MIAMI, Fla. — Long before he began helping Florida Power & Light Company (FPL) strengthen communities across South Florida, John Giraldo was focused on building stability through perseverance. With little more than a minivan for shelter, Giraldo carved out the life he wanted, working multiple jobs, saving every dollar and holding fast to the belief that success means giving back

“I was under 21 and couldn’t even sign a rental contract,” he recalls. “So, I took out the back seat of my van and lived in it.”

Every day was about survival, but also about hope. That mindset would define Giraldo’s career at Florida Power & Light Company and his commitment to helping others overcome obstacles of their own.

At 33, he went back to school to pursue his passion for engineering, determined to build a more stable future and a way to give back.

“I was always eager to learn, always goal-oriented,” he says. “I knew education was the key to changing my life.”

While earning his degree, Giraldo joined FPL as an intern. After graduating and joining the company full time, he quickly found his calling in the Storm Secure Underground Program (SSUP), where his personal values aligned closely with the program’s mission.

SSUP, which began as a pilot and now includes over 3,200 completed projects, is transforming how Florida prepares for hurricanes by converting overhead neighborhood power lines to underground lines.

“Underground lines mean fewer outages, faster restoration and safer communities,” he explains. “These are benefits that resonate deeply with someone who knows the importance of stability firsthand.”

Neighborhoods are selected for the program based on criteria approved by the Florida Public Service Commission and designed to prioritize areas that can most benefit from undergrounding. By moving power lines underground, FPL is reducing outages from wind, debris and falling trees, and delivering outstanding reliability not just during storms but year-round.

“From the start, I was involved in the SSUP pilot, including designing the program, reaching out to customers and figuring out how to deliver real value,” he says. “It wasn’t just a job. It was about making my own community stronger.”

For more than 25 years, Miami has been Giraldo’s home and a place he feels deeply responsible for serving.

“I’m not just serving customers—I’m serving my neighbors, my friends, the people I see every day,” he says.

As lead project manager for SSUP, Giraldo oversees more than 100 projects at a time, coordinating teams, managing resources and navigating the challenges of moving overhead power lines underground in one of the nation’s most storm-prone regions.

“We’re building a grid that’s proactive, not reactive,” Giraldo explains. “Instead of rebuilding after every storm, we’re creating infrastructure that will last for generations.”

The work is complex and requires balancing technical demands, customer needs and the realities of South Florida’s dense urban landscape. But the payoff is clear.

During the 2024 hurricane season, FPL’s underground lines performed up to 15 times better than their overhead counterparts, helping keep the lights on for thousands of families and businesses when it mattered most. Day-to-day, these underground lines perform 50% better than overhead lines, delivering consistent reliability.

For Giraldo, the most rewarding moments often come after a storm, a lesson he learned early in life.

“I’ve seen the relief when homes come back online, small business owners reopen and neighbors come together to support our crews,” he shares. “Those moments remind me why this work matters.”

“There’s something meaningful about restoring power after a storm, especially when you know what’s at stake for families, businesses and hospitals. It’s about taking care of your community when it matters most,” says Giraldo. 

That commitment to service extends beyond Giraldo’s role at FPL. Deeply rooted in the community he serves and inspired by an early commitment to give back, he is also actively involved in philanthropic initiatives that support health, education and youth development across South Florida.

For the past five years, Giraldo has supported the FCC Corporate Soccer Tournament, a program focused on empowering youth through physical activity, emotional wellness and violence prevention. He also volunteers as a math tutor for high school and college students, helping them build confidence, overcome academic barriers and reach their goals.

Through his leadership at FPL and his work in the community, Giraldo says he is trying to build a more resilient South Florida. And when he looks at Miami’s skyline today, it’s also a reminder of how far both he and the city have come.