07 Sep 2025 Conway Corp employees join Light Up Navajo project

Posted at 4:12 PMh in Business by

By Beth Jimmerson

Last month, a team of seven Conway Corp employees traveled more than 1,000 miles to bring light — literally and figuratively — to families in the Navajo Nation as part of the 2025 Light Up Navajo initiative.

Conway Corp Journeyman Lineman and Training Coordinator Si Anthony, Senior Lineman Nathan Ball, Apprentice Linemen 1 Dylan Hopper and Tim Ragland, Apprentice Lineman 4 Kyle Troxler, Electric Distribution System Manager Robert Meek and CEO Bret Carroll joined utility workers from across the country to help bring electricity to homes in the Dilkon District, a remote area of northeastern Arizona where many residents live without access to power.

The team spent two weeks working in six Navajo Nation chapters: Birdsprings, Whitecone, Dilkon Southwest, Winslow-Dilkon, Teesto and Jeddito. Throughout the project, the crew helped set nearly 20 utility poles, built new power lines and energized five homes – each in a different chapter.

For most of the residents they served, this was the first time they had electricity in their homes.

“It was a very humbling and rewarding experience,” Meek said. “Everyone was so friendly and happy to see us and very thankful for our assistance. You could see what it meant to them.”

The Light Up Navajo initiative is a collaboration between the American Public Power Association (APPA) and the Navajo Tribal Utility Authority (NTUA). Since the launch of the initiative, public power utilities from across the country have volunteered time and resources to extend electric service to homes on the reservation. More than 10,000 homes in the Navajo Nation remain without electricity, many in rugged, hard-to-reach locations.

For the Conway Corp team, the trip was physically demanding but deeply meaningful. The crew worked long hours in unfamiliar terrain and under intense desert heat, but the smiles, handshakes and tears of gratitude from Navajo residents made every effort worthwhile.

Anthony called the experience unforgettable.

“I am honored to get the chance to go build power lines in the Navajo Nation,” he said. “Getting to work alongside Navajo linemen is something I’ll never forget. We worked long hours through high winds that blew sand everywhere in the hot sun with zero shade. My favorite part was meeting a grandfather and his grandchildren, whom we provided power for. They invited us into their hogan (home), which was so cool. They were so happy to have power now. Working there was one of the most rewarding experiences in my career.”

Troxler echoed the sentiment.

“I’m thankful that I work for a company that’s fueled by putting others first. The Navajo Nation needs our help, and I’m honored that I got to play a small part,” he said.

The Light Up Navajo initiative addresses a critical need – bringing electricity to more than 10,000 homes in the Navajo Nation that still live without it.

For Ball, it was more than a service project – it was a calling.

“Traveling to the Navajo Nation was an incredible experience,” he said. “It was a blessing to be part of the effort in bringing power to people who have never lived with electricity. The crew that left their families for over a week to serve the Navajo people did an amazing job, and I was honored to be found among them.”

Dylan Hopper agreed.

“Not only was the food good, but everyone was super nice. It was a great feeling to go help those without power and to see how everyone lives in that area,” he said.

Conway Corp is honored to participate in projects like Light Up Navajo, where the impact of public power goes far beyond city limits. Through teamwork, compassion and commitment to service, these employees brought more than just light – they brought connection, opportunity and renewed dignity to the people they served.

Beth Jimmerson
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