Hoa Nguyen has been a lineman for 20 years, left his trade and dedicated 2 years to help run orphanage in South Africa, upon returning continued his line work and still supports the orphanage today. He initial entered the trade in 2003, he was hired as an apprentice through the Ameren apprenticeship program and topped out 2.5 years later. He worked diligently as a lineman for 15 years before going to South Africa, during the first few years he and his wife Star adopted 5 children on top of two of their own. Hoa goes the extra mile and recently was awarded by Granite City mayor as an outstanding worker for being the city’s troubleman. Some of his favorite memories were working with crews on storm sandy, bbqs with his fellow lineman out of the House Springs garage and recently competing in the lineman rodeo last year and making the team this year. Leaving the country to serve the less fortunate in South Africa has made him a better lineman and man because he literally sold everything and moved his family there, and thought his children to serve and be selfless. Upon returning to the USA and getting rehired at Ameren, he continues to work hard and uses his money to send to the orphanage in South Africa to this day.