Celebrating 36 years of service

Congratulations, Martin Nicol

After 36 years of dedicated service to URE, Operations Manager Martin Nicol is retiring, leaving behind a legacy of leadership, mentorship and unwavering commitment to the members and employees he served throughout his career.

Martin’s journey at URE began in 1990, when he was hired as an apprentice lineworker. Looking back, he remembers quickly learning what it meant to be part of a cooperative.

“My early memories at URE were centered around a culture that I was taught from day one to understand,” Martin says. “The camaraderie in the line crew, the willingness to help each other even after hours, and above all, keeping the power on for our members — even if it meant missing Christmas or being out in the middle of the night during a thunderstorm.”

That commitment to serving members became the foundation of a career that would span more than three decades. From apprentice lineworker to operations manager, Martin helped guide URE through significant growth and change.

“Our cooperative has seen a tremendous amount of growth,” Martin says. “Advances in technology have enhanced our ability to assist in troubleshooting and restoring power. Our apprenticeship program is one of the best in the nation, producing a highly qualified group of lineworkers prepared to safely handle the technical advances we have seen in recent years.”

While Martin is proud of the cooperative’s accomplishments, one of his proudest moments was simply being hired at URE as a young apprentice.

“After 36 years of service, I am proud to be leaving as manager of operations,” he says. “It was a job I worked hard at and took pride in every day, with the ultimate goal being to maintain and restore power to our members.”

Throughout his career, Martin became a familiar and trusted face to both members and employees. Many members knew him by name and often called to express their appreciation for the work he and his crews performed to keep the lights on.

That reputation for service and leadership is something URE CEO/president Anthony Smith has witnessed throughout Martin’s career.

“I first met Marty when he was a young apprentice lineman at URE, and I was just beginning to learn the ropes in the engineering group,” Anthony says. “Even back then, he was always willing to help and mentor other employees. He’s not only been a wonderful coworker but also a dedicated mentor and friend.”

“Whether it was discussing how to keep the power on during maintenance, explaining how to fix something at my house, or even offering wise marriage advice, Marty has always been available to help others succeed. He truly has a servant’s heart, and really, that’s what leadership is about.”

URE VP of Engineering and Operations Matt Zarnosky says Martin’s impact on members is what stands out most.

“Over the years, I’ve received countless calls and messages from members expressing their appreciation for Marty and the work he and his team do every day,” Matt says. “Marty has earned the trust and respect of the people we serve, and that’s one of the greatest compliments anyone in this industry can receive. His leadership, dedication and commitment to our members will leave a lasting impact on URE.”

As he prepares for retirement, Martin is looking forward to spending more time with family, helping at church, and enjoying hobbies such as hunting, woodworking, and smoking meat.

“I want to thank URE members, the board and employees for allowing me to be a part of the cooperative,” Martin says. “This job has been a blessing to me and my family for many years.”

While Martin’s daily presence will be missed, the impact he has had on URE, its employees, and the members he served will continue for years to come.

Congratulations, Marty, on your retirement, and thank you for 36 years of dedicated service to URE and its members.