Local Man Wins Con Ed's Highest Award

NEW FAIRFIELD, CT -- A New Fairfield man who leads Con Edison’s efforts to support low-income customers struggling to pay their energy bills has won the company’s highest honor for his professional achievements and volunteer work in his hometown.

Robert Buck, who joined Con Ed in 2002, earned the “Living Our Values” award, which the company bestows on employees who best embody dedication to customer service, teamwork, integrity and commitment to the community.

Buck, a section manager in Con Edison’s Customer Operations department, manages the group that runs programs that provide discounts to 450,000 low-income customers. He leads the company’s efforts to
connect needy customers with public assistance agencies that can help them pay their bills.

“I feel privileged to have a job gives me the chance to have a real impact on people’s lives,” Buck said. “I think my work, like all the work we do here at Con Edison, helps keep the New York region vibrant. That’s a source of pride for me.”

Among Buck’s accomplishments is his work with public assistance agencies to automate payments the agencies make on behalf of customers. With the improvements, payments credit to accounts more quickly. That takes pressure of a customer who had fallen behind on payments.

He also developed a program under which Con Edison sends e-mails to customers who have fallen behind on payments. The e-mails provide information on options the customer has.

Buck is a Cubs Scout leader in New Fairfield, overseeing programs that serve 100 children from grades one to five. He devotes many of his weekends to organizing Cubs Scout activities and participating in events.

Buck served in the U.S. Navy from 1996 to 2002 as a nuclear machinist mate first class and was stationed aboard the USS Connecticut at the submarine base at Groton.