Clyde Robertson
By Jennifer Wall, Communications Specialist
Jessica Cliborne
Clyde Robertson retired from SEC as a line technician supervisor in the Crewe office after 31 years of commitment to the Cooperative. He worked for W.E. Boyd Electrical Contractors for 10 years, working exclusively on SEC lines, before coming to the Cooperative, making his total time connected to SEC at about 41 years.
“I had an uncle, Dan Robertson, who worked for SEC; therefore, it was my dream to work for the Cooperative,” Clyde says. “My Uncle Dan and his son, Danny, both retired from SEC. Danny’s son, Trevor, currently works as a line technician supervisor in the Western District (Altavista).”
Clyde says he loved his job for his entire career. Most of all, he loved the people he worked with and considers them his extended family.
Today, Clyde continues to follow his passion for the electric cooperative industry by working as an instructor at Southside Virginia Community College’s lineworker training program at Fort Barfoot.
“I was content in retirement and happy to drop off biscuits in SEC’s drive-thru for my daughter, Jessica Cliborne, who is an SEC member service representative. When I was asked to be an instructor to a younger generation of hopeful lineworkers, I couldn’t turn it down.
“A lot of the SEC guys I have either worked with or trained as students in the power lineworker program are my friends and my brothers in our line of work. Now, I am proudest that my daughter, Jessica, and grandson, Braden, are working for the Cooperative,” says Clyde.
Jessica began her career at SEC in 2006.
“I grew up seeing the pride my dad had in his career,” she says. “He was always ready to go get the lights back on, and he always spoke of his coworkers like family. It made it really easy to want to be a part of that.”
For Jessica, the best part of her job is helping the membership. She also enjoys working alongside her coworkers.
Braden Cliborne
Braden, the youngest Robertson family member, joined SEC in September 2023 as an apprentice line technician in Crewe. He benefitted from his grandfather’s training, graduating from the lineworker program in November 2022.
“My goal at SEC is to keep the power on, regardless of the conditions,” Braden says. “I come from a line of Cooperative dedication, and I am determined not to let them down. Sometimes when climbing a pole, I wonder if my grandfather could have climbed the same pole.”
“It is an honor to have three generations of a family work for the Cooperative,” says SEC Director of Operations Louis Urbine. “Clyde, Jessica and Braden have all made the decision to serve our members, as have several of their other family members over the years. Growing up in the Cooperative environment, you learn the commitment and dedication required in this line of work, and it is exciting to see those values shared in these families.”