NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 5, 2011
Contact: Brenda Dunn (brenda@nwppa.org) (360) 816-1453
Cunningham honored with Lacy Peoples Award
Vancouver, Wash. – The Northwest Public Power Association’s (NWPPA) 2011 Northwest Communications & Energy Innovations Planning Committee has selected Snohomish PUD’s (Everett, Wash.) Julee Cunningham as this year’s winner of the Lacy Peoples Award. The award was presented to Cunningham at last month’s Northwest Communications & Energy Innovations Conference awards reception on September 20 at the Embassy Suites Portland – Downtown. The Conference Planning Committee selects the Lacy Peoples Award recipient based on his or her lifetime commitment to the public power industry and remarkable work in the areas of marketing and communication.
“When I got hired 20 plus years ago at Snohomish I thought it was one of the best things ever to happen to me,” said Cunningham. “And I didn’t even know how right I would be!”
Cunningham has been with Snohomish PUD for 23 years, serving as the PUD’s corporate communications officer for the past 14 years. While with the utility, some of her most notable accomplishments include leading a team that generated international news about market manipulation by the Enron Corporation, ultimately saving ratepayers more than $160 million; marketing conservation programs (such as the award-winning Conservation Sensation campaign) and saving enough energy to power 70,000 homes; and branding the utility as a national leader in green energy research and helping to secure more than $30 million in federal grant dollars in the past five years. Under her direction, the utility has won several Gold Quill awards, a Best of Show Totem award, and the very first NWPPA Tom Hougan Excellence in Communications Award in 2002.
“It’s a privilege to work in public power, with so many quality people working hard to give our customers the best we have to offer,” said Cunningham. “It has especially been my great fortune to work my career at Snohomish and with the wonderful team of employees I work with everyday. Thanks so much again to everyone for this lovely honor.”
In addition to her work at Snohomish, Cunningham has also served on committees and boards for numerous communications and community organizations, such as the Pacific Northwest Utilities Conference Committee, Northwest RiverPartners, the Puget Sound Marketing Roundtable, Leadership Snohomish County, and Snohomish County’s YWCA and Camp Fire.
First given to Lacy Peoples of Cowlitz PUD at the Consumer Services/Communications Conference in 1978, the award is now presented to recipients at the annual Northwest Communications & Energy Innovations Conference. Current or former employees of NWPPA member utilities are eligible to receive this award. The Conference Planning Committee selects recipients based on accomplishments through at least 10 years of marketing and communication experience; at least 20 years of service to the industry; and promotion of public power through efforts such as community service and energy efficiency.
Recent Lacy Peoples Award winners include Dave D’Avanzo of Lane Electric (2010), Mick Shutt formerly of Clark Public Utilities (2009), and Larry Bryant formerly of Kootenai Electric Cooperative (2008).
About NWPPA: NWPPA is an international association representing and serving over 150 customer-owned, locally controlled utilities in the Western U.S. and Canada. The Association also serves more than 280 associate members across the U.S. and Canada who are allied with the electric utility industry. Visit the NWPPA Web site at www.nwppa.org for more information.
Photo caption: Julee Cunningham, the 2011 Lacy Peoples Award recipient, sits with Lena Wittler, the 2011 Northwest Communications & Energy Innovations chairwoman, at the awards reception on September 20. Photo by Brenda Dunn.
NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 5, 2011
Contact: Brenda Dunn (brenda@nwppa.org) (360) 816-1453
2011 Excellence in Communication entries raise the bar
Vancouver, Wash. – This year’s Excellence in Communication judges saw a new caliber of entries from over 35 different member utilities. As a result of the hard work and creativity of this year’s entries, 6 of the 28 first-place winners received perfect scores; in comparison, judges usually only award one or two entries with a perfect score per competition in the past.
Now in its 18th year, the Excellence in Communication contest recognizes the top communication efforts from Northwest Public Power Association (NWPPA) member utilities. This year NWPPA received 170 entries – topping the amount of entries from the past several years. Categories are broken up into four groups: Group A utilities having the smallest number of customers and Group D having the largest. NWPPA recognized the winning entries at last month’s Northwest Communications & Energy Innovations Conference awards reception on September 20 at the Embassy Suites Portland – Downtown.
In addition to the Excellence in Communication awards, NWPPA presented the 2011 Tom Hougan Award for the best overall communication effort of the year. The 2011 panel of judges selected Washington’s Energy Northwest as this year’s winner. Energy Northwest placed in every category they entered, won five first-place awards, and earned perfect scores on an unprecedented three entries. Kevin McCullen, Energy Northwest’s public affairs specialist, accepted the award at the banquet.
“This is a real honor and a tribute to the collaboration and skill of everyone in our Public Affairs office at Energy Northwest,” said McCullen. “My colleagues and I are flattered, and proud. We do what we do because we love the nature of the work, and believe in the goal of providing people with a basic necessity of life – electricity – and doing so in a safe, reliable, and cost-effective manner.”
For a complete list of winners, please view the attached document.
About NWPPA: NWPPA is an international association representing and serving over 150 customer-owned, locally controlled utilities in the Western U.S. and Canada. The Association also serves more than 280 associate members across the U.S. and Canada who are allied with the electric utility industry. Visit the NWPPA Web site at www.nwppa.org for more information.
NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 19, 2011
Contact: Brenda Dunn (brenda@nwppa.org) (360) 816-1453
2010 NWPPA Safety Award winners announced
Vancouver, Wash. – An annual tradition, the 2010 Northwest Public Power Association (NWPPA) Safety Award winners were announced at this year’s Engineering & Operations Conference on April 7, 2011, in Reno, Nev.
Safety contest awards are based upon a review of each utility’s safety contest form, the number of recordable injury/illness cases (the incident rate) in 2010, and the lost work days (the severity rate) in 2010. Safety continued to be a top priority in 2010, as evidenced by no decline in the number of utilities that worked hard to maintain or improve their safety records as well as an increased participation in the annual safety contest.
2010 NWPPA Safety Award winners present at 2011 Engineering & Operations Conference
More than 1,000,000 hours of exposure
1st place – Eugene Water & Electric Board
2nd place – Chelan County PUD
3rd place – Sacramento Municipal Utility District
300,001-1,000,000 hours of exposure
1st place – Chugach Electric Association
2nd place – Turlock Irrigation District
3rd place – Golden Valley Electric Association
200,001-300,000 hours of exposure
1st place tie – Northern California Power Agency
1st place tie – Okanogan PUD #1
2nd place – Benton PUD
3rd place – Inland Power & Light
170,001-200,000 hours of exposure
1st place – Franklin PUD
2nd place – Benton REA
3rd place – Valley Electric Association
125,001-170,000 hours of exposure
1st place – Coos-Curry Electric Cooperative
2nd place – Emerald PUD
3rd place – Kootenai Electric Cooperative
100,001-125,000 hours of exposure
1st place – Lane Electric Cooperative
2nd place – Wells Rural Electric Company
3rd place – Columbia REA
50,001-100,000 hours of exposure
1st place – Clatskanie PUD
2nd place – Salem Electric Cooperative
3rd place – Columbia River PUD
35,001-50,000 hours of exposure
1st place – Lincoln Electric Cooperative
2nd place – Blachly-Lane Electric Cooperative
3rd place – Wasco Electric Cooperative
0-35,000 hours of exposure
1st place tie – Milton-Freewater Light & Power
1st place tie – Hood River Electric Cooperative
2nd place – Idaho County Light & Power Cooperative
3rd place – City of Ellensburg, Electric Division
About NWPPA: NWPPA is an international association representing and serving over 150 customer-owned, locally controlled utilities in the Western U.S. and Canada. The Association also serves more than 280 associate members across the U.S. and Canada who are allied with the electric utility industry. Visit the NWPPA Web site at www.nwppa.org for more information.
NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Sept. 28, 2010
Contact: Brenda Dunn (brenda@nwppa.org) (360) 816-1453
2010 NWPPA Excellence in Communication Award Winners
VANCOUVER, WA. – The Northwest Public Power Association (NWPPA) presented their Excellence in Communication awards at its annual Northwest Innovations Conference on September 21, 2010, at The Davenport Hotel in Spokane, Wash. Now in its 17th year, the Excellence in Communication contest recognizes the top communication efforts from member utilities from all around NWPPA’s service territory, which includes eight western states and two Canadian provinces.
This year NWPPA received 163 entries from 35 member utilities. Categories are broken up into four groups: Group A utilities having the smallest number of customers and Group D having the largest. In addition to the Excellence in Communication awards, NWPPA presented the 2010 Tom Hougan Award for the best overall communication effort of the year. The judges selected Oregon’s Clatskanie PUD to receive this year’s award. Clatskanie PUD placed in every one of the six categories – winning first place in four of them! Becky Rakoz, Clatskanie’s communication and administrative specialist, accepted the award for her utility.
Clatskanie PUD board and staff - Tom Hougan Overall Excellence in Communication award winners
2010 Excellence in Communication Awards Winners
Annual Report
Group A
1st place: Clatskanie PUD
2nd place: Copper Valley Electric Association
3rd place: Glacier Electric Cooperative
Group B
1st place: Kootenai Electric Cooperative
2nd place: Columbia River PUD
3rd place: Salem Electric
Group C
1st place: Benton PUD
2nd place: Mason County PUD No. 3
3rd place: Idaho Falls Power
Group D
1st place: Snohomish County PUD No. 1
2nd place: Energy Northwest
3rd place: Turlock Irrigation District
Newsletter
Group A
1st place: Clatskanie PUD (Highlines)
2nd place: Northern Wasco PUD (Special issue – Sept. 2009)
3rd place: Glacier Electric Cooperative (The Highliner)
Group B
1st place: Columbia River PUD (Power Lines)
2nd place: Emerald PUD (PowerLines)
3rd place: Homer Electric Association (Kilowatt Courier)
Group C
1st place: Chelan County PUD (Lightly)
2nd place: Golden Valley Electric Association (GVEA section in Ruralite)
3rd place: Peninsula Light Co. (Lights)
Group D
1st place: Snohomish County PUD No. 1 (Current)
2nd place: Energy Northwest (Keeping Current)
3rd place: Clark Public Utilities (Currents)
Media/Ad Campaign
Group A
1st place: Clatskanie PUD (Budget payment plan campaign)
2nd place: Glacier Electric Cooperative (DC youth tour campaign)
3rd place: None
Group B
1st place: Homer Electric Association (Energy and conservation fair)
2nd place: Valley Electric Association, Inc. (Energy symposium ad/poster)
3rd place: Emerald PUD (Rebranding campaign)
Group C
1st place: Idaho Falls Power (Switch campaign)
2nd place: Peninsula Light Co. (What is Green? campaign)
3rd place: Golden Valley Electric Association (Kick the oil habit campaign)
Group D
1st place: Snohomish County PUD No. 1 (Conservation Sensation TV ads)
2nd place: EWEB (Community Care campaign)
3rd place: Chugach Electric Association (Energy Watch campaign)
Pamphlet or Brochure
Group A
1st place: Clatskanie PUD (Why Public Power? insert)
2nd place: None
3rd place: None
Group B
1st place: Salem Electric (Fast Facts pamphlet)
2nd place: Emerald PUD (OPUDA conference brochure)
3rd place: Midstate Electric Cooperative (Winter’s Coming brochure)
Group C
1st place: Benton PUD (Appliance rebates pamphlet)
2nd place: Peninsula Light Co. (Ductless heating insert)
3rd place: Golden Valley Electric Association (Alaska legislature packet)
Group D
1st place: Snohomish County PUD No. 1 (Tidal power brochure)
2nd place: EWEB (Recycle CFLs brochure)
3rd place: Turlock Irrigation District (Continuing to Grow pamphlet)
Photography
Group A
1st place: Ravalli Electric Cooperative (Stringing wire)
2nd place: Clatskanie PUD (Line crews replacing conductor)
3rd place: Glacier Electric Cooperative (Greening-up Christmas)
Group B
1st place: Franklin PUD (Lineman Darren Idler)
2nd place: Salem Electric (Line crew with pole)
3rd place: Valley Electric Association, Inc. (Mt. Charleston)
Group C
1st place: Golden Valley Electric Association (Power plant tour)
2nd place: Chelan County PUD (Air valve installation)
3rd place: Clallam County PUD (65 Years of Service)
Group D
1st place: Clark Public Utilities (Salmon in the Classroom)
2nd place: Energy Northwest (Man with Uranium pellet)
3rd place: None
Wild Card
Group A
1st place: Northern Wasco PUD (Wreath raffle)
2nd place: Glacier Electric Cooperative (2010 calendar)
3rd place: Clatskanie PUD (Informational folder)
Group B
1st place: Midstate Electric Cooperative (Web site)
2nd place: Kootenai Electric Cooperative (Rate increase communications)
3rd place: Salem Electric (Bring Your Kids to Work program)
Group C
1st place: Clallam County PUD (Virtual bulletin boards)
2nd place: Benton PUD (Web site)
3rd place: Golden Valley Electric Association (SNAP movie)
Group D
1st place: Energy Northwest (Conservation trivia spots)
2nd place: Clark Public Utilities (Style guide)
3rd place: EWEB (Leaburg Visitor’s Shelter video)
2010 Tom Hougan award: Clatskanie PUD
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 9, 2010
Contact: Brenda Dunn (brenda@nwppa.org) (360) 816-1453
NWPPA presents its annual awards
VANCOUVER, WA. – The Northwest Public Power Association (NWPPA) honored the following individuals at its 70 th Annual Conference and Membership Meeting in Sacramento, Calif., on Wednesday, May 26, 2010:
NWPPA President’s Award
NWPPA presents this special award periodically to honor individuals that have worked tirelessly on behalf of the industry. To qualify for the Award, recipients must support, through their actions, the proposition that locally owned, non-profit governed and managed electric utilities bring value to their customers through support of community programs and services; that consumer-owned electric utilities bring economic viability to local communities; and that consumer-owned electric utilities are great partners in strengthening the quality of life for consumers through the delivery of reliable, safe, affordable, and environmentally responsible power. This year the President’s Award was presented to Senator Lisa Murkowski (R–Alaska) and Representative Greg Walden (R–Ore.) during NWPPA’s annual legislative rally April 26-29, 2010 in Washington, D.C.
Life Membership Awards
NWPPA honors retired policymakers and managers from member utilities for work performed on behalf of public power.
- Randy Berggren, Eugene Water & Electric Board (Eugene, Ore.)
- Jean Ryckman, Franklin County PUD (Pasco, Wash.)
John M. George Public Service Award
NWPPA honors policy-making officers of a member system that have demonstrated remarkable service to public power.
- Vern Dalton, Wells Rural Electric Company (Wells, Nev.)
William “Bill” McCrorie Distinguished Service Award
NWPPA honors individuals who have served the interest of public power and the Association in an outstanding manner
- Sandra Flicker, ORECA (Salem, Ore.)
- Steve Johnson, WPUDA (Olympia, Wash.)
- Steve J. Klein, Snohomish County PUD (Everett, Wash.)
- David Muller, PUD No. 1 of Lewis County (Chehalis, Wash.)
Paul J. Raver Community Service Award
NWPPA honors an individual or company who has demonstrated superior leadership in the betterment of cities, states, or regions.
- Rick Coleman, Trinity PUD (Weaverville, Calif.)
- Eugene Water & Electric Board (Eugene, Ore.)
Associate Member Plaques of Appreciation
NWPPA honors associate member organizations that have provided extraordinary service to the Association and the utility industry.
- Apogee
- Carlson Sales
- Commonwealth Associates
- Cooper Power Systems
- D’Ewart Representatives
- Energy Northwest
- Hees Enterprises
- McKaig-Evergreen
- Peak Measure
- Stephens, McCarthy, Lancaster LLC
About NWPPA: NWPPA is an international association representing and serving customer-owned, locally controlled utilities in the Western U.S. and Canada. The Association also serves more than 250 associate members across the U.S. and Canada who are allied with the electric utility industry. Visit the NWPPA Web site at www.nwppa.org for more information.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 9, 2010
Contact: Brenda Dunn (brenda@nwppa.org) (360) 816-1453
Emrick wins prestigious Milton Hunt McGuire Award
VANCOUVER, WA. – Tacoma Public Utilities Director of Utilities Bill Gaines presented F. Max Emrick with the Northwest Public Power Association (NWPPA) Award for Excellence in Engineering or Operations at the Association’s 2010 Engineering & Operations Conference on March 30, 2010, in Tacoma, Wash. The award is given to an engineer and/or operations person who has made contributions to the utility industry in the engineering or operations area. Also known as the Milton Hunt McGuire Award, it was first presented in 1947 and is considered NWPPA’s most prestigious award for a utility employee working in the areas of engineering or operations.
Emrick is currently the assistant generation manager, production engineering at Tacoma Power, and has been in the electric utility industry for 31 years. He started with Tacoma Power in 1978 as a relay and protection engineer, and later went to work for Puget Sound Energy (PSE) in 1982.
“Max has been an advocate, steward, and mentor for the engineering profession,” said Booga K. Gilbertson of PSE. “Max has earned the reputation of a northwest utility industry go-to leader. Our industry is lucky to have such a well-respected, contributing colleague.”
In 1995, Emrick returned to Tacoma Power to lead the plant engineering group that was reorganized into the production engineering group in the Generation Business unit. During his time with Tacoma Power, he has been actively involved in the Electric Energy Industrial Consortium, the Northwest Energy System Symposium, several Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) regional and national conferences, and the Centre for Energy Advancement through Technological Innovation (CEATI).
“Mr. Emrick was very instrumental in establishing strong professional relationships between our department and the northwest power industries,” said Mohamed A. El-Sharkawi, a professor at the University of Washington’s Department of Electrical Engineering. “Although he is a clear leader, his demeanor with students and his peers is very collegial. It is great to have someone like Max in our community.”
Recent NWPPA award winners for Excellence in Engineering or Operations include William Mittelstadt of BPA (2007), Harlan Warner of Okanogan County PUD (2005), and Brent Crowther of Valley Electric Association (2003).
About NWPPA: NWPPA is an international association representing and serving customer-owned, locally controlled utilities in the Western U.S. and Canada. The Association also serves more than 250 associate members across the U.S. and Canada who are allied with the electric utility industry. Visit the NWPPA Web site at www.nwppa.org for more information.
NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 9, 2010
Contact: Brenda Dunn (brenda@nwppa.org) (360) 816-1453
2009 NWPPA Safety Award winners announced
VANCOUVER, WA. – An annual tradition, the 2009 Northwest Public Power Association (NWPPA) Safety Award winners were announced at this year’s Engineering & Operations Conference on April 1, 2010, in Tacoma, Wash.
Safety contest awards are based upon a review of each utility’s safety contest form, the number of recordable injury/illness cases (the incident rate) in 2009, and the lost work days (the severity rate) in 2009. Safety continued to be a top priority in 2009, as evidenced by no decline in the number of utilities that worked hard to maintain or improve their safety records as well as participated in the annual safety contest.
More than 1,000,000 hours of exposure
1 st place – Energy Northwest
2 nd place – Grant County PUD
3 rd place – Sacramento Municipal Utility District
500,001-1,000,000 hours of exposure
1 st place – Golden Valley Electric Association
2 nd place – Chugach Electric Association
3 rd place – Clark Public Utilities
240,001-500,000 hours of exposure
1 st place – Benton PUD
2 nd place – Cowlitz County PUD
3 rd place – Inland Power & Light
160,001-240,000 hours of exposure
1 st place – Oregon Trail Electric Consumers Cooperative
2 nd place – Valley Electric Association
3 rd place – Coos-Curry Electric Cooperative
100,001-160,000 hours of exposure
1 st place – Wells Rural Electric Cooperative
2 nd place – Fall River Rural Electric Cooperative
3 rd place – Emerald PUD
50,001-100,000 hours of exposure
1 st place – Douglas Electric Cooperative
2 nd place – Salem Electric Cooperative
3 rd place – Hill County Electric Cooperative
35,001-50,000 hours of exposure
1 st place – Canby Utility
1 st place – Lincoln Electric Cooperative
2 nd place – Kotzebue Electric Association
3 rd place – Lakeview Light & Power
25,001-35,000 hours of exposure
1 st place – Cordova Electric Cooperative
1 st place – Idaho County Light & Power Cooperative
2 nd place – City of Ellensburg, Electric Division
3 rd place – Hood River Electric Cooperative
0-25,000 hours of exposure
1 st place – Milton-Freewater Light & Power
1 st place – Monmouth Power & Light
1 st place – Nespelem Valley Electric Cooperative
2 nd place – Big Flat Electric Cooperative
About NWPPA: NWPPA is an international association representing and serving customer-owned, locally controlled utilities in the Western U.S. and Canada. The Association also serves more than 250 associate members across the U.S. and Canada who are allied with the electric utility industry. Visit the NWPPA Web site at www.nwppa.org for more information.
Northwest Public Power Association
9817 N.E. 54th St., Ste. 200 Vancouver, WA 98662
(360) 254-0109 Fax (360) 254-5731 Email:nwppa@nwppa.org
