Energy producers association recognizes industry workhorses with awards

By Sun Advocate

The Southeastern Utah Energy Producers Association honored some of the workhorses in the industry at a banquet on Sept. 28.
Among the lifetime achievement award recipients were the Harvey family, the Savage brothers, Robinson Trucking Bill Barrett and Gale Chapman.
Rick Olsen introduced Sen. Mike Dmitrich and Alex Walker from Hidden Splendor mine to give the award to the Harvey family.
The Harveys have a long and rich tradition in the field of coal mining. They have four generations of devoted service and leadership in the field.
In 1860, Thomas Harvey at the age of 9 began to labor in a coal mine. The family immigrated from England to the United States and settled in Pennsylvania.
Thomas Harvey enrolled in correspondence courses and became a certified miner. His was the first miner in the nation to have first aid training and he later became a mine inspector. He was also a foreman at Winter Quarters.
Stanley Harvey started in 1911 as a slate picker in a Pennsylvania mine. He worked many mines in Utah, Pennsylvania, Wyoming and New Mexico.
Stanley Harvey filled many jobs at Winter Quarters and at the Sunnyside Mine as a foreman. He was very involved in mine rescue. He was a foreman during the opening of the Columbia mine. He also worked for Utah Fuel as well as the Independent Coal and Coke company.
Joseph Harvey had a 40-year coal mining career in and around Carbon County. He was born in Sunnyside and attended Carbon High. He was a mule driver at UTA, a Carbon coal mine. He acquired his face boss certification.
Joe Harvey worked at the Kaiser operation and also put in a stint in the Navy. He was active with the U.S. Bureau of Mines and promoted mine safety and rescue and first aid. He worked at Columbia as a general mine foreman. He also worked at Geneva for U.S. Steel.
Boyd Harvey entered the mining industry in the early 1950s. He graduated from Carbon High and the Colorado School of Mines. He worked at US Steel, Independent Coal and Coke, Brazta and Price River 3 to name a few.
Boyd Harvey was also involved in several civic organizations, including the Carbon County Chamber of Commerce and the Carbon Country Club. He made significant contributions to the Carbon County area.
J. Brett Harvey has been president and chief executive officer of Consol Energy since January 1998. Prior to that, he was the president and chief executive officer of Interwest, a subsidiary of PacifiCorp. He also worked for CNX gas.
J. Brett Harvey has occupied many leadership positions in coal mining associations including a board of director for the bituminous coal board. He has been involved with excavations in Virginia coal operations and is on the coal council. He is also a dedicated supporter of the Pittsburgh boy scouts.
The Harveys have a rich history in coal mining and they are a dedicated and committed group.
“As I receive this award I can’t help but think of all the friends who served alongside me for 30 to 40 years,:” commented Joe Harvey at the banquet.
“I loved my grandpa. When I was a little boy, I used to follow my grandpa around. One day, we were at the Arctic Circle getting me a burger when a man came up who was mentally challenged. My grandpa spent some time talking to this man and, when he left, I asked grandpa who the man was and he said, ‘He was my friend,” pointed out Chris Grundy, a grandson of Boyd Harvey.
Grundy said his grandfather had a deep heart for the community and respect the people in it. Coal brought the community together and it’s the way residents will keep it together.
“This is a great heritage, our name is an honorable one with this many generations.” He said they are known for getting in and getting it done. “I am proud to be a miner and it’s good to be here with you,” noted Brett Harvey.
As Joe Harvey left the podium, he pointed out that “You haven’t lived until you’ve followed a mule and looked at it’s rear end.”
The honorees were given a statue made by Gary Prazen.
Dave Sorrells, a Savage employee, was next to give an award to Savage Brothers Trucking. He has known the family since 1975
“In 1946 in American Fork, Ken Savage dreamed of starting a trucking company. He and his dad started CA Savage and Son. They hauled coal and blocks. Soon, brothers Luke and Neal joined the effort. They treated every job as if the life of the company depended upon it. The company has grown and diversified since its beginnings. Ken died in 2001. Neal and Luke have built upon the Savage Brothers tradition. They have provided services since 1946. The Savage System focuses on the customer and their needs,” said Sorrells
The Savage company is involved in many aspects of trucking including coal, oil refineries, power, railroad, material handling, sampling bulk material and material management.
Savage is recognized as a leader in specialized fields.
Neal Savage said it was a shock to receive the award. He has had the opportunity to work in the family business since 1946.
Ken Savage taught his sons the ways of business being a disciplinary type. The sons would haul coal and get up early to go down to get a load
The coal cost 75 cents a ton if people loaded it or $1.50 a ton if it was loaded under the tipple, said Neal Savage. So of course, the boys shoveled the coal and returned to American Fork with a load. The sons unloaded the coal into people’s basements because most homes burned slack at the time.
“It has been a great experience working for the good people in this area. Working with the people who produce the coal and handle the coal on the rail and truck. We have had wonderful employees here and we need more employees here. I read an article recently and coal is just as valuable as gold. Thanks for the pleasure and privilege of fine people to work with,” said Neal Savage.
Todd Savage accepted the award for Luke Savage.
Todd Savage said he appreciated the customers and the opportunity to serve.
John and LaRae Savage accepted the award for Ken Savage.
John Savage said he looked up to Ken Savage. Ken’s heart and soul was in Carbon and Emery counties. John lived in Castle Valley for a time and he said the best people and best friends are in the local communities.
“I’m proud of being able to serve,” said John Savage.
Savage is in the company’s 60th year of business.
Sevier County Commissioners Ralph Okerlund and Gary Mason presented the award to Robinson Trucking.
The commissioners said Art Robinson was tough enough to pioneer a Sevier County trucking legacy.
Robinson contributed much to the community from Little League to Snow College.
“We are thankful for their heritage and the influence of their children in the community,” said Okerlund.
Art Robinson bought his first truck in 1943 and began hauling coal from Southern Utah Fuel in Salina Canyon. He continued to haul coal in surrounding areas.
In the 1970s, Robinson and Barney Trucking were able to secure a contract hauling coal to the Navajo power plant in Page, Ariz. They needed 80 trucks for the haul. They leased and bought trucks to fill the contract.
The trucking company is a fourth generation coal hauling operation. Art has passed away, but the family continues his nature in contributing to the community.
Members of the Robinson family said they grew up bouncing around in trucks. One son remembered riding with his dad and they ate at the LaBamba cafe in Beaver. When his dad got up, he picked up a tip left on the table, not knowing what it was. Down the road, his dad found out about the money, explained what a tip was and told the son to never do that again.
“It has been a great honor to rub shoulders with each of you in this great industry. It’s a competitive industry, but we are still best friends. We have always looked up to the Savage boys. They were an icon to my father, Art. These are great people to work with and this industry will continue to grow. This is a great community,” said the Robinson representative.
John Baza, the director of the Utah Division of Oil, Gas and Mining was on hand to present the award to Bill Barrett.
Barrett started his career in 1957 when he graduated from Kansas State. His first job offer brought him to Salt Lake City. He worked for the El Paso Corporation in Salt Lake, moved to Farmington, N.M., and relocated to Casper, Wyo.
Barrett established the Barrett Resources Corporation which is one of the Rocky Mountain success stories.
Currently in his third retirement, Barrett has been president of gas associations in several states. He is also active in the United Way. His companies have received several awards for excellence. In 2005, he received an honorary doctorate from the Colorado School of Mines.
“I am honored to be in the company of these honorees,” commented Barrett. “I love Utah and I am just a transplanted Kansas geologist. My one job offer when I completed college was in Utah. We had five children and we loaded up and moved to Salt Lake. There are terrific people here. We added two more children in Salt Lake. The ladies in the neighborhood opened their arms to our family and we have never forgotten that. I love the geology of Utah. I call the area nature’s storehouse. There are both oil and gas and a lot of untapped resources. I have spent many summers here studying the rock and geology of the area. I love Utah and the great people. There are so many people to thank that I couldn’t name them all,” said Barrett.
He recognized his wife as being his greatest support and help. They will have been married 56 years on Oct. 5. “She has assisted me through good and bad times. There’s been more good than bad. She is the reason I am here. Thanks for this grand award,” said Barrett. Louise Barrett expressed her thanks for the award for Bill.
Harold Cunningham was on hand to present the award to Gale Chapman.
He said Gale recently retired from IPP. Chapman was involved in electrical generation for 46 years. He is a Helper native and he and his wife Verna have four children and 12 grandchildren. Chapman began on Dec. 5, 1955 at the Castle Gate power plant as a skilled helper and has worked his way through the ranks. He worked for seven years in Wyoming and then moved back to Huntington where he was a shift supervisor. He was involved in both Huntington plants. On Oct. 25, 1982, Chapman became the first employee for IPP. He was involved in setting everything up for the maintenance and support and human resources. Chapman is persistent with a no-nonsense, get-it-done manner which has gained the respect of his co-workers. Chapman is a friend of the coal industry and IPP has been a big customer for the coal industry. He is an undisputed leader and active in community functions as well.
He has gained the respect of those at IPP and the people are the most memorable part of his job.
Chapman said, “It is an honor to receive this award. Power generation touches every facet of everyone’s life. It has been a fascinating career and it’s still a topic of conversation everywhere I go. In 2005, 50 percent of all electricity was produced by coal in this country, 19 percent by gas, 19 percent hydro and 6 percent, private resources. Coal has a viable future. Through August of 2006, IPP has burned 95,500,000 million ton of coal. Most of this coal comes from Carbon, Emery and Sevier counties. It touches a lot of lives. I am pleased to be associated with the energy industry. I couldn’t have done anything without my wife and her support through 51 years of marriage.”