The Utility Company LLC Lights Up The Web!
Long-time utilities professional looks to help universities stay competitive, healthy

DUMFRIES, VA. - University and college facilities managers have a lot more to do than just make sure the lights stay burning. Just ask Ken and Leah Massie, who have a combined 50 years of utilities and data management expertise between them.

The Massie's company, The Utility Company LLC, recently launched a presence on the Web (www.utility-company.com) designed to let higher educational institutions know that they understand what they're up against.

"Higher education is not immune from competition. It is important for every business to reduce cost, and to operate as efficiently as possible," Ken says. "The more an institution can reduce the cost of operating; more money can be allocated to their educational programs and services. We try to help minimize risks and costs so other programs can be expanded."

The Utility Company LLC is a limited partnership between Ken, a Certified Energy Manager, and Leah, General Manager. The company is based in Dumfries, Virginia, just 30 miles south of Washington, D.C.

Ken has 25 years of experience in utilities management, including the last five years as a Manager of Utilities Services who supplied all the basic utilities to a university campus, such as steam, chilled water, primary electrical services, and portable water.

Leah's expertise is in data systems and computers. She's worked on such notable projects as the Hubble Space Telescope Project and the Landsat 7 Project Library at Goddard Space Flight Center.

Together, the Massies key in on the needs of a university or college to make sure its plant is running as safely and efficiently as possible.

Ken meets with utilities managers and provides a straight-on needs assessment of the plant, offering professional analysis that managers can use to optimize the systems they have.

Leah takes the data from the field and assembles it into clear, concise reports. This organizational structure allows her to provide a high degree of quality control for customer projects.

The Massies believe an efficient plant means a safer university. And it also means keeping costs down - a fact not lost on today's administrators who must be more creative when balancing the financial needs of their schools. "We hope to expand our base to as many institutions as possible. I want to show that we can provide low-risk, cost-effective solutions that will improve their facilities," Ken explains.

www.utility-company.com is a window into the Massie's world, reflecting a lifelong desire to understand how things work, and how to make them work better. "I've been fascinated by electrical and mechanical equipment since I was a small boy and I'm excited by what makes them tick. I also enjoy seeing things that are both aesthetically pleasing and efficient," Ken says. "We make every effort to use low-risk, cost-effective solutions to solve problems. We like to hear people say, 'Why didn't I think of that?'"

The Utility Company LLC can be found on the Web at www.utility-company.com. For further information, please contact Ken Massie at 703.583.4408, or email him at mail@utility-company.com.