Steve Crume will celebrate 20 years at City Light in July. He’s part of the Asset Management and Large Projects division as the Joint Use and Streetlight Engineering Manager. “The best way to describe Joint Use is anything that you put on a utility pole that doesn’t belong to the utility – all your communication networks like 4G and 5G, small cell, wireline communication, things like that. And, streetlight, well, it’s in the name,” he said with a laugh.

Steve grew up in the middle of Indiana’s farm country. “I always had ambitions to see the world, so I joined the Navy,” Steve shared. “I spent time as a crewman in P3 aircraft hunting submarines. For career advancement, I quit flying, earned my commission as an Aviation Ordnance Officer and spent the rest of my career either on aircraft carriers or embarked on them as part of an air wing.” He now lives in Lynnwood with his wife Linh.

In this week’s (spot)Light, Steve talks about his time in the Navy, woodworking and his childhood stint in the amateur circus.

“I retired from the Navy after 24 years. I’ve traveled the world many times and have visited twenty-four percent of the world’s countries. I’ve seen more of the world than I have this country! After retirement, I was hired at City Light as an Electric Service Representative. I spent two years doing that before getting promoted to a pole engineer. But I wasn’t really a true pole engineer; the utility was at the very early stages of forming Joint Use. I was brought on to help build the program. In 2008, Joint Use became an official unit and in 2011, I inherited Streetlight Engineering.”

“Before retiring from the Navy, I had no idea where I wanted to be. That is until I stepped foot in the state of Washington. It was in 1991 on Whidbey Island. The second I was here, I knew that this is where I wanted to be. At the time, I was young enough to start a second career. I have a background in construction and used to teach Electric Theory and Fundamentals while in the Navy – that’s what got me in the door at City Light. I really thought I would go to Boeing with my aviation background, but I’m very happy my career unfolded the way it did.”

“I’m an avid woodworker. I like to build and work with my hands – bookcases, magazine racks, end tables, custom-made tables. In fact, there are some Christmas gifts that have been on my to-do list for several years now! I’ve even made a desktop chess set including all the pieces and a set of checkers to go with it. I absolutely love woodworking.”

“One thing people might not know about me is that I spent seven years in an amateur circus. I started when I was ten years old as a clown…some people say I’ve never stopped! I rigged and set-up the acts. I also performed. I did a bullwhip act and was a trapeze catcher. I was also the top guy on Roman ladders. There’s a documentary about it, ‘Circus Town USA.’ I guess you know you’re old when you go to a museum and see pictures of yourself!”

Marlin Jackson has been at City Light for twelve years. As the Communications Electrician Crew Chief, he’s located at the North Service Center where he and his team serve the utility’s telecommunications operations. “Our primary responsibility is to make sure that we can facilitate the transfer of information to and from our sites, both local and remote,” Marlin explained. “Some of the ways we interface the technology include an optical multiplexing system, copper cables and touch screen communications.”

A New Jersey native, Marlin settled in Washington state after serving in the Navy. “I served for twenty years and for fourteen of those years, I was stationed in different locations on the East coast. I wanted to try something new,” Marlin shared. “So, I took orders to the USS Abraham Lincoln CVN-72, followed by the Fleet Technical Support Center Pacific. I retired in 2003.” He now lives in Everett where he enjoys access to the Northwest’s beauty, including mountains, lakes and rain forests on the Peninsula.

In this week’s (spot)Light, Marlin talks about his hobbies and his work at City Light.

“Over the course of my career and during my time in the Navy, I attended many vocational schools. I studied things like closd circuit television, telephone systems, broadcast televisions and more. As you can see, the common thread is electronics. Although technology has made much of that training obsolete (for example, no more analog), it cemented the fundamentals to this day. Before retiring, I passed my certification for my Federal Communications License and completed my degree in applied science from Excelsior University.”

“One of my favorite hobbies is motorcycle riding. I was a late bloomer to it but it’s something I can only describe as ‘transformational.’ When you ride, all your senses are alive. I feel that it allows you to truly experience the roads instead of simply driving from ‘Point A to Point B’.”

“The challenge of learning the job is what attracted me to City Light. Even with my background and training, I was amazed at the equipment that’s used here. I was familiar with some of it, but there were some items I had never seen. Once I was hired, I immersed myself in the role. In many aspects, it was a little overwhelming at times, but not impossible.  I believed then as I do now, that if you truly apply yourself to learning and improving, there isn’t anything you can’t accomplish.”

“I like City Light because of the people who work here. I also like the challenge of being part of an evolving business. Responsibility increases, training never stops, and accountability is always present. And with the work that we do, there is an ongoing satisfaction of a job well done. This is an industry where we must always practice safety to ensure that everyone gets home to their love ones. To me, each of these elements represent a continued drive for excellence.”