Berges retires after 53 rewarding years with Highline Electric

    When Bob Goldenstein, former Highline Electric Association general manager, hired Nancy Berges on Aug. 15, 1964, he explained to her that he expected a long-term commitment. She took those words very seriously, giving HEA 53 years of service. Berges will retire at the end of this year.
    At that time, Goldenstein was office manager for HEA in Ovid. He told Berges that he wasn’t interested in hiring someone who wanted to work just a couple of years to pay off a car or something. He explained that it would take at least two years to train for all the intricacies and details of the position.
    Holding the record for the most years of service ever in the history of HEA, Berges started out as cashier in the Ovid office. In 1995 she transferred to the Holyoke office where she is now member services director, handling customer concerns, new service setup and just about anything having to do with the member, noted Berges.
    Another former HEA general manager, Fred Cooper, advised Berges that once the meter is in, the company sells service, not electricity.
    HEA is a service organization, said Berges. She noted that she is responsible for member service for over 3,000 irrigation wells. Berges mentioned that one of the most difficult parts of her position is dealing with disconnection for nonpayment. It requires a great deal of compassion, she noted.
    Among other duties, she coordinates member activities and articles for Colorado Country Life magazine. She also helps orchestrate the annual meeting for members. She pointed out that providing a good meal, a free gift and door prizes, and keeping the program short result in happy members.
    The blizzard of 1977 was one of the worst things that ever happened in her tenure, noted Berges. HEA lost over 9,000 poles. She explained that the lines were superintendent Frank Linnenbrink’s “babies.” He happened to be on vacation in California when the blizzard hit. She remembers Linnenbrink calling her to ask how bad it was. She also remembers having to tell him the bad news  — almost every line was down. Most people were without electricity between three and six weeks.
    Berges commends the board for always keeping company equipment in top shape and providing excellent vehicles and good working conditions for employees. HEA is the No. 1 place in the area to work, said Berges. She has enjoyed excellent benefits and a good salary over the years, she added.
    Berges noted that she has had an extremely rewarding career and has thoroughly enjoyed assisting members in all their needs. She feels fortunate to have had the opportunity to help others.
    She enjoys volunteering and plans to do more after her retirement. She loves canning, putting up over 2,000 jars of meats, stews, jellies, vegetables and fruits, and much more every year. She noted that she has some decluttering to do as some closets have been overlooked for years.
    Berges was the youngest person ever at the time to be appointed to the Sedgwick County hospital and nursing home board where she served for 10 years. She is a past chairman of Lower South Platte Watershed and a member of the Colorado Conservation Leadership Program.
    Berges was appointed by the governor to serve on the 13th Judicial District Commission on Judicial Reform and the Nominating Commission, serving two terms. She has served as the Colorado Farm Bureau District 2 ladies chairman. She has been the water safety chairman for the American Red Cross and has served on the Natural Resource Conservation Service in Sedgwick County.
    She is a member of Fort Sedgwick Historical Society, the Progressive 15 counties of northeast Colorado and is a Holyoke Community Federal Credit Union board member. She is a member of the Sedgwick County Republican central committee and has served as secretary for many years.
    She has been named Star of the Year twice by the Holyoke Chamber of Commerce, Outstanding Citizen of the year by Sedgwick County and Outstanding Woman of the Year by the Business and Professional Women’s organization.
    Berges and her husband Raymond have three sons —Ron, a psychiatrist in Ottumwa, Iowa; Rory, a CPA for the Small Business Administration in Denver; and Ryan, a financial planner in Frederick, Maryland. They have seven grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.