained to work collaboratively with diverse teams and adapt to different roles. This teamwork experience translates well to the private sector, as renewable energy projects often involve many teams and require collaboration to achieve sustainability goals.”
Problem-solving and adaptability: “the military prepares individuals to think critically in challenging situations and develop solutions on the go. In the renewable energy field, where technological advancements and changing regulations are common, problem-solving skills and adaptability are highly sought after.”
"Finally, I think most Veterans develop a very deep appreciation for all the friends and family members that supported us throughout our tours. I can attest that it’s never easy on our loved ones back home. A sincere thanks to all the friends and family of us Veterans. You made the hard times easier for us.
In closing, I really enjoy working at a great organization like Cypress Creek Renewables that celebrates Veterans for their service and where my military training blends well with all segments in our business. It was an honor to serve, and I would do it again without hesitation.
To all the Veterans: Thank you for your sacrifices and service."
Miki Balstad is an associate director on our development team. She also served in the active duty Army both as enlisted and as officer from 2007 to 2019. Her primary role was as a military police platoon leader, executive officer, and company commander in South Korea, Fort Liberty (Airborne), and Fort Moore.
Miki’s undergraduate and graduate degrees focused on environmental engineering and energy & sustainability. However, she most valued the importance of training in leadership and organizational change. The combination of environmental education and leadership experience greatly opened the doors of opportunity for environmental impact. She’s spent the years after her transition deeply learning the sustainable energy industry and the critical intersections that require diligent decision making.
“Over the last few years, Cypress Creek has also deliberately inserted itself into those intersections that are vital to sustainable infrastructure and energy. The ability to lead, make sound decisions, and involve teams in those processes are just as relevant at Cypress Creek as they were in the Army; there is a lot of core-value overlap rooted in justice, community service, and being a good steward of the planet.”
Dustin Bridges is one of the great field technicians working for our Operations and Maintenance business, Cypress Creek Solutions . He was also enlisted for 13 years in the United States Marine Corp as an aviation electrician. He had two deployments to Afghanistan as a part of MALS-11 and another deployment on the USS Ronald Regan, as part of the VMFA 323 Death Rattlers. He left the service in 2017 and began working in solar, joining Cypress Creek four years ago.
“During my time in the USMC I learned every aspect of the maintenance process. I not only did the work, but also performed quality assurance inspections on the work of others, controlled production, handled the procurement of parts, and implemented and ran the programs included in every maintenance department. I learned process improvement techniques through the lean six sigma/airspeed program. I was unaware of how well the military prepared me for the civilian work force until I entered it again after 13 years of service.
I will forever be proud and grateful for my time in the service, not only because of what I did, but for what it did for me as well. As an employee at Cypress Creek I feel the same sense of camaraderie and belonging that I had while in the USMC. I enjoy doing my job and the coworkers I do it with. There are few things more pleasing in life than enjoying the work you do on a daily basis.”
To those pictured above and the rest of the amazing veterans on the Cypress Creek team, thank you for your service to our country and your continued contributions to Cypress Creek and our mission of powering a sustainable future.
