Family celebrates exactly 100 years working at We Energies

A lot has changed at our company since the day in 1960 when Glen Lokken started his job as a cadet engineer. Technology has improved, clothing and hairstyles have come in and out of style; even the company’s name changed from Wisconsin Electric to We Energies. But over that time, one thing has remained constant at the company — the presence of Glen or one of his children.

On June 18, 2019, the Lokken family celebrated exactly 100 years of total service at We Energies. Not approximately 100 years, not close to 100 years, but exactly 100 years. How do they know it’s exactly 100 years? They can thank Glen’s son David for that. David, a current We Energies employee, has been tracking his family’s work time; he even took into account the extra day in leap years.

Glen worked for 33 years before retiring in 1993. David started in 1982, and his sister Maura Royston started in 1989. They are both still working.

 “I call it the Lokken centennial. 100 years working at We Energies,” David said.

“It’s certainly not something you find much anymore,” Maura said. “We Energies has been good to us. I think we’ve been good to them, and it just was a fit, and for me personally, I got to do so many different things all at the same place. I didn’t have to go somewhere else.”

Glen still lives in the area and came out of retirement for one day. He joined his daughter and son for a special lunch to mark the 100-year milestone.

“It’s quite an accomplishment,” Glen said. “I didn’t expect it to ever happen.”

“All my success in life has stemmed from my dad having a great job and getting me a good start,” said David.