Rockland County Woman Recognized For Living Her Values
Melissa Corniel Earns Con Edison’s Most Prestigious Award
Melissa Corniel has earned Con Edison’s Living Our Values (LOV) award in recognition of her 15-year career of operational excellence and customer service at a ceremony yesterday. Each year, Con Edison selects employees who exemplify the values of service, teamwork and excellence, and demonstrate concerns for the quality of life in their communities. She was one of six employees honored this year.
“I am honored and humbled to receive this award,” said Mrs. Corniel. “It shows my family that the hard work and time that I’ve spent away from them is appreciated and valued. I share this recognition with my husband, parents, and children – it is with their support that I have been able to excel.”
Melissa proved herself to be a powerhouse from her very first assignment in Orange & Rockland (O&R) customer service to her current position as a Con Edison construction planner and every step in between. She received the O&R “YOURBest" award in 2017 for her help developing and promoting a +1 customer service culture across the company. After five years as a customer service representative, Melissa decided she would like to work with her hands and help customers face-to-face rather than on the telephone, so she pursued a position in the male dominated gas construction side of the business. As the only woman Gas Distribution Systems (GDS) mechanic at the time, Melissa challenged both herself and norms.
“The guys didn’t really know what to expect when I started, and I felt like an outsider,” said Melissa. “But my manager let me have the floor at a staff meeting and I spoke from the heart. I told them that I didn’t want any special treatment; I only wanted them to show me the same respect they showed each other, and with that I was going to do my best to be just as good as they were. From that time on I was part of the team.”
Melissa tapping a gas main.
Creating a culture of mutual respect and cooperation is the hallmark of Melissa’s work. In 2016, Melissa was honored with the Energy Services “EDGE" award for her dedication and support of customer focused initiatives. She was instrumental in helping reduce the waiting time for service installations from greater than 100 days to fewer than 60 days. Her process was so successful it was incorporated into a new work management organization for Gas Operations companywide.
During her career with Con Edison, Melissa earned both her bachelor’s Degree and a Master’s degree in Construction Management. In addition, she has mentored other women at the company in the, “Women and Gas Mentoring Program” and “Women’s Coalition”. A busy wife and mother of three, Melissa also found time to coach her children’s softball, baseball and cheerleading teams, serve as a class mom, on the Parent Teacher Association; and volunteer each month at St. Paul’s Food Cupboard in Congers, NY.
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.