Honoring Service: Elizabeth Lytle Receives the 2025 Luminary Award

Liz Lytle, Nicor Gas Energy Assistance customer experience supervisor, has spent more than two decades helping customers access the support they need to make ends meet. That same spirit of care extends far beyond her day‑to‑day work and into the communities she serves. Her belief that everyone deserves dignity, compassion and access to life’s necessities fuels her deep commitment to volunteerism, making her Southern Company Gas’ 2025 Luminary Award winner.

Honoring service to our communities

The Luminary Award, the highest honor for employee volunteerism and community impact across our enterprise, celebrates team members who exemplify Southern Company Gas’ values and help advance the company’s mission to be a catalyst for positive impact. Honorees illuminate the good work of nonprofit partners across our service territories and inspire others to get involved through their example.

In 2025, approximately 1,400 Southern Company Gas employees served more than 13,000 volunteer hours in their communities.  Together, Liz and the five other 2025 Luminary Award finalists representing all of Southern Company Gas’ territory demonstrated the collective power of service across the company’s workforce. This year’s honorees devoted their time to address food insecurity, mentor children, support arts and education, aid immigrants, protect our environment and more.

Inspiring volunteers and taking action

Liz volunteered more than 125 hours in 2025, with most of her service dedicated to the Northern Illinois Food Bank, where she serves as a volunteer supervisor. She is motivated by a simple but powerful belief: food is foundational to life, and hunger must be addressed with compassion, respect and barrier‑free access. Her leadership and empathy have strengthened the food bank’s ability to serve thousands of families across Northern Illinois.

“Whenever you see somebody like Liz coming in week after week, just continuing to help us with our mission, it’s inspiring,” said Ellie Taylor, Northern Illinois Food Bank volunteer coordinator. “We’re super grateful, and it’s also a little humbling to think that people put the mission first.”

The Southern Company Gas Foundation contributed a $5,000 gift to the Northern Illinois Food Bank in Liz’s honor and issued $1,000 gifts to nonprofit organizations selected by each finalist.

“Liz is a shining example of how one individual’s compassion and commitment can uplift an entire community,” shared Serena Levy, president of the Southern Company Gas Foundation and vice president of Corporate Impact at Southern Company Gas. “Her leadership, generosity and unwavering dedication embody the spirit of the Luminary Award. This recognition is a testament to the meaningful difference she makes every day.”