MG&E's Charles Warner
Helping people save on energy
Helping people save on energy
| Heidi M. Pascual* Publisher & Editor * 2006 Journalist of the Year for the State of Wisconsin (U.S.-SBA) |
Part 2 of 2
Charles Warner, a residential services specialist at Madison Gas & Electric, welcomes the challenges
of helping Madison families save on energy and make their homes safe and comfortable. Only in his late
20s, Warner is no stranger to this job, having worked for six years at Energy Services Inc. (ESI), on Madison’
s south side. The first part of this story introduced Warner to our readers. He was born in Hawaii of mixed-
race parents. Warner is proud of his Filipino parentage, although his mom, Donna, was also born in
Hawaii. He was raised in the Filipino tradition with family values that emphasize discipline,
industriousness, and respect for elders and others. This last installment will highlight Warner’s work as it
impacts the Madison community, and his journey towards completing his marketing degree.
After high school, Charles Warner decided not to pursue his passion — cinema — due to the trend in
film-making that went against his values and negative prospects for it in the Midwest. He entered UW-
Oshkosh with no particular course in mind. “I had two years of college at Oshkosh, but after two years, I
dropped out of school,” Warner recalled, adding that the death of his grandfather to whom he was very
close, was probably one of the reasons he decided to put his life on hold. “It was difficult, because I was
very close to him, and then we moved away from such a large part of my family (in Hawaii) to Wisconsin
where I didn’t have any family. After leaving school ... I didn’t get into trouble or anything like that, but I
certainly had no idea what I wanted to do.”
Charles Warner, a residential services specialist at Madison Gas & Electric, welcomes the challenges
of helping Madison families save on energy and make their homes safe and comfortable. Only in his late
20s, Warner is no stranger to this job, having worked for six years at Energy Services Inc. (ESI), on Madison’
s south side. The first part of this story introduced Warner to our readers. He was born in Hawaii of mixed-
race parents. Warner is proud of his Filipino parentage, although his mom, Donna, was also born in
Hawaii. He was raised in the Filipino tradition with family values that emphasize discipline,
industriousness, and respect for elders and others. This last installment will highlight Warner’s work as it
impacts the Madison community, and his journey towards completing his marketing degree.
After high school, Charles Warner decided not to pursue his passion — cinema — due to the trend in
film-making that went against his values and negative prospects for it in the Midwest. He entered UW-
Oshkosh with no particular course in mind. “I had two years of college at Oshkosh, but after two years, I
dropped out of school,” Warner recalled, adding that the death of his grandfather to whom he was very
close, was probably one of the reasons he decided to put his life on hold. “It was difficult, because I was
very close to him, and then we moved away from such a large part of my family (in Hawaii) to Wisconsin
where I didn’t have any family. After leaving school ... I didn’t get into trouble or anything like that, but I
certainly had no idea what I wanted to do.”
workshop fairs, and I will talk about ways to save energy. That’s my main role. In addition, I’m also sort of the ‘lighting expert’ in our marketing
department. We have a home energy line which is a toll-free number that our customers, or really anyone, can call and ask advice from our
energy experts about insulation, cost of appliances, anything that’s related to energy, anything that’s related to use of it within the home, or
anything related to MG&E. Some callers can even ask us, ‘Should I buy this appliance over another one?’ This line is free and people call
in and they ask specific questions. Our home energy line is 252-7117, and that’s for anyone who has any energy-related question.”
Warner described a specific program he is involved with at MG&E, called “community resource fairs.” “This is a one-stop shop for low- to
moderate-income families to come access information through MG&E on energy conservation, set up bill payment plans and access
related energy services,” he said. “This community energy resource fair is actually a partnership that we do with various support agencies —
Joining Forces for Families, Community Action Coalition, Tenant Resource Center, and other organizations that are out in the community.
For some reason or another, folks in the community have not been able to get a hold of that information. So what the community energy
resource fairs try to do, and I think do a really good job of it, is establish a one-stop shop for folks to come and learn about not just their
energy bill, but also the other resources that are available. It’s a really fun and vibrant setting.”
These workshops are usually conducted in March or April every year, at different sites in Madison, where they’re easily accessible to
targeted community members. Warner credited colleague Annette Miller for creating these workshops a few years back. “They’ve been so
successful that there’s been a couple of offshoots from it: a Latino Resource Fair which is geared more toward the Latino population in
Madison, and a ‘Train the Trainor’ fair where we actually invite social workers and other professionals in the community who work directly
with these families, and we teach them, so they can impart the information to them.”
Warner said that he and Miller acknowledge the fact that the Madison community is growing and that they will need to also target other
groups such as Asian Americans who also fall under the category of low- and moderate-income families. “We are currently working on that,”
he admitted, further explaining that they have been conducting substantial dialogues with various community leaders to try to identify these
families in need. “We have a wealth of information but it’s all in English, so there are barriers that we have to knock down. We’re looking at
ways to make our information acceptable, easy to understand and in a form that is relevant, and give that information to folks who need
them.”
Marketing MG&E to the community seems to be a perfect fit for Warner, not only because he is able to help people, but also because
he is able to satisfy his creativity. “I develop campaigns and different outlets where we should be,” Warner beamed. “I work with various
demographics, including UW seniors. So I have a very cross-generational job! And it’s really very very nice, because it’s something that I can
adapt to pretty well. I just like having dialogues with younger and older adults.”
The good thing about working for MG&E, Warner said, is that he is able to bring to fruition concepts that were more difficult to realize in the
nonprofit world.
“Now, I have funding; now I have the resources to actually carry out ideas,” he said. “Before, when I was working in a nonprofit, you were
constantly trying to raise money, you worried about how to actualize your plans, you were really restricted by certain barriers, such as
budgets. At MG&E, because they knew and liked what I did at ESI, they liked my ideas. They’ve been able to facilitate actualizing those
ideas not only with finances, but also with support. What I wanted to do for the community fits really well with what MG&E is already doing
in the community. So it’s a perfect combination, for us just tailoring our goals to specific demographics.”
The number of MG&E customers who need help is unquestionably substantial, according to Warner. “Our customer base is about
136,000 electric customers and 140,000 natural gas customers,” he said. “The percentage of that — that would be sort of struggling, or not
able to meet their energy needs … I don’t know if I feel comfortable giving a number … but it certainly is substantial enough where we have
a department in our customer service center manned by two full-time people working with these customers. They do the program called
‘CARES.’” This ‘substantial’ number of needy Madison residents also warrants what Warner and Miller do. “We reach out to communities of
color, to communities with new residents who have no idea what the city is all about and what resources are available to them. We’re in a
position where we serve as sort of facilitators, getting people together and, while we don’t try to steer the boat, we try to make sure that the
boat stays afloat, so to speak, with these organizations. We work with them and they help us identify what the issues are and how MG&E can
best respond to those issues.”
Job Satisfaction
Warner feels very fortunate to hold this job at MG&E because he knows he is making a difference in the community. “Or at least, I feel
that I’m trying to make a difference,” he said. “It’s also a feeling of satisfaction, because being in marketing, I am able to create my own
ideas and projects, and you know how satisfying it is about authorship and having that played out. On top of that, even more satisfying than
this idea-creation is that your idea is actually serving a purpose, not just generating sales. It’s generating aid and it’s putting people in
contact with resources that they need to be in contact with. So, the fact that I’m able to do that is a win-win situation. Honestly, I have been
here since August and there hasn’t been a day where I’ve said, ‘Ahh, I don’t want to work today.’ It’s more like ‘Yeah, I gotta work today!’ It’s
an amazing feeling and I have such a great director and such a great support system around me. It’s wonderful!”
At MATC and future plans
Warner has just completed an accelerated Marketing Program at the Madison Area Technical College, making it on the Dean’s List! He
will enroll at the University of Wisconsin in the fall. He described this MATC program as nothing less than ‘exciting.’ “Each class was 18
weeks rolled into six weeks, so it was really intense,” Warner said. “But it was very satisfying because the students of the program are in similar
situations. They are already in the field and already have experience, so they brought all their experiences to the classes. Although the
classes had instructors (who are also in the industries), they were not instructor-led; they were more generated by class discussions and class
experience. We’re learning from each other.
“The good thing about MATC — and especially their marketing program — is that aside from getting some pretty direct interaction, they
offer a more real-world relevant education versus academic stuff. I mean, we touch upon academic stuff, but I could tell you, after being in
the workforce for six years, a lot of that gives you a little bit of a foundation, but it’s not relevant in day-to-day exchange. So the Fast Track
Program at MATC has been wonderful and it’s intense and exhausting, but it’s because it’s so stimulating. The environment that they’ve
been able to create through this program, with people with years of experience, you’re there and you realize you don’t have to bring your
homework every night. But the conversations … you just want to get into these conversations and talk and share your experiences with
everyone.”
Warner acknowledged that he has, at last, put an end to his “at times stagnant journey,” and now he’s happy with his work and what he
has accomplished so far. He is now on his way to a new and beautiful beginning. He recently became engaged to a beautiful architect from
Romania who has spent the last five years working as an interior designer in Paris. They met … and fell in love … in San Francisco, but
apparently will be carrying their hearts with them to Wisconsin.
We’re happy for you, Charles Warner!
department. We have a home energy line which is a toll-free number that our customers, or really anyone, can call and ask advice from our
energy experts about insulation, cost of appliances, anything that’s related to energy, anything that’s related to use of it within the home, or
anything related to MG&E. Some callers can even ask us, ‘Should I buy this appliance over another one?’ This line is free and people call
in and they ask specific questions. Our home energy line is 252-7117, and that’s for anyone who has any energy-related question.”
Warner described a specific program he is involved with at MG&E, called “community resource fairs.” “This is a one-stop shop for low- to
moderate-income families to come access information through MG&E on energy conservation, set up bill payment plans and access
related energy services,” he said. “This community energy resource fair is actually a partnership that we do with various support agencies —
Joining Forces for Families, Community Action Coalition, Tenant Resource Center, and other organizations that are out in the community.
For some reason or another, folks in the community have not been able to get a hold of that information. So what the community energy
resource fairs try to do, and I think do a really good job of it, is establish a one-stop shop for folks to come and learn about not just their
energy bill, but also the other resources that are available. It’s a really fun and vibrant setting.”
These workshops are usually conducted in March or April every year, at different sites in Madison, where they’re easily accessible to
targeted community members. Warner credited colleague Annette Miller for creating these workshops a few years back. “They’ve been so
successful that there’s been a couple of offshoots from it: a Latino Resource Fair which is geared more toward the Latino population in
Madison, and a ‘Train the Trainor’ fair where we actually invite social workers and other professionals in the community who work directly
with these families, and we teach them, so they can impart the information to them.”
Warner said that he and Miller acknowledge the fact that the Madison community is growing and that they will need to also target other
groups such as Asian Americans who also fall under the category of low- and moderate-income families. “We are currently working on that,”
he admitted, further explaining that they have been conducting substantial dialogues with various community leaders to try to identify these
families in need. “We have a wealth of information but it’s all in English, so there are barriers that we have to knock down. We’re looking at
ways to make our information acceptable, easy to understand and in a form that is relevant, and give that information to folks who need
them.”
Marketing MG&E to the community seems to be a perfect fit for Warner, not only because he is able to help people, but also because
he is able to satisfy his creativity. “I develop campaigns and different outlets where we should be,” Warner beamed. “I work with various
demographics, including UW seniors. So I have a very cross-generational job! And it’s really very very nice, because it’s something that I can
adapt to pretty well. I just like having dialogues with younger and older adults.”
The good thing about working for MG&E, Warner said, is that he is able to bring to fruition concepts that were more difficult to realize in the
nonprofit world.
“Now, I have funding; now I have the resources to actually carry out ideas,” he said. “Before, when I was working in a nonprofit, you were
constantly trying to raise money, you worried about how to actualize your plans, you were really restricted by certain barriers, such as
budgets. At MG&E, because they knew and liked what I did at ESI, they liked my ideas. They’ve been able to facilitate actualizing those
ideas not only with finances, but also with support. What I wanted to do for the community fits really well with what MG&E is already doing
in the community. So it’s a perfect combination, for us just tailoring our goals to specific demographics.”
The number of MG&E customers who need help is unquestionably substantial, according to Warner. “Our customer base is about
136,000 electric customers and 140,000 natural gas customers,” he said. “The percentage of that — that would be sort of struggling, or not
able to meet their energy needs … I don’t know if I feel comfortable giving a number … but it certainly is substantial enough where we have
a department in our customer service center manned by two full-time people working with these customers. They do the program called
‘CARES.’” This ‘substantial’ number of needy Madison residents also warrants what Warner and Miller do. “We reach out to communities of
color, to communities with new residents who have no idea what the city is all about and what resources are available to them. We’re in a
position where we serve as sort of facilitators, getting people together and, while we don’t try to steer the boat, we try to make sure that the
boat stays afloat, so to speak, with these organizations. We work with them and they help us identify what the issues are and how MG&E can
best respond to those issues.”
Job Satisfaction
Warner feels very fortunate to hold this job at MG&E because he knows he is making a difference in the community. “Or at least, I feel
that I’m trying to make a difference,” he said. “It’s also a feeling of satisfaction, because being in marketing, I am able to create my own
ideas and projects, and you know how satisfying it is about authorship and having that played out. On top of that, even more satisfying than
this idea-creation is that your idea is actually serving a purpose, not just generating sales. It’s generating aid and it’s putting people in
contact with resources that they need to be in contact with. So, the fact that I’m able to do that is a win-win situation. Honestly, I have been
here since August and there hasn’t been a day where I’ve said, ‘Ahh, I don’t want to work today.’ It’s more like ‘Yeah, I gotta work today!’ It’s
an amazing feeling and I have such a great director and such a great support system around me. It’s wonderful!”
At MATC and future plans
Warner has just completed an accelerated Marketing Program at the Madison Area Technical College, making it on the Dean’s List! He
will enroll at the University of Wisconsin in the fall. He described this MATC program as nothing less than ‘exciting.’ “Each class was 18
weeks rolled into six weeks, so it was really intense,” Warner said. “But it was very satisfying because the students of the program are in similar
situations. They are already in the field and already have experience, so they brought all their experiences to the classes. Although the
classes had instructors (who are also in the industries), they were not instructor-led; they were more generated by class discussions and class
experience. We’re learning from each other.
“The good thing about MATC — and especially their marketing program — is that aside from getting some pretty direct interaction, they
offer a more real-world relevant education versus academic stuff. I mean, we touch upon academic stuff, but I could tell you, after being in
the workforce for six years, a lot of that gives you a little bit of a foundation, but it’s not relevant in day-to-day exchange. So the Fast Track
Program at MATC has been wonderful and it’s intense and exhausting, but it’s because it’s so stimulating. The environment that they’ve
been able to create through this program, with people with years of experience, you’re there and you realize you don’t have to bring your
homework every night. But the conversations … you just want to get into these conversations and talk and share your experiences with
everyone.”
Warner acknowledged that he has, at last, put an end to his “at times stagnant journey,” and now he’s happy with his work and what he
has accomplished so far. He is now on his way to a new and beautiful beginning. He recently became engaged to a beautiful architect from
Romania who has spent the last five years working as an interior designer in Paris. They met … and fell in love … in San Francisco, but
apparently will be carrying their hearts with them to Wisconsin.
We’re happy for you, Charles Warner!
Warner found a job at a local nonprofit organization, Energy Services Inc., doing computer
support. “I played on my ‘high school strength,’” he said, referring to his good grades in tech
subjects. “ESI is an organization that helps low income families with utility assistance, bill
assistance, and access to other community organizations.”
This first taste at community service inspired Warner to do more. “I really, really liked it, so I
begged and pleaded my director, ‘I cannot work with computers; I need human interaction,’” he
recalled. “Thankfully, he granted me that and I became a case worker there. I was there for six
years, and that’s where I really developed my passion for non-profit work and helping people who
really can’t help themselves. I left ESI as a program services manager.”
The transition to his present job at Madison Gas & Electric (MG&E) was smooth, nonetheless,
because he had worked extensively with MG&E on many collaborative efforts. “That desire to help
people really blossomed during my time at ESI; and due to my various partnerships and projects
with MG&E at that time, we got to ‘know’ each other very well. I guess they liked what they saw
because in August (2007) I was hired by MG&E.”
MG&E
“One of the reasons I was even interested in coming here to work at MG&E was that this company
does a really, really good job of working with the community, working with community-support
organizations, and with a variety of clientele,” Warner said proudly.
Warner does a little bit of what he did at ESI, but his primarily role at MG&E is to work specifically
with the multifamily sector in Madison. “That means working with tenants, landlords, and activity
coordinators to promote energy efficiency and our services,” he explained. “I do act as a conduit,
if you will, between us (MG&E) and the community. I work with tenants, either on-site or we do
support. “I played on my ‘high school strength,’” he said, referring to his good grades in tech
subjects. “ESI is an organization that helps low income families with utility assistance, bill
assistance, and access to other community organizations.”
This first taste at community service inspired Warner to do more. “I really, really liked it, so I
begged and pleaded my director, ‘I cannot work with computers; I need human interaction,’” he
recalled. “Thankfully, he granted me that and I became a case worker there. I was there for six
years, and that’s where I really developed my passion for non-profit work and helping people who
really can’t help themselves. I left ESI as a program services manager.”
The transition to his present job at Madison Gas & Electric (MG&E) was smooth, nonetheless,
because he had worked extensively with MG&E on many collaborative efforts. “That desire to help
people really blossomed during my time at ESI; and due to my various partnerships and projects
with MG&E at that time, we got to ‘know’ each other very well. I guess they liked what they saw
because in August (2007) I was hired by MG&E.”
MG&E
“One of the reasons I was even interested in coming here to work at MG&E was that this company
does a really, really good job of working with the community, working with community-support
organizations, and with a variety of clientele,” Warner said proudly.
Warner does a little bit of what he did at ESI, but his primarily role at MG&E is to work specifically
with the multifamily sector in Madison. “That means working with tenants, landlords, and activity
coordinators to promote energy efficiency and our services,” he explained. “I do act as a conduit,
if you will, between us (MG&E) and the community. I work with tenants, either on-site or we do
Charles Warner at work, onsite and
with an MGE customer
with an MGE customer
| Charles Warner |