***This position can be located at any office with available space within the NiSource service territory***

Job Summary
This position shall oversee and provide subject matter expertise in the design, development, and maintenance of new and existing Technical and Safety programs, curriculum and materials for NiSource Gas Distribution Operations. Build a strong rapport with internal customers to analyze performance problems and design solutions. Direct and perform such tasks as needs analyses, job task analyses, as well as the design, development, implementation, and evaluation of training courses, curriculum and materials.

Essential Functions

Continuous monitoring and updating of existing curriculum to reflect changes in operating standards and procedures.
Oversees that changes to curriculum are communicated and implemented into third party contractor modules
Conducts internal training needs analyses.
Develops written and performance-based assessment tools to measure achievement of specific learning objectives.
Designs and develops training programs and exercises to meet the varying needs of the organization.
Performs assessments and listens to clients to understand and anticipate their needs and determine their priorities in the context of the overall enterprise.
Designs and develops instructor lead training materials and on-line computer based training material.
Observes training/testing programs and reviews and revises materials using feedback received from instructor and participants.
Travels to different NiSource business unit locations to gain first-hand knowledge of specific training needs and areas for improvement from Leaders and front line workers.
Designs and develops evaluation tools to monitor the effectiveness and applicability of training activities and materials.
Stays abreast of industry trends and new technologies to apply knowledge for improvement to existing training solutions.
Plans and organizes instructional design projects to ensure completion in a timely manner.
Serves as liaison with Instructors in planning projects involving development and revision of training materials.
Other duties related to development and design of training materials and activities as assigned by the Leader, Instructional Design

Required Qualifications For Position

Bachelor's Degree In Instructional Design or 3+ experience in a Training, Teaching, or Instructional Design position.
Strong oral and written communication skills.
An ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously.
The ability to prepare and deliver presentations utilizing digital technology.
The ability to use computer hardware such as scanners, digital cameras and video recorders to incorporate visual images into training materials.
The ability to utilize Adobe software to create training materials, write reports, and keep records
The ability to use digital photography and/or drawing software to create graphics to be inserted in training materials.
The ability to interact effectively with clients and coworkers.
Travel up to 25%
Familiarity with OSHA Standards
Knowledge of DOT Operator Qualifications
Knowledge of Gas Distribution Plant and Service activities
Knowledge of Electric and Transmission activities
Knowledge of Policy and Procedures
Valid driver's license

Preferred Additional Qualifications for Position

Experience with Adobe Creative Cloud Applications
Experience with Xyleme
Experience with LMS Systems or Design Tools (Lectura, Captivate, Moodle, Blackboard, etc.)

Physical Demands

The preceding description is not designed to be a complete list of all duties and responsibilities required of the position.

As a public utility, NiSource provides essential services to customers 24/7. Emergency needs can arise at various times throughout the year, including during storm season. Employees may be required to support emergency response efforts, which could include working outside normal hours or assisting with tasks outside of typical responsibilities.

Work Authorization

Candidates must be legally authorized to work in the United States and must not require employer sponsorship now or in the future.

Workplace Connection
We value a workplace where everyone feels respected, included, and able to do their best work. We encourage open dialogue, value different perspectives, and work collaboratively with employees, customers, and partners.

We recognize and respect the unique experiences people bring, including different backgrounds, cultures, and viewpoints. We treat others with professionalism and care, and we each play a part in creating a positive work environment.

Veteran Hiring & Inclusion

NiSource is proud to support veterans, transitioning service members, and military spouses. We value the leadership, teamwork, and mission-focused experience the military community brings, and we are committed to providing an inclusive workplace with opportunities for professional growth and development.

Equal Employment Opportunity
NiSource is committed to providing equal employment opportunities in each of its companies to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin or ancestry, veteran status, disability, gender, age, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, sex (including pregnancy, lactation, childbirth or related medical conditions), genetic information, citizenship status, or any protected group status as defined by law. Each employee is expected to abide by this principle.

By applying, you may also be considered for other roles that match your skills and experience.

ADA Accommodations

If you need a reasonable accommodation to participate in any stage of the hiring process or to perform the essential functions of the position, please contact OneHR at [email protected] or 1-888-640-3320

Safety Statement
Safety is a core value at NiSource. Employees are expected to follow safety requirements, report hazards, and help maintain a safe environment for themselves and their coworkers.

E-Verify

NiSource participates in the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's E-Verify program. Please review the following notices regarding your rights and responsibilities under U.S. law.

E-Verify Poster (English and Spanish)
Right to Work Poster (English and Spanish)

Salary Range*:

$69,900.00 - $105,000.00

*The salary offered to a candidate is based on several factors including but not limited to the candidate’s skills, job-related knowledge, and relevant experience, as well as internal pay equity.

Posting Start Date:

2026-10-22

Posting End Date (if applicable):

2026-11-06

Please note that the job posting will close on the day before the posting end date.

About the company

NiSource provides natural gas and electric services to about 4 million customers through its utility subsidiaries, Columbia Gas and NIPSCO, across six states. Its main business is delivering energy safely and reliably through local utility networks, managing and maintaining gas pipelines and electric grids, and serving customers with affordable energy. The company differentiates itself by owning and operating essential energy infrastructure and committing to long‑term, steady investments in safety and reliability (about $1.4 billion per year) to meet customer needs for the next 100 years. NiSource also emphasizes community involvement and a large local workforce. The goal is to keep energy safe, dependable, and affordable while expanding and upgrading the energy system to serve customers for the long term.

Company Size

5,001-10,000

Company Stage

IPO

Headquarters

Merrillville, Indiana

Founded

1912

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Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

Q2 2026 revenue rose to $1.34 billion while NiSource reaffirmed $2.02-$2.07 EPS.
August 2026 debt issuance raised $750 million for capital expenditures and debt repayment.
IURC approvals in June and July 2026 validate NiSource’s large-load and generation strategy.

What critics are saying

Indiana opened an official storm-response investigation after August 2026 outages hitting 317,000 customers.
Tipold v. NIPSCO alleges negligent vegetation management; damages exposure expands through 2027.
Gas-meter accuracy probes, Schahfer recovery fights, and regulatory delays threaten earnings and rates.

What makes NiSource unique

NiSource’s June 2026 Amazon and Alphabet deals anchor a rare utility data-center growth engine.
Its Indiana framework shifts new-load infrastructure costs to data-center customers, protecting incumbents.
The $28.6 billion 2026-2030 plan supports 9%-11% rate-base growth through 2033.

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Benefits

Hybrid Work Options
Flexible Work Hours

Company News

W Media

Oct 19th, 2026

NiSource to power Microsoft's La Porte campus under 20-year deal.

NiSource to power Microsoft's La Porte campus under 20-year deal. Lotz is a journalist with over a decade of experience covering business and technology, with a focus on how innovation is shaping the African continent. His interests range from data centers and energy to finance and emerging technology. Through sharp analysis and experience across multiple fields, Lotz is keen to showcase how Africa is becoming a major contender in the digital world. October 19, 2026 at 8:03 PM GMT+8 NiSource, a US utility company, has announced a 20-year energy agreement with Microsoft, starting in 2028, for a northwest Indiana data center campus that is expected to support economic growth in the region and expand customer savings. The agreement was reached through NiSource Generation Company LLC (GenCo), which serves large-load customers in such a way as to protect Northern Indiana Public Service Company LLC (NIPSCO) customers from incremental costs. The structure ensures that large-load customers fund the generation and infrastructure they require in full. "This agreement reflects the balanced approach we believe is needed for Indiana to attract significant investment and create long-term jobs," said Lloyd Yates, NiSource President and Chief Executive Officer. "Microsoft has always been committed to paying our own way and identifying long-term solutions like this one to ensure that our data centers don't increase electricity prices for other ratepayers," said Jeff Riles, Microsoft Senior Director of Energy Markets. "Our partnership with NIPSCO will not only support continued growth and protect ratepayers but also help to support a reliable grid for years to come that the communities of Northern Indiana rely on." NiSource has said that the agreement builds on the previously disclosed US$ 1.4 billion in customer savings over the life of data center customer contracts, increasing total expected savings to approximately US$ 1.75 billion. "Our priority remains clear: protect existing customers, support safe and reliable service, and ensure that new growth contributes tangible benefits to the communities we serve. When structured correctly, economic development can be part of the affordability solution," said Yates. According to a press release, GenCo intends to increase its power pool portfolio by approximately 1,100 MW to serve Microsoft's data center and NIPSCO's customers. The company added that in connection with the Microsoft agreement, GenCo will contract 600 MW of battery storage under a long-term tolling agreement. An AGP Group affiliate will develop and construct the facility, which will be added to GenCo's pool resource assets for multiple large-load customers. GenCo and NIPSCO will provide transmission and generation infrastructure able to serve existing customers and Microsoft's data center. Microsoft broke ground on its data center in La Porte, Indiana, in June 2026, two years after it announced a US$ 1 billion investment in the facility. While it hasn't publicly disclosed how much capacity the data center campus will house, GenCo's plan to add more than a gigawatt to its pool, partly to serve the campus, points to a sizable facility. Earlier today w.media reported that Microsoft had withdrawn from the largest AI data center project in the UK over concerns about energy supply problems that would delay the project's connection to the grid. While Nscale, a British vertically integrated, full-stack AI infrastructure and neocloud company, remains committed to the project the departure of the its anchor customer is a major setback.

IQ Media Group Incorporated

Oct 16th, 2026

NiSource's $2.2 billion storage deal hinges on delivery.

NiSource's $2.2 billion storage deal hinges on delivery. NiSource's storage agreement adds a 600 MW project to its planning, while contract duration, payment terms and battery discharge capacity remain unclear. NiSource Generation Company LLC signed a $2.2 billion battery storage tolling agreement with AGP Group covering a 600 MW project expected to be operational by December 2027. NiSource Generation Company LLC has signed a $2.2 billion battery storage tolling agreement with AGP Group, securing a contractual arrangement tied to a 600 MW project expected to be operational by December 2027. The agreement puts a substantial financial figure behind storage access, but its economic value depends on terms that the available announcement does not establish. For NiSource investors, the central question is not simply how much battery capacity the agreement covers. It is what the company will receive in exchange for its payments, how reliably that service will be delivered and how the obligation fits alongside its other generation needs. The agreement, project capacity and expected operating date were reported by GuruFocus. NiSource shares, identified by the symbol NI in the supplied market data, were up 2.88% as of October 16, 2026, at 16:29:46 GMT. That intraday move does not establish how much of the gain was attributable to the agreement. A tolling agreement buys contractual access. A battery tolling agreement generally gives a customer contractual rights to use storage capacity or receive specified storage services in return for payments. The precise division of responsibilities varies. Ownership, operating duties, charging costs and decisions about when the battery discharges can be assigned differently under different contracts. That distinction matters here. The $2.2 billion figure describes the agreement; it should not automatically be treated as the battery project's construction cost, an immediate cash payment or an asset purchase by NiSource. The available facts do not provide the contract duration, payment schedule or ownership structure. A contractual arrangement can allow a company to obtain storage services without necessarily taking on every responsibility associated with building and owning a facility. It can also create payment obligations whose value depends on whether the contracted services match the customer's needs. Neither benefit nor burden can be measured from the headline amount alone. The next useful details would identify which party controls charging and discharging, who pays for the electricity used to charge the battery, and what happens when the facility cannot perform. Those provisions determine whether a contract delivers dependable flexibility or leaves meaningful operating exposure with the customer. The capacity figure does not reveal operating duration. The project's 600 MW rating describes power: how quickly the battery can deliver electricity. It does not reveal how much energy the facility can store or how long it can sustain its rated output. Those are separate characteristics, and both are necessary to assess the service being purchased. A battery can shift electricity from one period to another, but it must first be charged. Its usefulness therefore depends on the availability and cost of charging power, the timing of demand and the amount of energy available when the system needs it. Storage is not interchangeable with a generator simply because both have a power rating. For generation planning, the distinction is practical. A battery intended to address a brief demand peak may serve a different purpose from a resource expected to support customers through an extended supply shortage. The announcement does not identify the project's discharge duration or the specific operating need it is intended to meet. A battery intended to address a brief demand peak may serve a different purpose from a resource expected to support customers through an extended supply shortage. The capacity figure also does not establish how the project will be recognized for reliability planning. Applicable market rules, testing requirements and operating restrictions can affect the value of storage. Without those details, the agreement cannot be translated into a precise amount of dependable replacement generation. The contract value needs a payment framework. The $2.2 billion commitment is the governing financial figure, but it lacks the context needed for a return calculation. Investors would need to know how payments are distributed across the contract, whether they change over time and which services or rights are included. Dividing the agreement value by the project's power rating would not resolve those questions. Such a calculation would combine a contractual value with a capacity measure while leaving out the service period, energy capacity and allocation of operating costs. It would not provide a reliable construction-cost benchmark. The same caution applies to earnings. The available facts do not establish the agreement's accounting treatment, financing arrangements or any mechanism through which costs might be recovered from customers. There is no basis here to estimate an earnings contribution, a financing requirement or a customer-bill impact. What can be said is that a storage contract exchanges a financial obligation for access to a physical service. Its economics improve when that service avoids more expensive alternatives or supplies flexibility when it is most valuable. Whether this agreement accomplishes that depends on its terms and the conditions in which the battery operates. December 2027 is the execution milestone. The expected December 2027 operating date gives investors a concrete milestone to monitor. It remains an expectation rather than evidence that the facility is already providing service. Signing an agreement establishes a commercial commitment; it does not by itself establish completed construction or operating readiness. Relevant execution questions include the status of equipment procurement, construction, grid connection and performance testing. These are matters to verify, not evidence of a reported problem. The available announcement does not identify a delay or describe the project's progress through those stages. Contract protections will also matter if delivery differs from expectations. Investors should look for provisions governing missed availability, delayed service and performance shortfalls. Such terms can determine who bears the financial consequences when a resource is unavailable at the moment it is needed. For now, the agreement establishes NiSource's contracted path toward a substantial storage resource, not a complete account of its generation strategy. Further disclosures about duration, dispatch rights, payments and project readiness would make it possible to judge the transaction on economics rather than scale alone. The investment case rests on the service delivered against the obligation incurred. Key facts. * Agreement: NiSource Generation Company LLC signed a $2.2 billion battery storage tolling agreement with AGP Group. * Project capacity: 600 MW; storage duration was not supplied. * Expected operation: December 2027. * Stock snapshot: NI: up 2.88% as of October 16, 2026, at 16:29:46 GMT; exchange and price currency were not supplied. Frequently asked questions. What did NiSource agree to with AGP Group? NiSource Generation Company LLC signed a $2.2 billion battery storage tolling agreement with AGP Group covering a 600 MW project. The project is expected to be operational by December 2027. The supplied facts do not specify the contract's duration, payment schedule, ownership arrangements or detailed operating rights. What is a battery storage tolling agreement? A battery storage tolling agreement generally provides contractual access to storage capacity or specified services in return for payments. The contract determines who controls charging and discharging, pays operating costs and bears performance risks. It does not necessarily mean that the customer purchases or owns the battery facility. Does the $2.2 billion figure represent construction spending? The supplied facts identify $2.2 billion as the agreement's value, not the project's construction budget. Without payment terms, contract duration and ownership details, that amount should not be characterized as an immediate expenditure or an asset purchase. It also cannot establish the project's financing needs or profitability. What does the project's 600 MW rating tell investors? The 600 MW rating describes the battery's power capability, not its total stored energy or discharge duration. Investors also need to know how long it can sustain output and under what conditions. Those details help establish which demand periods and reliability needs the project can serve. When is the battery project expected to begin operating? The battery project covered by NiSource Generation Company LLC's agreement is expected to be operational by December 2027. That is a target, not confirmation of completed construction or operating readiness. Further information about construction, grid connection and performance testing would help investors evaluate progress toward that date. Can investors estimate the agreement's earnings impact yet? The supplied information does not support a reliable earnings estimate. Investors would need the payment schedule, accounting treatment, operating-cost allocation and any applicable cost-recovery arrangements. The agreement's value and capacity establish its scale, but they do not show how it will affect NiSource's profits or customer bills.

MarketBeat

Oct 5th, 2026

FY2026 earnings estimate for NiSource issued by Scotiabank.

FY2026 earnings estimate for NiSource issued by Scotiabank. October 5, 2026 Key points. * Scotiabank estimates NiSource will earn $2.03 per share in FY2026 and $2.22 in FY2027, broadly in line with the FY2026 consensus estimate of $2.05. The bank maintained a "Sector Perform" rating and a $43 price target. * NiSource reported quarterly EPS of $0.16, matching analyst expectations, while revenue of $1.34 billion exceeded the $1.15 billion consensus estimate. Management reaffirmed FY2026 EPS guidance of $2.02-$2.07. * The utility declared a quarterly dividend of $0.30 per share, equivalent to $1.20 annually and a 3.0% yield. Analysts collectively rate the stock "Moderate Buy," with a consensus price target of $48.75. * MarketBeat previews top five stocks to own in November. NiSource, Inc (NYSE:NI - Free Report) - Equities researchers at Scotiabank issued their FY2026 EPS estimates for shares of NiSource in a note issued to investors on Thursday, October 1st. Scotiabank analyst I. Rapp forecasts that the utilities provider will earn $2.03 per share for the year. Scotiabank currently has a "Sector Perform" rating and a $43.00 target price on the stock. The consensus estimate for NiSource's current full-year earnings is $2.05 per share. Scotiabank also issued estimates for NiSource's FY2027 earnings at $2.22 EPS. Other analysts have also recently issued reports about the company. Royal Bank Of Canada assumed coverage on NiSource in a research report on Wednesday, July 1st. They issued an "outperform" rating and a $52.00 price target on the stock. BMO Capital Markets reduced their price objective on NiSource from $49.00 to $45.00 and set an "outperform" rating for the company in a research report on Monday, September 28th. LADENBURG THALM/SH SH lowered their price objective on NiSource from $51.50 to $51.00 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a research note on Monday, August 17th. Barclays dropped their target price on NiSource from $51.00 to $45.00 and set an "overweight" rating on the stock in a report on Friday, August 7th. Finally, KeyCorp cut their target price on NiSource from $52.00 to $50.00 and set an "overweight" rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, July 23rd. Ten analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and three have assigned a Hold rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $48.75. NiSource price performance. Shares of NYSE NI opened at $39.44 on Monday. NiSource has a fifty-two week low of $38.42 and a fifty-two week high of $49.21. The company has a 50 day simple moving average of $41.58 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $45.11. The company has a market capitalization of $18.91 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 20.98, a P/E/G ratio of 2.94 and a beta of 0.55. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.31, a quick ratio of 0.41 and a current ratio of 0.50. Discover more MarketBeat Pro subscription All Access membership Stock research tools NiSource (NYSE:NI - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, August 5th. The utilities provider reported $0.16 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, hitting the consensus estimate of $0.16. NiSource had a net margin of 13.20% and a return on equity of 7.95%. The company had revenue of $1.34 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.15 billion. During the same period last year, the business earned $0.22 EPS. NiSource has set its FY 2026 guidance at 2.020-2.070 EPS. NiSource announces dividend. The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, November 20th. Stockholders of record on Friday, October 30th will be issued a dividend of $0.30 per share. The ex-dividend date is Friday, October 30th. This represents a $1.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.0%. NiSource's dividend payout ratio is presently 63.83%. Insider activity at NiSource. In related news, EVP Melody Birmingham sold 37,509 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, August 14th. The shares were sold at an average price of $42.40, for a total transaction of $1,590,381.60. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president owned 78,527 shares of the company's stock, valued at $3,329,544.80. This trade represents a 32.33% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. 0.37% of the stock is currently owned by insiders. Hedge funds weigh in on NiSource. Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. BlackRock Inc. bought a new stake in shares of NiSource in the 2nd quarter worth $2,613,234,000. T. Rowe Price Investment Management Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of NiSource by 19.0% during the fourth quarter. T. Rowe Price Investment Management Inc. now owns 51,504,257 shares of the utilities provider's stock valued at $2,150,818,000 after purchasing an additional 8,240,227 shares in the last quarter. Deutsche Bank AG purchased a new stake in shares of NiSource during the second quarter valued at $574,295,000. Capital International Investors boosted its position in shares of NiSource by 0.4% during the fourth quarter. Capital International Investors now owns 8,167,328 shares of the utilities provider's stock valued at $341,068,000 after buying an additional 31,171 shares during the last quarter. Finally, UBS AM a distinct business unit of UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT AMERICAS LLC boosted its position in shares of NiSource by 4.4% during the second quarter. UBS AM a distinct business unit of UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT AMERICAS LLC now owns 4,381,989 shares of the utilities provider's stock valued at $208,364,000 after buying an additional 183,321 shares during the last quarter. 91.64% of the stock is owned by institutional investors. NiSource company profile. NiSource Inc NYSE: NI is a regulated utility company that delivers natural gas and electricity to residential, commercial and industrial customers. Its operations are primarily conducted through local utility subsidiaries, including Columbia Gas and Northern Indiana Public Service Company (NIPSCO). NiSource's natural gas businesses distribute gas through networks serving customers in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Maryland and Kentucky. NIPSCO provides regulated natural gas and electric service in northern Indiana, where the company also operates electric generation and transmission and distribution infrastructure. This instant news alert was generated by narrative science technology and financial data from MarketBeat in order to provide readers with the fastest reporting and unbiased coverage. Please send any questions or comments about this story to [email protected]. Before you consider NiSource, you'll want to hear this. MarketBeat keeps track of Wall Street's top-rated and best performing research analysts and the stocks they recommend to their clients on a daily basis. MarketBeat has identified the five stocks that top analysts are quietly whispering to their clients to buy now before the broader market catches on... and NiSource wasn't on the list. While NiSource currently has a Moderate Buy rating among analysts, top-rated analysts believe these five stocks are better buys. The AI wave will soon hit public markets with Anthropic and OpenAI set to go public later this year. However, you don't have to wait to invest. This report shows seven AI stocks that you can buy today while the big model providers get ready to go public. Continue following MarketBeat

WIMS Radio

Sep 30th, 2026

Goodwill, community partners help Northwest Indiana families recovering from severe storms.

Goodwill, community partners help Northwest Indiana families recovering from severe storms. More than 100 families impacted by recent storms to receive Goodwill gift cards and connections tofree community resources. SOUTH BEND, Ind. - As families across Northwest Indiana continue recovering from the recent devastating storms that damaged homes and disrupted lives, Goodwill Industries of Michiana and community partners are stepping in to provide support. Through a collaborative effort with the Porter County Community Foundation, NIPSCO and the NiSource Charitable Foundation, Goodwill is working with local organizations to help families affected by the storms access clothing, household necessities, and other resources during the recovery process. Hilltop House, Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Northwest Indiana, Meals on Wheels and Family Promise of Porter County will distribute Goodwill gift cards to families experiencing hardship because of the storms. The organizations also will connect families with Goodwill's free programs and services that can provide additional support during and beyond the recovery process. "Our hope is that no one feels alone and that families can be connected with the resources they need to thrive, not just during this devastating time," said Debie Coble, president and CEO of Goodwill Industries of Michiana. "Goodwill is here to support families as they recover and rebuild, and we are grateful to the community partners who are helping us reach people who need assistance." More than 100 families will be selected to receive Goodwill gift cards based on need and while supplies last. The partnership reflects the importance of community collaboration when families face unexpected challenges. "When a disaster affects our neighbors, it takes a community coming together to help families move forward, "Coble said. Families affected by the recent storms who would like to learn more about available assistance and Goodwill's resources can contact Liz Flowers, Goodwill Director of WeConnect, at 574-472-7331

The Catholic Times

Sep 19th, 2026

New pastors learn from seasoned priests, lay leaders.

New pastors learn from seasoned priests, lay leaders. A recently-developed program in the Columbus diocese for first-time pastors, including pastors new to the diocese, was held Sept. 15-18. The four-day workshop united veteran pastors and lay leaders with priests undertaking leadership roles in parishes. The program was designed to equip new pastors with skills needed to successfully run a parish. A pastor's work extends beyond the pastoral and spiritual side, often handling management, finances and human resources among other responsibilities. Several lay leaders and senior diocesan staff members offered their wisdom in a series of sessions. "What is beautiful about this program is that it demonstrates the co-responsibility we all share for the mission of evangelization. Experienced priests and pastors, as co-workers with the bishop, mentor younger priests, sharing a lifetime's worth of experience and wisdom. The talents and experience of lay people are utilized to bring the best practices from the world of business and leadership into the life and ministry of priests," Bishop Earl Fernandes said. "Young priests, while being fully rooted in their priestly identity, begin to appreciate the gifts of their elders in the priesthood and the gifts of the laity, who, rather than wanting to replace priests, want our priests to be more effective. When our priests are more effective that translates into growth in holiness, the building up of the Church and the spread of the Gospel." Joe Hamrock, a Westerville St. Paul the Apostle parishioner and former president and CEO of NiSource, parent company of Columbia Gas of Ohio, spoke at the workshop. He and Kevin Lowry, the diocese's senior director for the Office of Finance, shared their experience, speaking about parish operations, finance and budgets. "It wasn't designed to make them financial experts in one day," Hamrock said of his and Lowry's talks. "It's designed to say, 'Here's what your finance council should be helping you to see and understand; here's the things you ought to be tuned into as a pastor,' and it seems like it's been well received so far." Hamrock, now retired, spent decades in the electric and gas utilities industry. He held various roles during his career, including leading technology and customer service teams, companies and as CEO. "In well-run organizations you'll see certain traits,... certain capabilities," he said. "The vision was to bring that insight into the room to help them benefit from that, and at the same time, respecting that the role of a pastor is so distinctly different from the role of a secular leader because they're configured to Christ." Hamrock shared wisdom acquired from leading secular organizations with priests who are new to leading parishes. "I've been through those cycles where it felt overwhelming and felt like I didn't understand what the team was talking about, and I learned that that's not really what leadership is about," he confessed. "Leadership is about inspiring, motivating, bringing out the best in the people that we're blessed and charged to lead, and encouraging them to bring their best. And so, pastors have a wonderful opportunity." Father Dave Young, pastor at Zanesville St. Nicholas and St. Thomas churches, has served at various parishes. He was ordained a priest in 2004 and assigned as pastor shortly after his first assignment at Columbus St. Agatha Church. "When I was first made a pastor, I'd only been ordained a year and a half, and I still had a lot to learn - and I learned quite a bit as a new pastor in my first assignment," Father Young said. "One of the reasons I wanted to be involved in this was to help guys learn those lessons before they were faced with the challenges. When the diocese asked me to be part of this, I felt great conviction." Following his first assignment, he served as pastor at Ada Its Lady of Lourdes, Kenton Immaculate Conception and Reynoldsburg St. Pius X churches before relocating to Zanesville. The veteran priest offered a talk on caring for the self, which includes taking time for prayer, spiritual direction, friendship and renewal. He considered Christ's encounter with the Samaritan woman. The Lord arrived at the well tired and left refreshed. Father Young encouraged new pastors to imitate Christ, to be refreshed and receive God's gifts. Sacrifice is essential, he acknowledged, but priests need to be filled by God to pour themselves out to their flock. "If we are only going to rely on ourselves, we're not going to go far at all. We need Him to fill us up to be the priest He wants us to be," Father Young explained. "We've been rightfully taught that sacrifice is essential to the priesthood, but we have to have something inside to sacrifice." Father Seth Keller, who was ordained a priest in 2020, began his first pastorate this year at Columbus Immaculate Conception Church. He previously spent two years studying in Rome; as parochial vicar at Marion St. Mary, Cardington Sacred Hearts and Columbus St. Cecilia churches and chaplain at Columbus Bishop Ready High School. "There's a lot thrown at you," he admitted of being a pastor. "People have been so kind, so welcoming where I am, at Immaculate Conception; it's been great. "One of the hardest things is just figuring out, okay, what do I do first? There (are) so many things I need to do, and there's other things that would be nice to do - and there's things people are asking me to do. "How do I find what should be done first, and how then do I go about doing those things? So, it's challenging in just the sheer volume of things in the different areas that you're working in." Subsequent workshops for new pastors are set to continue Jan. 12-14, 2027, and April 21-22. As part of the program, they will also meet with mentor priests for a year following the workshops. "This has been helpful because some of these things we knew already or we learned, but now, when you're a pastor, you're actually learning through experience as you see these things happening," Father Keller reflected. "You're able to really apply them in a way you weren't before. "So, even though we had some formation in seminary and some formation on our own throughout our time as a priest, it's different when you're actually the pastor and you see it with new eyes."

NiSource

Instructional Program Designer

About the job