Utilities Continually Focus on Service Excellence
As our nation marks its 250th Anniversary, it is appropriate to look back at the 1915 birth of the New Jersey Utilities Association (NJUA) to represent investor-owned electric, natural gas, telecommunications, water, and sewerage utilities in the state.
By THE NEW JERSEY UTILITIES ASSOCIATION On Jul 7, 2026Life in New Jersey in the early 1900s was marked by significant changes and developments as the state was experiencing a period of rapid urbanization, with many people moving to cities for work and better living conditions. The population was growing, with a focus on the middle class, and the economy was expanding. These were good times as New Jersey was transitioning from the Gilded Age to the Progressive Era, influenced by social activism and modernization.
A look at the 1920 census shows much growth within urban and suburban areas and within the middle class. America’s urbanization, as well as new methods of management and new technology within both the home and the workplace, were changing the nature of work and the daily lives of workers – and New Jersey was at the center of those changes.
Overall, the year was reflective of the broader changes in the US during the early 20th century and also represented the birth of the New Jersey Utilities Association, which came together under Clarence H. Geist as a group to allow New Jersey’s utilities to speak with one unified voice and provide a forum for best practices, no different than the NJUA’s mission of today.
Geist’s vision was that the NJUA would help develop innovative ideas and share critical information among member companies for the betterment of the industry and the residents of New Jersey. He felt that this exchange would also benefit the membership by increasing its ability to supply consumers with the highest quality service at the most affordable prices.
The NJUA’s mission has remained mostly unchanged since its inception, focusing on sharing efficiencies and best practices among its member companies. The association plays a crucial role in the state’s utility sector, advocating for policies that promote the interests of their customers and their businesses, and improving efficiency and service through the exchange of ideas and experience among utility companies.
Today, New Jersey residents begin and end their day by using the services of a group of businesses called public utilities. Our lives and livelihood depend on the availability and uninterrupted flow of electricity, natural gas, water and telecommunications services so that we can make a cup of coffee, take a shower, and check our emails.
This is no small feat as it takes more than 38,000 service-oriented and safety-minded employees of our New Jersey utilities to effectively and efficiently make that daily routine a reality. These hard-working individuals must safely and reliably operate tens of billions of dollars in critical utility infrastructure every day to provide the services that are the backbone of our state’s economy.
We also need to remember that these essential workers remain on the front lines even during harsh and sometimes unprecedented conditions. These workers have worked throughout the entirety of the COVID-19 pandemic, the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy, harsh winter environments, and the hottest summer days – ensuring that critical services are delivered to residents and businesses of the state.
We are very fortunate that New Jersey has some of the top-ranked utilities in the nation for customer service and reliability. The NJUA is proud to link our state’s utilities and provide a forum where they can share business practices and trade solutions to unique problems. The NJUA looks forward to another 100-plus years of serving our members and the state of New Jersey.
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