A Passion for Rocks and a Heart for Service
As part of our Avangrid in the Community series, we’re shining the spotlight on employees who generously give their time and energy to passions that drive them.
When you meet Gordon Hale, you quickly learn two things: he loves his work at Avangrid, and he really loves rocks. By day, Gordon (pictured above, right) is an Application Performance Architect at Avangrid in Portland, Oregon, helping oversee the procurement of critical technology that keeps the company’s energy generating operations running smoothly. But outside of work, he’s just as busy. Instead of buying computer systems, he’s helping kids discover the wonders hidden inside stones, minerals, and fossils.
One of Gordon Hale’s rock study sessions.
Gordon is the president of the Tualatin Valley Gem Club, a volunteer role that has grown into something much larger than a hobby. He also serves as first vice president for the Portland Regional Show and the Oregon Council of Mineral Societies. He jokes that he’s “overcommitted,” but it’s clear he wouldn’t have it any other way.
His journey into geology started early. Gordon originally wanted to study oceanography, but life steered him toward geology and later computer science. “I’ve got a degree with a major in computer science and a major in geology,” he explained. “That’s how I got into this whole computer stuff, but I never stopped liking rocks.”
That love of rocks found its way back into his life in a big way. Today, one of his proudest roles is running the kids’ program at the gem club. The program is modeled after Scouting badges, with children earning recognition for learning about minerals, fossils, and earth science. “Once a month I put a class together for the kids,” Gordon said. “Their eyes light up when I show them a cool rock or fossil.”
“Avangrid helps by giving back to the organizations where we spend our time, and I put that money right back into the kids’ learning.”
The program has grown to nearly 75 youth, though a dozen or so typically attend each month. Gordon says the real joy comes not only from the kids’ excitement but also from watching parents get pulled in. “Sometimes the parents end up asking just as many questions as the kids,” he laughed.
A display at one of Tualatin Valley Gem Club’s annual shows.
Gordon makes geology real by connecting it to everyday life. He points out that gypsum is what makes the plasterboard in homes, that fossilized diatoms are used to filter swimming pool water, and that copper, gold, and silver are essential for the electronics we use every day. Even table salt, he explains, comes from minerals mined from the earth. His goal is not to overwhelm kids but to spark curiosity.
Beyond the classroom, Gordon also takes part in rockhound retreats, where enthusiasts gather to learn advanced lapidary skills such as silversmithing and cabochon cutting. It’s part education, part community, and a way to stay connected to his passion.
The time commitment is significant. Between classes, meetings, emails, and special events, Gordon estimates he volunteers more than 20 hours a month, often reaching the annual maximum that Avangrid matches with financial support by early spring. That support makes a difference. Last year, he traveled to Tucson with company-backed funds to purchase rocks for the kids’ program. “I volunteer a lot of hours,” Gordon said. “Avangrid helps by giving back to the organizations where we spend our time, and I put that money right back into the kids’ learning.”
Avangrid gives real meaning to making a difference through its Energized for Good program, managed by the Avangrid Foundation. For every hour an employee volunteer at an eligible organization, the Avangrid Foundation donates $15 to that organization – up to $1,500 (or 100 volunteer hours) per employee. This support turns Gordon’s time spent teaching kids about geology into tangible financial backing for the organizations he cares about – rocks, badges, and all.
Asked what advice he would offer to a colleague thinking about volunteering, Gordon kept it simple: “Find something that you love, and that gives back to the community.” For him, that’s geology. For others, it may be sports, the arts, or something entirely different. What matters, he says, is the mix of joy and impact. “You can have fun and help other people out at the same time.”
