JOLIET, ILLINOIS – The Joint Utility Locating Information for Excavators (JULIE, Inc.) recently announced the election of several new Board Directors and Officers. Mark Frost, executive director of JULIE, Inc. made the announcement.

“Our new Board members have extensive public safety and underground damage prevention experience along with a proven ability to work with various stakeholders,” said Frost. “As one of the largest industry one-call centers in the nation, we are excited about the future direction of the organization.”

 During the organization’s annual meeting in Grafton, Illinois, members elected John Pruden, City of Salem (Small Utility) and Tom Hobson, Marathon Ashland Pipeline LLC (Pipeline), to serve on the Board of Directors for three-year terms.  Gina Fouts of AmerenCIPS/AmerenUE will fill a vacant seat as Gas Director and Kim Favero of Petersburg Plumbing and Heating (Non-member Excavator) will serve a one-year term.

 In addition, the following individuals were unanimously approved to serve as Board Vice Presidents:  Rob Valentine, Insight (Cable); Mike Broshous, Consolidated Utility Services, Inc. and Shane Doyle, SM&P Utility Resources (Contract Locator); Gene Barney, Leaf River Telephone (Small Utility); Gary Rhodes, Lake Egypt Water and Wastewater District (Small Utility); Mike Bass, Nicor Gas (Gas); John Meng, Clay Electric Co-operative, Inc. (Electric); Gary Stewart, Trunkline Gas (Pipeline); Steve Graceffa, Rock River Water Reclamation District and Tom Meyer, Greater Peoria Sanitary District (Sewer/Water); Roger Baldwin, Verizon (Communications); Gary Klein, Laser Construction Company and John Lundgren, Laverdiere Construction (Non-member Excavator).

 With over 1,700 members, the not-for-profit organization provides excavators with a toll-free number (1-800-892-0123) for the free locating and marking of underground facilities.  JULIE, Inc. serves as a notification service for underground facility owners, taking information about planned excavations and distributing this information to its membership.  It is then the responsibility of each facility owner to mark the location of their underground facilities at the excavation site. JULIE, Inc. neither owns nor marks any underground facilities.

 JULIE, Inc. promotes an easier, safer digging environment and serves the entire state of Illinois outside of the city of Chicago, which is covered by DIGGER.  Illinois law requires anyone digging to call JULIE, Inc. at least two working days prior to the start of excavation and to begin that project within 14 calendar days from the call.  The 48 hour notice does not include Saturdays, Sundays or holidays.  Member utilities fully support JULIE, Inc. based upon their message volume.