Open To Work
Michael McLaurin
Damage Assessor, Safety & QA/QC Specialist, Project Manager
Hattiesburg,MS
Work Preference
Summary
Saftey Leader and Supervisor with 16 years of experience in utility power line construction, specializing in distribution and transmission systems. Proven leader in high pressure environments with a strong focus on integrity, safety, crew supervision and efficient project execution.
Overview
16
16
years of professional experience
Skills
- Integrity
- OSHA & FMCSR Compliance
- Safety & Compliance Leadership
- Quality Assurance & Feild Performance
- Risk Mitigation & Reliabilty Enhancement
- Electrical Saftey & Training
- Damage Assessments
- Hazard Identification
- Safety Audits
- Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Outlook), Microsoft 365 (Teams, SharePoint, Onedrive)
- Lockout/Tagout Procedures
- First Aid & CPR
- Insulate/Isolate
Work History
Owner/Managing Member
Pinnacle Energy Services
Petal, MS
01.2025 - Current
- Subcontract field support for utility construction and storm response partners (ATK, One Source Service,Tempest Storm Response, Nomad Power Group, Prodigy)
- Direct safety oversight and compliance efforts, including job site observations, corrective actions, and documentation.
- Perform QA/QC inspections and reporting to verify workmanship, specs, and closeout requirements
- Support project management functions, planning, coordination, daily reporting, and schedule support.
- Perform post-storm and emergency damage assessments on distribution and transmission systems following hurricanes, ice storms, tornadoes, and severe weather events.
- Collect GPS-tagged photos, asset IDs, and field data using mobile OMS/GIS platforms to ensure accurate system mapping and reporting.
Safety & Production Oversight
Bird a Black & Veatch Company
Huntsville, TX
01.2024 - 12.2024
- Complied with stringent federal and corporate regulations to ensure workplace safety and to the general public.
- Monitored productivity, performance and task completion.
- Performed field audits and documented findings (safety observations, punch lists, NCRs) drove corrective actions and verified closeout.
- Built and managed look-ahead plans (2–6 week), coordinating outages, switching windows, permits, inspections and customer constraints.
- Managed equipment and fleet utilization; ensured tools and test equipment were inspected, serviceable, and compliant.
- Built strong stakeholder relationships to maintain production flow and acceptance timelines, reducing rework and improving first-pass quality.
- Partnered with client inspectors to resolve deficiencies quickly and maintain energization/turnover schedules.
General Foreman
Bird a Black & Veatch Company
Columbia, MS
01.2020 - 12.2022
- Served as primary field liaison with utility representatives, inspectors and project management to resolve issues and maintain schedule commitments.
- Led 5–8 distribution line crews(25-50 personnel) across overhead and underground projects, delivering work safely, on schedule and within contract scope
- Planned and executed daily operations for 4kV–35kV distribution systems, including reconductors, new builds, rebuilds, services, and storm hardening.
- Enforced OSHA, utility, and company safety standards, conducted daily job briefings and tailboards, contributing to incident free projects and reduced recordables.
- Coordinated outages, switching, clearances and lockout/tagout with system operators to minimize customer interruptions and downtime
Utility Foreman
MDR
Columbia, MS
02.2017 - 12.2019
- Trained and mentored apprentice linemen, sharing knowledge and reinforcing safety practices.
- Followed strict safety protocols to ensure personal and public safety around electrical lines.
- Replaced faulty components such as insulators, conductors and related hardware on energized circuits up to 34.5kv
- Climbed wooden poles, ladders and towers or used bucket trucks to reach power lines and complete work.
- Utilized volt meters, ammeters, and other testing devices to assess and ensure system functionality.
- Rebuilt transformers by dismantling, removing and assembling core components.
Lead Journeyman Lineman
Chain Electric
Hattiesburg, MS
01.2010 - 02.2017
- Launched apprenticeship in underground distribution, supporting safe installation of step-down transformers and risers, completing excavation and cable pulls, and performing pothead/elbow terminations.
- Performed UG switching and sectionalizing, and grounding procedures. Troubleshooting, splicing wire, install & replace pad mounts, pull box & pedestals.
- Moved to OH lines learning materials, specs, & different voltage transformers and banking. Performed pole changes, reconduct & conversion work on lines from 6kv to 34.5kv in process becoming fluent in operating digger/line, rope rigs, tensioner.
- Moved to transmission, on new build 64 mile job. Learning all areas, to pull downs and let ups sagging wire, catching off from structures, pressing dead end shoes, jumpers. Operated heavy and small equipment, worked from crane baskets to 125ft buckets. Completed job in 11 months.
Education
Journeyman Lineman Certified
IBEW
OSHA 10/30
University of South Florida
Overhead Distribution Transformer Banking
PRCC
Hattiesburg, MSUnderground Sectionalizing Switching And Grounding
PRCC
Hattiesburg, MSMobile, Locomotive, And Tower Cranes Certified
Qualified Rigger
Hand, Voice, And Audible Signals Certified
Qualified Signal Person
Human Performance Training
HPI - Chain
Power Safe / Entergy
PowerSafe.org
Timeline
Owner/Managing Member
Pinnacle Energy Services
01.2025 - Current
Safety & Production Oversight
Bird a Black & Veatch Company
01.2024 - 12.2024
General Foreman
Bird a Black & Veatch Company
01.2020 - 12.2022
Utility Foreman
MDR
02.2017 - 12.2019
Lead Journeyman Lineman
Chain Electric
01.2010 - 02.2017
Journeyman Lineman Certified
IBEW
OSHA 10/30
University of South Florida
Overhead Distribution Transformer Banking
PRCC
Underground Sectionalizing Switching And Grounding
PRCC
Mobile, Locomotive, And Tower Cranes Certified
Qualified Rigger
Hand, Voice, And Audible Signals Certified
Qualified Signal Person
Human Performance Training
HPI - Chain
Power Safe / Entergy
PowerSafe.org