Darlene Dyson, BC 1 Call Director of Operations and Education, retires today, with a legacy that spans decades.
Darlene has been with BC 1 Call for more than 30 years and still recalls her first days in the office starting October 1994.
“I had been involved in the utility industry in Calgary for many years working for Telus and Calgary Cable, before I moved to B.C.,” she said. “I came across an ad in the paper, applied, and was fortunate enough to get the position.”
Henley Consulting, under the direction of Scott Henley, was the first vendor and manager of BC 1 Call, starting with one supervisor and four agents including herself.
“We spent the first several weeks putting together a mapping system to integrate with the one call software. In those days the mapping system was all paper based and very antiquated,” she said. “We took our first locate request via phone on January 2, 1995.”
“Call Before You Dig” was a known practice at the time due to its presence in Alberta but this safety focus was not yet in place in BC.
“People didn’t even think of calling, they just went ahead and dug. In those early days it was all about getting the utility owners onboard as a member of BC 1 Call and at the same time educating the excavating community on the importance of safe digging practices,” she added. “BC 1 Call has always been about membership growth and making people understand the importance of calling before you dig.”
Darlene started her career with BC 1 Call as an agent, advancing after a few years to a supervisory position. After five years she was offered the position of Manager of Operations which she excitedly accepted.
She praised Scott Henley as well as Accu-Link Call Centres owner Mark Brabant and the BC 1 Call Board for their constant support.
“They gave me the freedom and trust to manage the call centre in my own way, which made my job easier and was always appreciated.”
Darlene said she is “extraordinarily proud” of what BC 1 Call has become over the last three decades.
“It has been a long journey, challenging in many ways but to see where we are now, to hear FortisBC say they had the lowest hits in 20 years, is absolutely amazing,” she said.
As she eases into retirement, Darlene plans to “take a little bit of downtime as well as continue to travel with her husband and rekindle some forgotten hobbies.”
She added she had nothing but good things to say about every person she’s worked with in the industry. “I’ve spoken to thousands of people over the years, and I could count on one hand the number of difficult people. I can say that most calls ended with a satisfied caller. Customer service excellence was always my goal.”
We’ve compiled tributes from Darlene’s coworkers, friends and colleagues below!
“Darlene, congratulations on your well-deserved retirement. You’ve been a wonderful ambassador of BC 1 Call for more than three decades. Through all the changes during my time on the board you’ve continued to show a positive attitude, unwavering commitment, willingness to do what it takes to succeed and, most of all, a kind heart. You can be proud of your contributions towards developing BC1C, reducing damages, and ensuring the safety of British Columbians. Best wishes as you start your next chapter.”
Daren Sanders, BC 1 Call Board Chair
“I’ve worked with you since 2007 and always found that you led with kindness in your interactions, whether with industry partners or contractors. You responded to our many NEB/CER questions promptly and with intelligence – so much so that you’ve become our go-to resource for One Calls in Canada. Your work has been of high value and you’ve made a great difference in BC, Darlene. It’s been a pleasure working with you and I’ll miss you, my friend.”
“Thank you Darlene for all of your years of service to the damage prevention industry in BC, in Canada and North America! Your passion and dedication helped evolve this industry, over the past 31 years! Enjoy your well deserved retirement.”
Byron Sackville, General Manager, PelicanCorp
“Darlene is the sum total of what it means to be successful in transitioning with the many phases of an organization that starts from the ground up to one of the most successful non-profit organizations in the history of British Columbia. Darlene, trust that when we say BC1C wouldn’t have gotten to where we are in such a positive manner without your wonderful customer service, unparalleled work ethics, and ability to grow with the organization! Thank you and enjoy a well-deserved retirement!”
Jimmy Yip, Damage Prevention Manager, FortisBC
“When I first joined the BC1C board and as the first woman on the board, I found Darlene welcoming and a fabulous source of knowledge. She was always ready to answer any questions I had. She will always hold a special place in my heart and at BC1C. Best wishes for a long and fun retirement!”
Pat Miller, BC 1 Call Board Member
“It’s always been a pleasure and honor to work with Darlene. Our connection came through her consistent and relevant BC1C Presentations to students taking our Public Works/Municipal Engineering courses. I found Darlene to always be engaged and interested in the students questions and feedback about the BC1C System. Learning first-hand about the importance of underground utilities, promoting safety and being prepared in the field are critical for municipal construction. Thanks Darlene! Wishing you a well-deserved & relaxing transition!”
With appreciation,
“Darlene, thank you for your patience, guidance, and support through the years.”
Anne Beaudry
“Dear Darlene, we can’t thank you enough for your years of steadfast service, dedication and guidance to us. Working with you and learning from you has been a privilege. I have learned so much from you, especially your attention to detail, exceptional customer service ethic, and the calm with which you approach every situation. These are lessons I’ll carry with me throughout my career. Your leadership has not only shaped the way we work, but also who we are as a team. Thank you for everything you have done and for the example you’ve set. Wishing you joy, rest and many adventures in this exciting next chapter.”
Dhanya Devi, Team Lead at BC 1 Call/Pelican Corp
“Dear Darlene,
I can’t thank you enough for giving me the opportunity to work at BC1C. Enjoy the next chapter of life Happy Retirement. All the best.”
Love always,
Fariel Subedar, Damage Prevention Specialist, BC 1 Call/PelicanCorp
“I joined BC 1 Call in December of 2003. I was not familiar with a lot of the city names in BC and also not very good on the computer either. Darlene had more confidence in me than I ever had in myself. I was ready to quit multiple times but Darlene was not ready to give up on me. She has been my mentor and I owe a great deal to her. She gave me the confidence that I lacked and that is the reason why I am still here.”
Shahida Khan, Damage Prevention Specialist, BC 1 Call/PelicanCorp
“We would tease her with uneven blinds. She never said a word she just went and made them all even when she came in. She also asked me if there was any reason I would not show up to work. I said not unless I am dead or in the hospital. She said odd answer I have never heard that one before.”
Shawn Green, Damage Prevention Specialist, BC 1 Call/PelicanCorp
“Dear Darlene,
Safety is defined by many activities that come together, each day, to support workers on job sites across British Columbia. The provision of asset related information through BC One Call supports so many angles of safe work practice, and for over 30 years, you have maintained a consistent, collaborative, and highly responsive approach to your oversight of the work done by BC One Call. Thank you for your sincerity and honesty, for always taking time to patiently work through so many different issues, with so many different Board members over the years – your tact and desire for continuous improvement was felt in every interaction. And most of all, thank you for your unwavering commitment to the mission and mandate of BC One Call, to the compliance that it supports – and to the safe work practices that protect every worker in our province.”
With heartfelt gratitude,
Suzana Prpic, Senior Manager Prevention Services, WorkSafeBC
“Darlene’s wealth of knowledge, work ethic and her kind approach to anyone interested in or working with BC One Call has been an invaluable asset to the organization for these many years. I’m sure that when a lot of people think of BC One Call they immediately think of Darlene. I wish her every happiness in retirement.”
Sincerely, Gary Metz
“Wishing you all the best in your retirement, Darlene! While we didn’t work together for a very long time, it has been an absolute pleasure. Congratulations!”
Olivia Kuyvenhoven
“I have known and worked with Darlene extensively over the past twenty plus years, from my time as public works manager at Saanich, to being on the BC 1 Call board, and finally, as BC 1 Call Executive Director. Darlene has always been there whenever I had questions, from “how does BC1 Call work?” to “can you attend so-and-so city’s public works week open house?”. Darlene always said yes, and how can I help? She answered my staff’s questions on the ticket process, with real life examples that showed she knew the system inside and out. Her wealth of knowledge was paired with a real caring attitude and she worked so hard to make sure our users knew what to expect from the initial locate request to rechecks, and what to do if utilities didn’t respond in time. Wishing you the very best in retirement, Darlene, you have set a standard others can aspire to, but few will ever reach.”
“Darlene has been an amazing person to work with and is a super kind human being! She has a wealth of knowledge and experience, and will be missed in the damage prevention industry!”
Barry Durocher, Manager of Information Technology, Top Shelf Solutions Screening Inc.