Women In Business, August 2022

Maximizing Your Employees Using IDEAS: Individuals Developing Effective Alternative Solutions

What is your company's greatest asset? If you answered your employees, then you are correct! The SRNS IDEAS employee suggestion program was created in 1952 and is reportedly the longest continuous-running suggestion program in the United States!  IDEAS is an employee suggestion program that was implemented to stimulate employee participation in generating as many new improvement suggestions as possible. All types of suggestions are eligible to ensure that the Savannah River Site maximizes savings for the Department of Energy and shows good stewardship of taxpayers money. 

IDEAS Awards recognizing outstanding suggestions, continued participation, and support in the program are in place. This program has generated $250 million in cost-saving ideas at SRS for taxpayers and earned international recognition. It’s smart to maximize your employees knowledge and great ideas to cut costs and improve productivity no matter what the size of your company. Join us to learn from P.K. Hightower, manager of SRNS continuous improvement and of one of the members of the “2021 Best Places to Work in South Carolina” team, as she shares tips on how to motivate, recognize and reward your team.

P. K. Hightower earned a B. S. degree in Physics from Jackson State University, a M. S. degree in Nuclear Engineering from The Ohio State University and a M. S. in Project Management from George Washington University.

PK started her career at the Savannah River Site thirty-four years ago as a reactor physicist/charge designer in the Reactor Technology Department. Other positions held include K-Reactor Restart Shift Engineer, Lead Engineer for the Spent Fuel Storage Basin Operations, the High-Level Waste Environmental Compliance Manager and the Closure Business Unit Environmental Compliance Manager. Currently, PK serves as the SRNS Director of Interface Management and Manager of Continuous Improvement.

She enjoys volunteering in the community; she served two terms as President of the Board of Directors for the Mental Health Association of Aiken County (now known as Mental Health of America). She is former Guardian Ad-Litem and is currently serving on the Board of Directors for the United Way of Aiken County. PK and her husband Willar, have a blended family which includes three adult daughters, eight grandchildren and the apple of her eye, Blue Ivy, a nine-year old Shih Tzu.