Dalley retires from OPD5 after 30 years of service
The OPD5 family of employees from both Moapa Valley and Virgin Valley gathered in the district’s Overton warehouse facility last month for a big celebration. They were marking the retirement of long-time Line Operations Manager Corey Dalley after more than 30 years of service to the district.
Nearly 70 people attended the luncheon to celebrate Dalley, wish him well in his retirement and reminisce together about fond memories on the job with him. Attendees included OPD5 office and field staff, management, trustees; and members of Dalley’s own family. The festive atmosphere at the event felt more like a fond family reunion than a retirement party.
Dalley’s contributions to OPD5 have been significant throughout the three decades of his career. He began working at OPD5 as a temporary worker right after graduating from Moapa Valley High School in 1990. He recalled that it was right after a major flood had hit the Moapa Valley community. His first assignment came from then-General Manager Alma Whipple who was having district workers go out door-to-door and assist residents in flood-affected areas with the cleanup of their homes and yards.
“There was a group of us who were just assigned to go out and help muck out people’s homes,” Dalley said. “That was my first OPD5 work experience.”
After returning from a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1993, Dalley was hired on again at OPD5 as a temporary worker. A few months later in that same year, a groundsman position became available and he was hired on full time.
Dalley worked his way up through the ranks at OPD5. By 2002, he had finished his apprenticeship and became a full journeyman lineman. Later, he served as an area crew foreman. In 2019, he was promoted to Line Operations Manager.
“I have 30 years of amazing memories and associations that I can look back on now,” Dalley said. “For example, I can remember vividly the adrenaline rush of the first time working at the top of a power pole during a lightning storm. That was exhilarating and terrifying all at once. But it was part of the job. There are just so many good memories!”
Dalley observed that progress over a 30-year career, when viewed from day to day, doesn’t seem that significant. “But when you look back on it you can see a lot of positive changes that took place,” he said. “It is just decade upon decade of building things and making things better. I am excited and proud to have been a part of it.”
OPD5 General Manager Mendis Cooper spoke highly of Dalley and his high standards of conduct on the job. “By nature, linemen can be a pretty rough and tough bunch,” Cooper said. “But I have always been impressed with Corey and his high level of professionalism both in his language, his behavior on the job and his pursuit of excellence in whatever he was doing. He has set a positive tone for the crew for so many years.”