MLGW Loves Barbecue Fest

In the merry, merry month of May, the park in question is Tom Lee Park, and one of Memphis’ favorite May events is the Memphis in May International Barbecue Festival. That goes for several MLGW employees, as well. Let’s face it, we love barbecue!

Barbecue isn’t just fun to eat, it’s fun to cook, too, as many participants who work for MLGW have discovered. They range from team members to volunteers to judges at the event. Some have been a part of the festival for a number of years.

Nick Newman, VP – Construction and Maintenance, is a member of Swiggin’ N Piggin’, a team that features four other MLGW employees: Brad Gates, Construction and Maintenance Office – Hickory Hill; Russ Webb, Gas Engineering; Mike Harwell, Customer Service, Brunswick; and Ryan Staggs, Customer Service – South Center. They are a small team that has cooked together on a larger Rib Team for several years, but is branching out on their own this year as a Patio Team.

Glen Thomas, Supervisor – Communication and Public Relations, is a member of The Pit & the Pigulum, taking its name from Edgar Allen Poe and pork, perhaps an odd combination. They are one of the oldest teams in Memphis in May, going back to the 1970s. “I’ve obviously not been on the team that long, only since 2001,” says Thomas. “We used to do Whole Hog, but now compete in the Shoulders category. We’ve won numerous contests, most recently ninth place in Shoulders in 2009 and third place in Whole Hog in 2002.”

Michael Page, a Customer Service Technician at the North Center, is the team captain of Page’s Pig Pen. The team, which cooks in the Shoulder category, has participated in the Barbecue Fest for many years, and Page has worked for the Division for more than 20 years.

Janice Smythe-Tune, Communications and Public Relations, volunteers as a judge with her husband, Sam Tune, an MLGW retiree. “Sam and I have judged for twelve years in all categories,” says Smythe-Tune. “Blind and on-site for Ribs, Shoulder, Whole Hog. Friday night we’ll judge sauce – vinegar, tomato and mustard categories, hot wings and anything-but-pork. In previous years, we’ve judged to select the MLGW team who represented the Division in Memphis in May (when MLGW had a sponsored team participating). Barbecue Fest judging includes everything from the barbecue itself in many categories to a Miss Piggy look-alike contest to best tee shirt and best booth. We really enjoy ourselves!”

Patricia White, Lead Computer Operations Specialist, has been judging barbecue at MIM for over ten years and is a Certified Memphis in May Judge. “I’m also a Memphis Barbecue Network and Kansas City Barbeque Society judge,” says White. “On Friday, we judge Anything Butt (anything but pork) – sauces, poultry, seafood, hot wings, beef and exotic and it’s blind judging. On Saturday, we judge pork – Whole Hog, Shoulder and Ribs. I enjoy being in the midst of great cooking teams and judges and judging on-site because you get to meet some great people and you learn some of their great cooking techniques and stories,” she added.

For MLGW employees, the MIM Barbecue Festival is a labor of love with a tasty payoff. It’s part of being involved in the Memphis-area community. Plus it’s great fun to be involved with such a fantastic Memphis event. Anybody hungry?