While the doubters and naysayers scoffed at his idea, Guy Morgan charged ahead and became the first new supplier in the Illinois electricity market in years. Failure was not an option — Morgan put all his personal assets on the line and did not take any outside money to launch the business.
That was the kind of passion he had for creating and growing his company. Morgan, now CEO, and Aaron Rasty, current president, founded BlueStar Energy Services in 2002 originally as an electricity broker following deregulation of the Illinois market. Morgan took the approach one step further, starting from scratch, to become an actual supplier to provide greater control over the business.
After recruiting a staff with utility industry experience, Morgan’s next challenge was to secure customers. With tried and tested sales skills and a dedication to customer service, the company gradually gained a footing in the marketplace.
As an alternative to long-established utilities, Morgan believes that building relationships with customers that emphasize energy conservation creates a much greater long-term gain than any in the short term. BlueStar has become a leader in assisting customers to use funds from utilities and other sources to install equipment upgrades that reduce electricity usage and has customer renewal rates far greater than those typically seen in the industry.
Morgan is serious about his role in instilling and leading the company’s culture, but he does so with a sense of humor — after all, humor is one of company’s core values. Integrity, candor, humility, innovation and passion are other core values.
BlueStar does not use a traditional performance evaluation method to compensate employees but rather relies on the overall performance of the company. Employees are given incentives to help meet the company’s overall financial goals, creating a focused and motivated work force.
As for philanthropic efforts, Morgan supports organizations close to employees such as cancer research and Junior Achievement.
How to reach: BlueStar Energy Services Inc., (312) 327-0090 or www.bluestarenergy.com
