Call for Nominations for NWPPA Awards
Public Power owes its beginnings to innovative, forward-thinking individuals and companies. This heritage continues through a new generation of individuals that are leading the industry into the future. Since 1940, NWPPA has recognized these types of individuals as well as utilities for their work on behalf of the western public power community. It is through their hard work, dedication to the ideal of public power, and their commitment to community that we have an opportunity to thank and recognize these individuals and organizations. NWPPA asks you to consider nominations for individuals and/or organizations that should be recognized for their contributions to the industry and their community. This page describes the various awards, nomination criteria, and the nominating process for each of NWPPA’s awards. We urge you to participate in making the NWPPA awards program as meaningful as possible by bringing our attention to those individuals who are most deserving of recognition for their work on the behalf of public power. You have the opportunity to bring recognition to a deserving individual or organization, all it takes is a few minutes of your time.
View nomination information for the following awards:
Engineering & Operations Conference Awards
NWPPA Safety Heroism Award
The NWPPA Safety Heroism Award recognizes an NWPPA utility member employee or team that displayed an act of unselfish and voluntary assistance in a situation where life, significant injury, or significant property loss would have been incurred but for the efforts of the individual or team.
This award is presented annually at the NWPPA Engineering & Operations Conference and Trade Show. In your nomination, please provide a full written description of the event, photos (if available), and a written statement as to why the nominee(s) should receive the award.
Nominations must be submitted no later than Feb. 29, 2024.
NWPPA Career Commitment to Safety Award
The NWPPA Career Commitment to Safety Award focuses upon the importance of safety in our industry. This award recognizes one individual each year that has outstanding proficiency in safety, has demonstrated leadership in safety in their utility and the industry, and has made a significant contribution to safety within the industry over their career. This award is open to all employees of NWPPA member utilities that exemplify outstanding commitment and leadership in safety.
Nominations must be submitted no later than Feb. 29, 2024.
NWPPA Excellence in Engineering or Operations Award
The NWPPA Excellence in Engineering or Operations Award honors an NWPPA member utility employee that has made a contribution to the industry as a whole. Examples of award-winning industry contributions include engineering or operational innovations; participation in and/or leadership on industry standards or issues; and rising up to the myriad of opportunities presented by the issues and challenges the industry has faced. Though noteworthy, a person’s length of service, commitment to excellence, or contributions within a utility will not qualify a person for this award. When the criteria of having “made a contribution to the industry as a whole” is not met by any of the award nominees, no award will be given.
Nominations must be submitted no later than Feb. 29, 2024.
NWPPA Safety Contest Awards
These annual awards are presented to utilities based on the lowest total injury and illness (incidence) rate for the preceding year. To enter the contest, utilities report their data found on OSHA Form 300A. Utilities that are not required to complete the OSHA form can still participate by tracking the data and completing the form without submitting to OSHA. To do so, mark the first question yes and then enter the data required.
Awards will be given to all first-, second-, and third-place results within the category of total employee hours reported. Awards will be announced and presented at the NWPPA Engineering & Operations Conference and Trade Show during the Thursday evening awards banquet.
The deadline to enter is Feb. 29, 2024.
Outstanding Associate Member Award
This award is given to Associate Members for their outstanding support of the NWPPA Engineering and Operations Conference and Trade Show. The objectives of the show, as stated in the planning committee guide, are:
The Engineering & Operations Conference and Tradeshow held each year in the spring is a regional gathering of engineering and operations professionals to provide for exchange of ideas, to allow utilities to cost effectively bring nationally and internationally known subject matter experts together to provide utility employees with the latest information and work practices, and to view the latest in products and technology at the tradeshow.
Candidates for consideration of this award should be long-term Associate Members with a solid history of support for the E&O Conference, the Association, and the industry in general. Factors that should be considered in nominating an Associate Member for this award include:
- Candidate’s participation in committee work
- Support and mentoring for Association activities
- Provision of technical experts and speakers for NWPPA conferences
- Financial support and sponsorship for the conferences
If a nominee is selected the award will be presented to the recipient by the Engineering & Operations (E&O) Committee during the annual NWPPA E&O Conference. The award winners will be notified in advance and their presence is requested at the E&O to accept the award at a general session of the conference.
The due date for nomination forms to be returned to NWPPA is February 14, 2020.
Annual Conference & Membership Meeting Awards
Receiving an award from your industry peers is a high honor and NWPPA is proud to provide the avenue to recognize these individuals and organizations throughout our membership. Please give serious consideration to nominating individuals and/or organizations for the following awards.
Life Member Award
Presented to a policymaker or manager who has retired, or will be retiring in 2024 and has made notable contributions to the association and public power.
Paul J. Raver Community Service Award
Presented to an individual or organization that has shown superior leadership in the betterment of cities, locales, states, or regions.
John M. George Public Service Award
Presented to a policymaker who has demonstrated remarkable service to public power.
William “Bill” McCrorie Distinguished Service Award
Presented to an individual who has served the interests of public power and NWPPA in an outstanding manner.
Homer T. Bone Award
Presented to a state or federal legislator serving and representing constituents in the NWPPA service territory that has demonstrated sustained and remarkable work on behalf of public power.
Deadline to submit nominations for these awards is February 10, 2023.
Contact NWPPA for more information or for nomination questions at nwppa@nwppa.org.
Champion of Communications Award (CLOSED)
First given to Lacy Peoples of Cowlitz PUD at the Consumer Services/Communications Conference in 1978, the NWPPA Champion of Communications Award is now presented to recipients at the annual NIC Conference. Current or former employees of NWPPA member utilities are eligible to receive this award. The NIC 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. Recent recipients include Lena Wittler of Clark Public Utilities (2021), Debbie Bone-Harris of Franklin County PUD (2019), and Joel Myer of Mason 3 PUD (2018). Recent recipients include Libby Calnon of Hood River Electric & Internet Co-op (2022), Lena Wittler of Clark Public Utilities (2021), and Debbie Bone-Harris of Franklin County PUD (2019).
Excellence in Communications Awards (CLOSED)
The Excellence in Communications contest is an awards competition open to NWPPA utility and association members. Public power professionals are invited to submit the best content created by or on behalf of their utility or organization. All photo entries will automatically be entered into the People’s Choice Awards contest. Awards for both contests are presented each year at NWPPA’s Northwest Innovations in Communications Conference.
Submissions must be original materials that were published, produced, or distributed for the first time during 2022. Advertising materials entered into the competition must have been created specifically for the NWPPA member. Each communication piece can only be submitted into one category—communication pieces that are entered into more than one category will be disqualified.
All entries must be submitted by Friday, June 30, 2023. Late submissions will not be considered.
Entries are limited to one entry for the Annual Report category, and two entries for all other categories.
The entry fee is $25 per entry. NWPPA will invoice utilities for their entries in early July. Invoices must be paid in full by Sept. 1 for entries to be eligible to receive an award.
