Mike Puetz, director of Mitchell Technical College’s Power Line Construction and Maintenance program, has been named to the prestigious Marquis Who’s Who directory.
“I didn’t expect this, and I have no idea who nominated me for this award, but it’s been a humbling process,” Puetz said. “They tell me that this will bring notoriety and recognition from people, but I don’t need all that. I have all of my students and past students – I’ve got more than enough people out there who know me and my work. That’s what matters to me.”
Factors such as position, noteworthy accomplishments, visibility and prominence in a field are all taken into account during the selection process, according the company.
Puetz, who graduated from the program he now leads in 1991, accepted a “temporary” position teaching budding power line workers in 1996. Two decades later, Puetz has had a direct impact on the careers of 1,686 line workers during his tenure, and an indirect impact on thousands of others’.
“Our graduates are working in power companies serving virtually every community in the state, and Puetz’s career has kept the lights on across South Dakota for over the last 26 years,” Mark Wilson, president of Mitchell Tech, said.
Each year, the Power Line Construction and Maintenance program at Mitchell Tech is among the first to fill to capacity with students eager to enter the field.
“It’s hard work, and the conditions can be rugged, especially for those who stay to work in the Midwest, but Puetz and his team in the Power Line Construction and Maintenance do a great job to prepare them for all of it,” Wilson said. “Under his leadership, students not only learn the hands-on skills necessary to be the best in their chosen field, but they also learn what we call soft skills, including work ethic, time management, professionalism and integrity. He sets a high standard and expectation for all students to be productive in the workforce and good citizens in the communities they serve.
Those qualities make our graduates a commodity in the labor market.