Charlie Gauger, a project director in engineering and construction at Florida Power & Light (FPL), has dedicated 38 years to the company, following in the footsteps of his grandfather who also worked for FPL. Gauger began his career with the utility at age 18 after graduating from high school in West Palm Beach.
“I was born and raised in West Palm Beach,” Gauger said. “I was hired by FPL right out of high school. My grandfather worked for the company for just over 30 years. He was a draftsman. He read meters back when they would ride bicycles. I remember when my grandpa would pick me up from school and take me to visit the FPL office.”
For Gauger, joining FPL was more than a job; it continued a family legacy. “I just enjoyed spending time with my grandfather,” he recalled. “In my mind, at that young age, he had worked at the company forever. I never imagined I would end up at FPL or work for the company even longer than he did.”
Gauger’s entry into FPL came through a family friend’s offer. “I knew it was a great place to work. I reminded him I was only 17 at the time, but when I turned 18, just a few months later, I went to work for FPL as a bill deliverer.”
After six months delivering bills, he moved into meter reading—a role that helped him learn how different parts of the company work together to deliver reliable power while keeping costs low.
“That was a huge step forward,” Gauger said. “I stayed in that part of the company for 13 years, eventually becoming the lead at South Palm Meter Reading.”
He later transitioned into leadership roles and benefited from mentorship within FPL during periods of rapid growth and change.
“I had a couple of amazing mentors. They helped push me along,” Gauger said.
He credits Ron Reagan as an influential mentor who guided his engineering and construction career path.
“Ron and I met regularly for 2–3 years,” Gauger said. “He had a plan in mind. I went to work on the Carousel Energy Center in Colorado to support FPL’s sister company, NextEra Energy Resources. That was my first and one of my favorite projects, because I got to see it grow from the ground up.”
Gauger also managed construction on early solar projects such as Babcock Ranch in 2016 and later led distributed generation initiatives like FPL’s solar trees designed both to provide energy and educate about solar technology.
These experiences allowed him to observe firsthand how innovation and efficiency can benefit customers by creating a more diverse energy mix and lowering costs.
“The projects I have been honored to support are how we deliver on our promise to customers,” Gauger explained.
FPL has maintained some of the lowest typical customer bills nationally—about $24 lower each month compared to the average U.S. utility—while achieving strong reliability standards.
“I just finished my 38th year with the company,” Gauger said. “In a career, I don’t think I could have asked to work with better people. I have, over the decades, always had this great company looking out for my best interests as well as the best interests of our customers.”
Looking ahead, Gauger remains focused on innovation and mentoring others within FPL as it marks its centennial anniversary.
“My motivation is to see the company continue to grow into different technologies,” he said. “Our projects can be very complex, but it’s also very stimulating to watch a project go from an idea to operational.”
Gauger values helping others advance their careers: “Some of my best career highlights were seeing people come in, like I did, and getting to help foster them into leadership, similar to what others did for me,” he said. “I like to think about what I can do for others to keep them moving forward. I want to give back.”
As FPL celebrates its 100th year serving Florida residents, stories like Gauger’s illustrate how long-term dedication contributes to organizational success.
“That’s my 38-year career so far,” he concluded. “I’ve worked all over the company, and I’ve loved every minute of it. And, at the end of the day, I feel good knowing what I do helps our customers. That’s what it’s all about.”
