Umatilla Electric Cooperative was awarded the Northwest Public Power Association’s Overall Excellence in Communications Award on Sept. 21 during the 29th Annual Northwest Innovations in Communications Conference.
This award is given to an organization that judges determine had the best overall communications effort in the prior year, regardless of size and type of utility (PUD, municipality or cooperative). This is UEC’s first time receiving the award, and the first time an Oregon cooperative has done so.
In addition to that award, UEC received six first place awards out of nine total categories judged at the conference. The awards include: First Place Annual Report, First Place External Newsletter (Ruralite Magazine), First Place Special Publication (UEC’s Annual Calendar), First Place Internal Communications, First Place Ad Campaign, and First Place Social Media.
This was a record breaking year for entries, the most in the contests history. Ten marketing and communications professionals from throughout the Northwest volunteered their time to judge each entry.
“This is an entire organization accomplishment,” said Weston Putman, UEC’s manager of public relations. “We would not be able to develop stories or marketing material without the great work that each and every person does here at UEC,” he continued, “Jodie Thomas (content creator at UEC) deserves major kudos and has been a huge driving force and factor behind this recognition.”
“It was an honor to be at the conference to receive the Overall Excellence Award and earn such high marks amongst our peers,” said Thomas. “I look forward to continuing to share the stories of UEC and the communities we serve.” Thomas has been at the cooperative for six years in Public Relations.
Earlier in the year, UEC was also honored with two First Place Gold awards and a Second Place Silver, by the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association Spotlight on Excellence Awards.
