Matt McCoy
Maintenance Technician
Q: How long have you worked for Metro DES?
A: I started working for Metro DES on December 15, 2003. Prior to that, I worked for Nashville Thermal Transfer Corporation (NTTC). I started working for NTTC in September of 1994.
Q: For those who don't know what a maintenance technician's role is, please tell us a little bit about your day-to-day responsibilities.
A: My day-to-day responsibilities vary a great deal. As a maintenance technician, my first priority is resolving any problems at the plant or in the system – leaks in the lines or issues with the boilers and chillers – that could have an immediate impact on the system's performance.
But I'm also regularly checking on all the equipment in the plant and lines in the system to make sure we don't have any issues that could cause problems with the system's performance down the road. Some days I'm at the plant for most of my shift, and some days
I'm out in the field checking on the system for most of my shift. I like that aspect of the job a lot because I never know where I'll be from one day to the next. It keeps things fresh.
Q: What path led you to where you are? What did you do before joining DES that prepared you to be successful?
A: The military was an important part of my career path. I'm a Desert Storm veteran, and just being over there was an eye-opening experience. I was a machinist mate in the Navy, which is very similar to what I do now at DES.
Also, working for NTTC really prepared me for my job at DES. At NTTC, the work was dirty, hot and really tough, for the most part. And we had to work longer hours to provide the same services DES provides. I feel like that really prepared me for any challenges my current job could present.
Q: What's your favorite thing about your job?
A: The people. Most of us came from NTTC, and we've known one another for several years.
Q: Typically, most people think of spring as a time to save money on energy costs, at least in their residence. Can businesses on DES' system also expect to see savings during spring, or is it noticeable only in residential houses?
A: Yes, the same principles apply to large, commercial buildings in the spring months. Obviously, it's not as easy as opening a few windows when it comes to some of the large buildings on the DES system; but moderate temperatures in the spring should result in lower energy costs.
Q: Has the construction for the Music City Center had any effect on DES' services or on the system in general yet? Will it be an issue as construction moves forward?
A: So far the construction has not had any effect on DES' services, other than maybe adding a couple of minutes to DES employees' commute time to work. It's hard for me to say what, if any, effect the construction will have on the system at this point. But I do know that DES has the capacity to add the Music City Center to the system without affecting any of our other customers' service.
Q: If you weren't a maintenance technician at Metro DES, what would you like to do?
A: I'd probably be doing something in the same field. I love working with my hands, and that's what I'm really good at, so I wouldn't want to change professions entirely.
Q: What do you like to do when you're not on the job?
A: Woodworking, hunting, fishing, riding ATVs and working on things around the house.