Every year, NETA presents the James R. White Electrical Safety Award to an individual who has followed in the footsteps of Jim White, promoting electrical safety in their own organizations and across the industry. “Jim White dedicated his career to electrical safety, and the 2026 award goes to another safety warrior who has worked tirelessly for safety education and standards development,” Board Member Ron Widup told the audience at the Member and Alliance Luncheon during the recent 2026 PowerTest conference in Nashville, Tennessee.
“In the 15 years Scott Blizard has been a NETA Board member, he has held many leadership roles, including past-president, current secretary, and chair of multiple committees,” added Widup. “He is honored here today for his service as NETA Safety Committee Chair, and to recognize his contributions towards assuring worker safety….and in particular, those NETA field service technicians and engineers in the field.”
“Having known Jim White as an educator and a safety professional, it is an honor to receive such an award in his memory,” Blizard says. “A lot of thought goes into selecting a worthy recipient each year for this award, and I am honored to be this year’s recipient.”
ADVANCING NETA’s CORE VALUE OF SAFETY
As Chair of the NETA Safety Committee, Blizard has been instrumental in advancing the Association’s core value of safety by modernizing minimum safety guidelines, integrating safety reviews into the accreditation process, and supporting member companies of all sizes. He brings deep technical expertise and has contributed to industry standards through his work with NETA and NFPA. Widely regarded as a mentor, subject matter expert, and advocate for safety, Blizard’s leadership has had a lasting impact on the industry.
NETA Executive Director Bryant Phillips shared, “As a NETA Board of Directors member for 15 years, Scott has held multiple leadership roles. But none of those roles is more important than his current role as NETA’s Safety Committee Chair. Scott has significantly advanced the Safety Committee’s direct involvement in the NETA member application and review process and established report templates to support the entire electrical testing industry.”
Kristen Schmidt, USC Power, reflects, “He’s built a great Safety Committee. We all appreciate his expertise and insights into safety. He has always been an advocate for safety and a great NETA supporter.”
“One of the highlights of my career was helping to write the first NETA Safety Guideline in the 1990s,” recalls Blizard.
“I’ve worked with Scott Blizard on the NETA Board for many years,” says Jim Cialdea of Sigma C Power Services. “During that time, he has been the Chair of the NETA Safety Committee and has done an excellent job putting together safety programs for existing members as well as for new members. That is an important benefit for some of the smaller companies that don’t have anyone on staff with Scott’s expertise.”
“Scott Blizard is a perfect recipient of the Jim White Safety Award,” adds Jim Dollard, who retired from IBEW. “I spent a lot of time with Scott on Code Making Panel 10, and like Jim White, Scott has a laid-back style in committee meetings. But when Scott speaks, he speaks dynamically, and everybody in the room listens. He is one of the few NFPA committee members I have met who has contributed significantly to safety. His contributions will live for a long time.”
A LEGACY OF EXCELLENCE
“I’ve been very fortunate in my career,” Blizard acknowledges. “Becoming a member of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 103 in 1983, going to work for American Electrical Testing Co. Inc. (AET) in 1986, and developing AET’s first safety manual in the 1990s set the stage. But becoming a NETA Level 3 Certified Technician and Level 4 Certified Senior Technician tops the list. Later, I was fortunate to acquire AET with my brother, Charley Jr, and we developed and grew AET into a solid entity,” he recalls.
Schmidt says, “Scott Blizard brings with him a legacy of electrical testing, following in his father’s footsteps and growing his business to what it is today. His dad, Charlie Blizard Sr, was a NETA Board member for over 20 years. He had a deep dedication to excellence in all aspects of his work, and Scott is cut from the same cloth.”
“My father, Charles K. Blizard Sr, truly believed in giving back to the industry through participation in NETA. He served on the NETA Board, including as President, and represented NETA on Code Making Panel 10 of the National Electrical Code,” Blizard recalls. “I’ve also represented NETA on NFPA NEC CMP10 and served as an alternate to Dave Huffman on NFPA 70B and several other committees over the years. Being part of NETA allows you to actively participate in the electrical power industry. It’s your chance to have a voice and make a difference.”
BUILDING STRONG SAFETY PROGRAMS
Jason Briggs, CEO of Asplundh Electrical Testing, says he has had thepleasure of working with Scott Blizard for the last 20 years. “Scott has been instrumental in our safety and leadership human performance programs,” Briggs says. “I’ve looked to his guidance over the years as a mentor to help us shape the program and keep it fresh. I consider Scott a legend.’
Kristen Schmidt of USC Power remembers, “As Scott became more involved with NETA, he and I formed a great working relationship as he took on the committee chairmanship for the Safety Committee. He worked hard to get NETA’s minimum safety guidelines updated to current industry standards, and he made this foundational document what it needed to be for the Association and its membership.”
“It’s a guidepost document,” Schmidt explains, “not only with regard to NETA Accredited Company safety standards, but also to ensuring that all NETA technicians make it home to their loved ones at the end of each day. Over the years, Scott has grown into one of NETA’s most valued assets as a Board member and a respected subject-matter expert, serving on multiple committees. I’m proud to call him a colleague and a friend, and he absolutely embodies the spirit of this recognition. I know Jim White would agree.”
Dino Gelfusa, Asplundh Electrical Testing, says, “Scott was definitely hands-on regarding safety. He pushed the fact that our health and safety were far more important than a profit.”
NETA Director of Sales and Marketing Jill Howell agrees. “Scott is one of the Association’s biggest safety advocates, and he has been the Safety Committee Chair for a long time. This committee provides direction for the Association because it regularly reviews the safety programs of NETA Accredited Companies.
“’Safety Corner’ is a regular NETA World column,” Howell adds. “In fact, the safety column is probably one of the most-read columns we have, and Scott wrote it for many years. He did hand over the baton a couple of years ago, but I know he still reviews every article before it goes to press.”
Paul Chamberlain, a colleague at American Electrical Testing and now at Asplundh Electrical Testing, points to Blizard’s expertise. “Scott was heavily involved in the investigation process for accidents and in mitigating and preventing potential injuries to employees and others. He has extensive experience and knowledge in the electrical testing industry. He has always been at the forefront when it comes to equipment safety, designing for equipment safety, and training for NETA Certified Technicians.
A TIRELESS BOARD LEADER
“Scott has been on the NETA Board of Directors since June 2010,” Howell remembers. “He took over from his dad and threw his whole heart into being an engaged NETA Board member. He works very diligently to represent the safety perspective and supports all the initiatives and programs that the Association delivers to the industry.”
“Scott is a technician, but he’s also very astute,” Howell continues. “He knows every aspect of being a NETA Accredited Company, so he was very helpful in helping me understand how to support our members, how to think about marketing to the power industry, and how to build relationships between the power industry folks and NETA. I’m truly grateful to him.”
FINAL THOUGHTS
“No member of the Association has done more than Scott Blizard to support the advancement of NETA’s abiding core value of safety,” says Bryant Phillips. “Congratulations on this great honor, Scott. It’s well-deserved.”
“It is an exciting time for the industry,” Blizard says. “The projected demand for electrical power and the amount of work that will be created to meet the demand will be sizable. As for me, retirement is next. I will be chasing a little white ball around a green fairway, searching for the elusive endless summer.”