Brooklyn Resident Receives Con Edison’s Highest Honor

Darnide Cayo changes lives – for the better. And because of this, she has earned Con Edison’s highest honor.

Her good work includes helping recent college graduates gain the knowledge and skills to succeed in the fast-changing energy industry.

Cayo, a senior specialist in the Talent Management group, is a winner of the Living Our Values Award, which is for high-achieving employees who exemplify stellar character on and off the job.

“When someone is in need of help, I try to imagine myself in that person’s shoes, and think about a time when I was in need of help or guidance, and how I wished to have been treated” Cayo said. “I’m a person of service and want to help others achieve their dreams and feel valued.”

Cayo is the program manager of Con Edison’s Growth Opportunities for Leadership Development (GOLD) program. The GOLD program gives management associates the opportunity to learn about the industry and develop a leadership style that can help them be Con Edison contributors for years to come. This 18-month program is one of the ways Con Edison ensures that it has a steady flow of talented, dedicated people so that it can continue providing safe, reliable energy and excellent customer service.

“We need employees to speak up, be innovative, and find solutions,” said Cayo. “Helping people reach their optimal potential is good for the company and our customers.”

Outside of work, Cayo volunteers at various community initiatives and co-founded a nonprofit humanitarian aid organization with her mother called Artists Village. The goal was to help the people of Haiti with humanitarian aid and help rebuild their lives following natural disasters. Former President George W. Bush recognized the co-founders and their mission at the White House.

Cayo is a resident of Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn and will be pursuing a second graduate degree at Columbia University’s Teachers College in Adult Learning & Leadership. She already earned a graduate degree from Baruch College in Corporate Communication. She credits her success to the strong women who have shaped her life, her mother and grandmother.

The Living Our Values awards were first presented in 1992.

Con Edison is a subsidiary of Consolidated Edison, Inc. [NYSE: ED], one of the nation’s largest investor-owned energy companies, with approximately $12 billion in annual revenues and $54 billion in assets. The utility delivers electricity, natural gas and steam to 3.5 million customers in New York City and Westchester County, N.Y. For financial, operations and customer service information, visit conEd.com.