June 14, 2022

Not many of us spent our childhoods living in a coastal region with mountains, deserts and rainforests. Mark Robinson, helicopter captain, Utility Flight Operations, Reading (Pa.), has experienced this and more.

Mark was born in the city of Yaoundé, which is the capital of the Republic of Cameroon in west central Africa. His British parents were bible translators whose primary work took place in the bush and the heart of Africa, with support from church congregations around the world.

As his family moved around Africa, Mark said he and his sisters enjoyed a childhood filled with great learning opportunities and cultural experiences.

“My parents, sisters and I lived a very modest lifestyle residing in mud huts in a small compound area,” said Mark. “Our swimming pools had tadpoles and there were lots of bugs in and around the house – some of which we ate, such as fried grasshoppers.”

Blue Skies

Joining FirstEnergy nearly a year ago, Mark and his crew patrol our power lines to check on vegetation and other issues that could threaten service reliability. Before coming to FirstEnergy, Mark operated a flight school in Los Angeles, and also taught flying in Cameroon.

Mark said he’s fortunate to be in the United States working at FirstEnergy and flying one of the company’s Bell 429 twin-engine helicopters.

“As many of us do, I had hit a rough patch in life and needed to focus on a career that would challenge me,” he said. “I decided to learn more about flying and loved it. So here I am today.”

When he’s not taking to the skies for FirstEnergy, Mark loves giving back to the community – especially to senior citizens. He and his wife model our core value of Stewardship, volunteering through their church and Meals on Wheels – and they check in on a number of elderly neighbors each week.

“The way I grew up provided a great perspective on life and the importance of people rather than material things,” he said. “We didn’t need much to survive, but we did need each other – and that’s what matters most. Building new relationships continues to be one of my favorite ways to give back. Where you put your time is where you put your values.”

Mark (c.) at school in Cameroon, Africa.

Mark with a FirstEnergy helicopter.

Mark (back c.) with a few Meals on Wheels volunteers.