Meet Meet Kyle B.

Electrical Construction and Maintenance Alumnus

For Electrical Construction and Maintenance alumnus Kyle Bentley ‘07, the decision to attend Hudson Valley Community College was one key factor in his successful career in the utility industry.

Bentley currently serves as Vice President of Transmission and Distribution Electric Operations at National Grid, the international utility company where he’s worked for the past 18 years.

As a young working residential electrician, Kyle knew he wanted to expand his knowledge and do more in the electrical field. That’s when he decided to enroll in the Electrical Construction and Maintenance program at Hudson Valley.

“The program was very thorough,” Kyle explained. “It covered a wide spectrum of electrical skills and abilities, from simple house wiring to commercial wiring, and so on. It gave you a little taste of everything, and you certainly knew how to do a lot when you left.”

He also recalled how passionate the faculty were.

“The professors at Hudson Valley are very dedicated to making sure every student understands the content – letting them step into the workforce with their best foot forward,” he said.

Although all the instructors were great, Kyle remembers two who really made a difference during his time at the college.

“Jim Countryman sticks out to me,” he said. “Countryman was always there to make sure everyone was moving in the right direction, and we've actually stayed in touch.”

“Mr. (Rich) Porter was also instrumental during my time at HVCC,” he added. “I think he has since retired, but he also had a tremendous impact on my career. If you had any technical questions, you could go to him, and if he didn't know the answer then he would always figure it out.”

Soon after his Hudson Valley graduation, Kyle started off as an electrical designer at National Grid. A few years later, he transitioned into a work coordinator role, where he was involved with scheduling the day-to-day work for line crews.

After that, he began to advance through a series of roles with increasing responsibility: Senior Line Supervisor, where he had a lot of storm-based responsibility; Operations Manager for Overhead Line Work; Director of Resource Coordination, Performance and Process; Lead Director of Electrical Maintenance and Construction; and Vice President of Maintenance and Construction.

All of his roles have prepared him for the position that he currently holds today. As a vice president, Kyle is responsible for more than 2,000 internal management and union employees and is also responsible for electric utility operations, construction, maintenance, and emergency response activities associated with serving 1.6 million customers across 25,000 square miles in Upstate New York. He oversees the work of over 1,000 contractors as well.

“My day-to-day is very busy,” he explained. “It’s usually back-to-back meetings from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. with emergencies and outages throughout. It goes by in the blink of an eye, but I wouldn't have it any other way. I love it. It's challenging, very challenging. Every day is different, but I would say that's the most rewarding part of the job.”

Kyle also credits showing up for the customers as the driving force behind his 18-year career at National Grid.

“Everything starts and finishes with our customers in mind. They're why we're here,” he said. “In every role that I've had, when the lights go out, we go to work. Sometimes that means missing holidays, birthdays, anniversaries, and most of our employees have experienced this but always respond stronger and more committed than before. They are really good at what they do and always want to be there for our customers and communities. I am always proud of the team and their dedication."

“I will never forget one year; I was in Potsdam on Christmas Day,” he added. “It's the weirdest feeling not being in your home for the holidays. I was filling up gas and people were driving by the gas station. They were honking their horns and yelling ‘thank you’ out of their windows. Some kids had even made cardboard banners that read ‘thank you, power company.’ It’s these moments that keep us going, and make it all worth it.”

Kyle’s own personal motivation has also been a huge factor in his career. Because of National Grid’s “amazing team and customers,” he has continuously wanted to take on more responsibility to support them.

He went on to further his education, earning a bachelor’s degree in Energy Management from Bismarck State College in 2018, and a master’s degree in Business Administration and Management from Clarkson University in 2023.

Kyle gives a lot of credit for his success to many important people in his life but shared “I wouldn't be where I am today if it weren't for my wife and two children.”

He also shared that he is "grateful for his mentors” at National Grid: former Vice President, Keith McAfee and current Chief Operating Officer for NY Electric, Matt Barnett.

“Their knowledge, wisdom, and drive for excellence inspired me in my career,” Kyle said.

When it comes to current and prospective students in the Electrical Construction and Maintenance program at Hudson Valley, Kyle urges them to get as much out of the program as they can and take advantage of having instructors who are “technically skilled and experienced.”

“National Grid has provided me with tremendous opportunities and I would love for HVCC students to be able to take advantage of that” he said. “If you are motivated, want to give back to the community, and want to take on more responsibility throughout your career, National Grid is certainly a place where you can thrive.”

“We’re always looking for good talent, and we get a lot from Hudson Valley,” Kyle explained. “That's why we partner with Hudson Valley to do a Line Worker Certificate Program. A lot of people want to be line workers, but don’t have the skills and knowledge to do so right out of college, or they are afraid of heights, for example. So, when they complete their program and the certificate program, they have a great foundation to come to National Grid. We've seen a lot more successful candidates since we’ve rolled out the program.”

National Grid also has a scholarship program with Hudson Valley – supporting up to 13 students through the Electrical Construction and Maintenance program.

“We mentor them along the way and hope they will find employment opportunities with National Grid in the future,” he said.

Ultimately, it’s helping people that drives Kyle.

“It motivates me to wake up in the morning,” he said. “When it comes to my career, nothing fulfills me more than helping other people develop. Seeing them come up through the business to take on more responsibility and make a larger impact on the organization is very exciting.”