George completed his Electrical Construction Design and Management degree in 2019. He explains, “A few years ago I was teaching a CDL class . . . now I’m the head of safety for over 1100 organizations. It’s been a wild wonderful ride.”

Nick Weatherly, Electrical instructor, remembers George well. “George is super smart and a very hard worker. He works as a compliance officer for Underwriters Laboratories (UL), an organization that tests every electrical device in the United States to make sure they are safe. This includes ensuring manufacturers adhere to the mandated rules set forth by the National Fire Protection Association and National Electrical Manufacturers Association. Riley came to us out of the Military with superb work ethic, attending night school while carrying a full-time job to support his wife and children. He worked for Savvis Center as an electrician, before getting his job at UL.

“I hired George during his last semester at Ranken after recruiting at their annual job fair,” says Charles Lover, Field Engineer/Business Manager for Underwriters Laboratories. “George has proven to be a valuable asset to our team. He came to us with the foundational skills necessary to excel in our organization. Since joining UL, George has become a key player in several group initiatives. Two years later, he continues to strive to improve not only himself, but to develop the talents and skills of others. George has performed admirably over the past two years, positioning himself as a candidate for the next level promotion in April 2021.

George recalls fun times while at Ranken, including working with an instructor to link a Billy Bass to a Google home. He says, “I had time to kill in-between work and evening classes and we played with some silly stuff.”  George has two cousins who attended Ranken, as well as his grandfather, who is now retired after 62 years with the Electrician’s Union.

Learn more at https://ranken.edu/find-your-career-path/
https://www.ul.com/about

Photo taken pre-pandemic. Pictured (L to R): George Riley, Greg (co-worker), and Charles Lover