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  February (2023) Member Spotlight: Carol Bogacz (1898 & Co.)

  Posted by Kevin Praet (Adm) on February 6, 2023 at 11:35 am

  @Carol is an active UAI member and provides outstanding influence and contributions to the UAI community through any of our multiple channels, including, but not limited to engagement on UAI Connect, volunteering with UAI, involvement and/or leadership in monthly Community Conversations, and/or speaking at UAI events, plus so much.  As thanks, we are featuring her in the UAI Member Spotlight. As a principal consultant for 1898 & Co., Carol is an industry leader driving innovative solutions through deep technical and analytics experience to expand and deliver strategic offerings to clients.

   

  Kevin: How did you get into the utility analytics industry?

  Carol: When I graduated with a degree in mathematics from Truman State University, I didn’t have a clear career path. I earned a master’s degree in statistics and started looking for a way to apply my passion for predictive modeling. At the time, data science wasn’t an actual discipline. You could say I forged my own path, working as an analyst in a range of industries, from telecommunications to trucking to insurance. I even worked briefly as an actuary but found predicting life spans was not how I wanted to spend my days.

  A friend told me that his company was looking to build an analytics department and expand analytics throughout the company. After a few conversations, I became the first person at Burns & McDonnell with the title “data scientist.” That was 8 years ago. Since then, I have been named a Top 25 Thought Leader in Utility Analytics by the Utility Analytics Institute, helping the utility industry get value from their data and build long-term projections for key industry trends.

   

  Kevin: What project have you enjoyed working on most in your career?

  Carol: Picking just one is very hard for me (similarly, I cannot pick one favorite ice cream flavor). . .Each project has given me the opportunity to work with smart – really smart – people to solve problems that they are passionate about.. . there is nothing better than building a relationship with a team as you work to solve complex problems together.

   

  Kevin: What has been your biggest professional challenge and how did you work through it?

  Carol: As the first ‘official’ data scientist at Burns & McDonnell, the biggest challenge was understanding the industry and how to help clients make data informed decisions while mitigating risk. The secret? Conversations and coffee. . .LOTS of both.

   

  Through the years, I have applied advanced analytics techniques to a variety of business problems such as investment planning, load forecasting, operational efficiency, and outage management.

   

  Kevin: If you could go back in time and give yourself one piece of advice before entering the utility analytics industry, what would it be?

  Carol: Everyone has something they can teach you…always be open to learn.

   

  Kevin: What would you like to talk to fellow colleagues and members about in UAI Connect? Or, what issues or topics would you like to see more discussions on in UAI Connect?

  Carol: I would love to continue the conversation around people and culture; focusing on the people side of the analytics equation. How is your utility creating a data informed organization?

   

  Kevin: Thank you so much for sharing with us and for being a highly engaged member of UAI!

  Do you have any final thoughts, ideas, or comments you would like to share with your fellow UAI members?

  Carol: I am looking forward to seeing everyone in my hometown for Utility Analytics Summit 2023. . .Won’t you meet me in KC?

  ​

  ——————————
  Kevin Praet
  Membership Coordinator
  Utility Analytics Institute (UAI)
  Boulder CO
  315-440-3033
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  Kevin Praet (Adm) replied 1 year, 9 months ago 1 Member · 0 Replies
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