Posted on: 11-26-2012 at 5:46pm
By Stream Energy Chief Executive Officer Mark “Bouncer” Schiro
It’s no secret among the Stream Energy employee family that I was a linebacker during my college playing years. But I have to confess that there is one aspect of the offensive side of the ball that I have a weakness for, and that’s the two-minute drill.
The two-minute drill: that time of the game when the offense has to make some pretty dramatic things happen in a short amount of time to win.
With the clock ticking down on 2012, Stream Energy is hitting its “two-minute drill” and we’re going for the win in a huge way. This is a historic time for us, as we’ve officially launched several service areas in the Northeast at the same time.
First, we rolled out natural gas service in the PECO area of Pennsylvania. This in itself is big news, as there are 453,000 eligible gas customers in the PECO footprint.
But to make sure we steamroll 2012 on our way to the end zone, we’re also exploding into the NYSEG and RG&E areas of New York. Together they combine for roughly 1.6 million potential new Stream Energy customer meters.
And we’re still not done, as we have the NatGrid service area of New York (with over 2 million eligible customer meters) hitting the field in mid-December.
As John Madden would say, “Boom!”
These areas represent enormous opportunities for growth for our firm and our Ignite Associates, and they come to life through the combined efforts of many of our team mates working together. I am so proud to be a part of this group.
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: it’s not how you start; it’s how you finish.
Posted on: 08-03-2012 at 3:47pm
By Stream Energy Marketing Communications Editor Brian Hale
The wave of excitement around Clean Nation by Stream Energy has spread to your favorite social media. Stay on top of all important Clean Nation announcements and remain up-to-date with the latest and greatest information about Clean Nation. Share it with your friends and help spread the word of Clean Nation by Stream Energy.
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Posted on: 09-23-2011 at 11:16am
Managing Director of Ignite Doug Witt has a special message for all Associates heading into this weekend’s Super Academy event in Houston…
Posted on: 08-12-2011 at 3:41pm
By Stream Energy Director of Wholesale Gas Operations Mark Bush
As with any growing company, the prospect of expansion is incredibly appetizing. The thoughts of expanding into new markets, gaining more customers and generating more revenue become a focal point of business. But Stream Energy is concerned with much more than just aggressive expansion. We must remain committed to the home bases that got us to where we are today.
The recent Power Surge in Atlanta was very needed and very well received by our Ignite Associates. A lot of energy and motivation was generated throughout the weekend. Expansion can be very exciting, but we need to remember our foundations that provided the framework for our current success. I believe it meant a lot to the people of Georgia for us to come to Atlanta and show them that Georgia is an important piece of the Stream Energy family.
But, we have to remember to take care of everyone. We are in the people business. We have to take care of our customers and Associates as well as the employees here at Stream Energy that take care of the Associates and customers. Power Surge went a long way to revitalize the Associate force in Georgia. With that came a lot of teamwork. I am very proud of the teamwork that took place at Stream Energy within the last few months that produced the new products for our Georgia customers. Both of the new products offered to our Georgia customers are new opportunities for Stream Energy. We have never offered a free gas promotion or a no-deposit product in which customers are not subjected to a deposit. This new product helps people become Stream Energy customers who might normally have challenges doing so.
We are in a very competitive environment. There is very little low-hanging fruit out there. We’ve always been a firm that has tried to offer very simple and affordable products in the marketplace. However, as our competitors become craftier with their offerings, we have to be able to adapt and react quickly. In that, the free gas and no deposit promotions are some of the ways that we are trying to compete in the marketplace. The challenges we face with these new products are ensuring accurate reporting on the number of customers Stream Energy acquires via the different products; managing our bad debt exposure on these products; and ensuring that the products continue to be profitable for the firm.
I think it’s important to continue living out the Stream Energy mantras within the corporate walls but also outside the walls. Offering creative products to our Georgia customers further exemplifies Stream Energy’s dedication to those mantras. Bringing up an idea is one thing, but you must also execute the plan. Teamwork is vital to the future success of our firm. Many departments, such as IT, Regulatory, Customer Operations and Ignite Field Development all worked closely together to successfully deliver these new products to our Georgia customers.
Energy commodities are the most volatile traded commodities in the world. We have to monitor them on a daily basis. Weather forecasts constantly change, and that makes it very hard to determine how much electricity and natural gas we should purchase. It’s very challenging when the difference in millions of dollars rests on the shoulders of accurate weather forecasters and analysts.
The hot summer across the nation has put a lot of demands on the Wholesale department at Stream Energy. July has gone down as one of the hottest months on record in the U.S., especially in the Northeast and here in Texas. The consistently high demand for electricity is something we have to be very mindful of as this affects our profitability.
Another weather phenomenon we constantly monitor is hurricanes. Earlier this year, analysts predicted between four and six major hurricanes to affect the U.S. We’ve had a slow start, thus far. However, we have to be very cautious of what could be lurking around the corner. Hurricanes don’t have a huge impact on the natural gas sector unless they come through the Gulf of Mexico and into the production region. What might appear as simple tropical depression with no real structure could suddenly develop overnight into a tropical storm and soon after that into a major hurricane barreling into the Gulf.
The onshore Shale gas production in places like Texas and Louisiana offer a natural gas source that is not threatened by hurricanes. This new drilling technology creates huge natural gas resources. Natural gas has a bright future within the U.S. as analysts believe there is more than 100 years’ worth of natural gas for the current U.S. demand. It is a very attractive industry.
Stream Energy has a bright future in Georgia as well as other markets. We currently manage less than 3% of the market share in Georgia, so expansion within that state is something to focus on in itself. Georgia was the first state to deregulate in natural gas. In terms of deregulation, it is a very mature market. However, because it has been so competitive, there has not been a new market entry since Stream Energy entered the state three years ago. Stream Energy hasn’t done everything perfectly, but we continue to improve every year in a market that is very competitive. Successfully managing the Stream business model in markets we currently serve helps us to build the foundation for continued expansion into other markets.
Posted on: 07-27-2011 at 12:33pm
By Stream Energy Copywriter Katherine Lopez
Buddha once said, “If you light a lamp for someone else it will also brighten your path.” The truth in this saying is undeniable. If an individual ever feels down and defeated, a person’s actions or words has the power to bring them back up. Anyone and everyone has been helped at some point in his or her life. There is no doubt that both giving and receiving help is a crucial aspect of life.
There are many organizations in our society that aim to help those less fortunate. Your friends at Stream Energy have selected four particular organizations to support: three of these organizations help low-income families pay their energy bills; the fourth group supports children, which definitely has a special place in the hearts of Stream Energy’s employees, Ignite Associates and customers.
The Fuel Fund of Maryland has been operating since 1981; its purpose is to help low-income individuals and families in Maryland pay their electricity bills. If energy is unaffordable for a family, the Fuel Fund assists them. The Fuel Fund pays for families and individuals with the portion of the bill that they cannot afford.
A similar organization to the Fuel Fund is the Heating Energy Assistance Team (H.E.A.T) of Georgia. H.E.A.T has been helping low-income families and individuals for over 27 years with paying their energy bills. They not only depend on donations and volunteer work, but also on the donations of energy suppliers and corporations.
The Utility Emergency Services Fund (UESF) of Pennsylvania is yet another organization that assists those with their electricity bills. In the case of UESF, however, those that are being assisted are not limited to receiving help on only their electricity. They are also assisted with water and gas utilities. UESF’s mission is to help individuals meet the basic needs vital to their survival.
Although Captain Hope’s Kids of Texas differs from the other three organizations mentioned above, this organization is every bit as relevant. Captain Hope’s Kids is focused on meeting the needs of homeless children. On any given night in North Texas, more than 1,100 children will fall asleep in homeless and domestic violence shelters. Of these, 65 percent will be under the age of nine and 28 percent are infants and toddlers under the age 3 years. Women and children make up 48 percent of Metro Dallas’ homeless population. Many of the employees and customers of Stream Energy have kids of their own and can definitely relate to the need for providing for children.
As a company that emphasizes customer satisfaction, it is fair to say that Stream Energy not only has the ability, but also takes the opportunity to assist those in need. We invite our customers and Ignite Associates to join us in helping those in need “experience the Stream difference.”
