Chief Operating Officer Greg Dell is retiring this month after dedicating more than 39 years of service to Conway Corp and the Conway community.
Greg joined the company as a load control technician, facilities maintenance systems designer in 1985. He was the manager of engineering and planning before being promoted to COO in 2017.
During his almost 40 years with the company, Greg saw many changes. He said the most satisfying part about his career included advancing and modernizing the tools and equipment staff use to perform their jobs.
“An employee came by my office recently to visit and to say thanks for ‘getting us what we need to do our jobs safer and better,” Greg said. “When I think about my accomplishments at Conway Corporation, this is right at the top.”
When asked about a devastating time, he laughed, reflecting on the pandemonium from Y2K.
“Nothing actually happened but I am proud that we were prepared,” he said. “We were ready with MREs, heaters, blankets, cots, flashlights and lots of other stuff we didn’t need and also a bunch of extra coffee that we did need. Looking back, it’s kind of funny now but when you are providing essential services (electric, water and broadband) you can’t just hope things will be okay, you have got to plan for the worst. And we did.”
During his tenure, the city of Conway nearly tripled in population. Chief Executive Officer Bret Carroll described Greg as dedicated and focused, committed to Conway’s growth.
“Greg’s career at Conway Corp has spanned 39 years and during that time he has been involved in nearly every aspect of the company,” Bret said. “I have especially appreciated his tireless efforts in planning for future water supply for Conway and improving our mutual aid agreements for our power association in Arkansas.”
His colleagues also bragged about his tenacity.
“During his time as Chief Operating Officer, Greg has provided leadership with an eye both on our present and future infrastructure needs,” Chief Marketing Officer Crystal Kemp said. “His dedication and focus will continue to serve the community well even after his retirement. I wish him a fulfilling retirement and am thankful for his valuable contributions.”
Greg said the co-workers he worked with day in and day out, were one of the reasons he stayed at Conway Corp so long.
“I will miss the people I work with and the work and interactions that we have which make a real difference for our city. The work we do is extremely important today and many years from now and most people in Conway, if they are thinking about it at all, just trust and expect that it is getting done. We have a great team all the way across the board that are just getting it done behind the scenes. I will miss working with those people making that difference for Conway.”
Though he admitted to missing this group, Greg already has plans for the next chapter in his story.
“April is spoken for as its turkey season, but after that my wife and I are going to go take a road trip with no schedule and just a general direction, ‘east-ish’. When we get home, I’m going to build a cabin on some land we have.”
After reflecting on his time, he leaves employees with a popular quote from Theodore Roosevelt:
“Whenever you are asked if you can do a job, tell ‘em – ‘Certainly I can!’ Then get busy and find out how to do it.”
Congrats, Greg!
