Employee Profile: Chris Harris

A little over three months into his role as Operations Supervisor over Metering Services, Chris Harris feels blessed to be where he is today.

“I didn’t even see it (the opportunity to join Louisville Water) and that was because honestly my mindset on that at the time was that ‘well, you’ve gotta know somebody to get hired in there’, and I knew no one,” Harris said.

Luckily for Harris, a friend spotted a job opening and encouraged him to apply. Thinking he didn’t have a shot, Harris applied anyway just to say he did it. And he is so glad he did. Harris first started his career at Louisville Water in 2018 as a General Laborer, doing anything from working with crews on water main breaks to fixing broken meters or installing fire hydrants. Whatever needed to be done, he was up to the task at hand.

Moving up the ladder, Harris’ responsibilities now include ensuring safety measures, coaching and managing the Meter Reading staff, providing support to AFSCME Local 1683, and monitoring the meter reading route status so customers are billed accurately and in a timely manner.

Harris is no stranger to hard work. He started working with his uncle at the age of nine, spurring a strong work ethic. He credits a lot of his success to that and the advice his mother instilled in him.

Harris remembers, “She said make sure you give it a hundred percent and make sure you do your absolute best and treat everybody with respect.”

That’s always stuck with him and continues to in his new management role. Harris’s diverse experience at Louisville Water gives him a great perspective because he knows the challenges his co-workers face day to day.

“Being out in the field, you hear complaints. You hear the challenges of, ‘man it would be nice if this…’ Then when I was awarded this position, it was like wow, I get the opportunity to now have an impact.”

Chris’ supervisor, Manager of Metering Field Operations, Megan Talley, says she’s seen how Chris has quickly earned the respect of his direct reports and co-workers.

“He hit the ground running in his new role and dives headfirst into any challenge. His attention to detail, calm demeanor, positive outlook, union background, and field experience make him a great fit for the job. I know he will continue to do great things at Louisville Water,” Talley said.

Outside of work, Harris enjoys customizing cars, especially older cars. He also enjoys learning about history, the Bible, and different languages. Three things that he says would come in handy if he ever takes a trip around the world, but until then, you’ll find Chris Harris with an eager smile at Allmond Avenue.