Schweitzer Drive

When innovation is key to your company’s success, building the right team is critical. But what does that mean? Do you need more specialists—people with deep expertise in one area? Or do you need more generalists—folks who have a working knowledge of many disciplines? In this episode, Dave talks with SEL Distinguished Engineer Tony Lee, a veteran product developer and leader, about finding the right mix.

One of the best ways to attract and retain great employees is to offer great benefits. In this episode, Dave Whitehead talks with Joey Nestegard, SEL chief business and financial officer, about one of the most valuable benefits a business can offer employees—ownership.

We’ve all experienced the frustration of having to wade through layers of automated phone prompts trying to get through to a customer service rep or having to wait weeks for a technician to come out—and even then you have to block a half-day window of time. In this episode, Dave Whitehead examines how this model can look very different, discussing the topic with two SEL experts: Dr. Ed Schweitzer, founder, president, and chief technology officer, and David Costello, chief sales and services officer.

It’s been said that teaching is selling. In this episode, Dave Whitehead talks about the art of selling with Laura Stento, senior sales manager. Laura talks about the work she does to help customers solve their challenges and her goal to provide value first. 

Whether in engineering or business, Dr. Edmund O. Schweitzer, III, a prolific inventor and founder of Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, always encourages going back to first principles. In this episode, Dave Whitehead talks with Dr. Schweitzer about how creativity, innovation, business, and economies thrive in a free, flat, fair, and open environment.

Did you know that the power system can reconfigure itself when a fault occurs and that it can automatically adjust line voltage so that the energy delivered to your house is just right? Did you know that adding wind and solar power to the grid can make it less reliable? Join Dave Whitehead as he talks with automation engineer Bryan Fazzari about how distribution automation is meeting these engineering challenges head-on.

Often in the wake of a blackout, the focus is on what caused the power to go out, but we seldom hear how utilities get the power back on. In this episode, Dave Whitehead talks with Bill Cook, a power system expert with more than four decades of experience, about how he worked with the operations team at San Diego Gas & Electric to get the lights back on after the 2011 blackout in Southern California.

In this episode, SEL Supply Chain Director Diane Donnermeyer talks with Dave Whitehead about how to keep the links of a supply chain connected and strong—even during a pandemic.

In this episode, Dave Whitehead talks to Dr. Ed Schweitzer about power system protection, why speed is so important, and what the future might look like.

Join Dave Whitehead and Fellow Engineer Greg Zweigle for an in-depth conversation about synchrophasors—the eyes and ears of the electric power system.

Join Dave Whitehead as he talks with Dr. Edmund O. Schweitzer, III, the founder, president, and chief technology officer of Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories (SEL), about the origins of SEL’s culture and business practices, including Friday Lunch, the product warranty, and the focus on customer service.

In this episode of Schweitzer Drive, Dave Whitehead interviews Edmund O. Schweitzer, III, the founder, president, and chief technology officer of Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories (SEL), about the company’s beginnings and the idea and invention that were the creative spark.

On Schweitzer Drive, Dave Whitehead, CEO of SEL, explores a broad range of topics impacting the electric power industry,  from integrating new sources of energy and securing the grid to advancements in design, manufacturing, business, education, and more.