(VANCOUVER, WA) – Last week, at its 78th Annual Conference
and Membership Meeting in Boise, Idaho, Northwest Public Power Association
(NWPPA) presented the following awards to individuals within the public power
community.
Homer T. Bone Award
This award honors a state or federal legislator (elected
official) who has demonstrated sustained and remarkable work on behalf of
public power. Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R–Alaska) has been a champion of public
power rights during her time in public office, starting as an Alaska state
representative and throughout her 15 years in the U.S. Senate. She was a
co-sponsor of the Energy Policy Act of 2005. Two years later, in the Energy
Independence and Security Act of 2007, Murkowski sponsored several improvements
to spur renewable energy development, particularly for hydroelectric, marine
hydrokinetic, and geothermal power projects. She is now the lead sponsor of the
Energy and Natural Resources Act of 2017, which is the first major effort to
modernize energy law in over a decade.
Paul J. Raver
Community Service Award
This award honors an individual or company who has
demonstrated superior leadership in the betterment of cities, states, or
regions. NWPPA honored three individuals this year: Gary Hicks (posthumously)
of Asotin County PUD (Clarkston, Wash.), Bryan Wolfe of Umatilla Electric
Cooperative (Ore.), and Randy Smith of Chelan PUD (Wenatchee, Wash.).
Gary Hicks served the Asotin County PUD and the community
for 32 years. He was elected into office in 1984 at the same time the Asotin
County PUD No. 1 was authorized by the voters. Previous to the authorizing
vote, Hicks was a champion for the formation of the PUD, actively working and
campaigning to see it become a reality. Since its inception, Hicks guided the
PUD with exceptional leadership and commitment. His dedication to the philosophy
of Page 2 of 4 publicly owned utility districts and its customer-owners never
wavered. At the time of his death, he was the only living PUD commissioner in
Washington State to have helped successfully form a PUD and serve on its board
of commissioners.
Bryan Wolfe of Hermiston, Ore., has represented District No.
3 on the Umatilla Electric Cooperative Board of Directors since 1997; he
transitioned to board president in 2011. Wolfe has been a UEC Board officer
during a period where the cooperative is expanding and rebuilding at a pace not
seen at UEC in 40 years. Driven by growth in farming, food processing, and
industry, UEC has become the largest electric cooperative in the 10 western
states in terms of power sales. Wolfe has championed his city, state, and
region through over 40 years of volunteer service. In the public power
industry, he has served on local (UEC), state (ORECA), and national (NRECA)
boards of directors.
Randy Smith has been a Chelan County PUD commissioner for 12
years. In that time, he has held every leadership role on the commission. He
was elected during a tumultuous time at the utility, providing a steady hand
and reasoned approach. His wisdom helped guide the utility through the tough
years of the 2008-11 recession, helping Chelan PUD rebound financially and in
reputation with local customer-owners, as well as the broader region. The
energy community outside of Chelan County also knows his deep commitment to public
power. In 2017, he was secretary of the Washington Public Utility District
Association, as well as chair of WPUDA’s Energy Committee.
NWPPA President’s
Award
This award honors outstanding service and work on behalf of
the industry and the Association. NWPPA honored two individuals this year: Duke
Harris of Clearwater Power Co. (Lewiston, Idaho) and Jim Petersen of Vigilante
Electric Cooperative (Dillon, Mont.).
Duke Harris retired from the Clearwater Power Company Board
of Directors on March 1, 2018, after serving over 39 years. Since joining the
board in 1979, he had held the offices of president, vice president, and
secretary-treasurer over the years. He had also completed the NRECA
Credentialed Cooperative Director, Board Leadership, and Director Gold
Certifications. Harris was chosen by the Clearwater Power Board of Directors to
be their Idaho Statewide Association representative as well as to represent the
State of Idaho on the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association Board of
Directors, serving for six years. He also served on the NWPPA Board of
Trustees.
Jim Petersen has been a member of the Vigilante Electric
Cooperative Board of Trustees for over 40 years. During that time, he has
served as president, vice president, and trustee with the cooperative. He has
also served as president and trustee of Montana Energy Alliance, a propane
subsidiary owned partially by Vigilante Electric Cooperative. Petersen and his
wife own a ranch and feedlot south of Dillon. He is a very strong family man,
businessman, and community-involved leader.
William “Bill” McCorie
Distinguished Service Award
This award honors individuals who have served the interest
of public power and NWPPA in an outstanding manner. NWPPA honored two
individuals this year: Ben Frantz of Barrow Utilities & Electric
Cooperative (Alaska) and Doug Hardy of Central Montana Electric Power Cooperative
(Great Falls, Mont.).
For more than 46 years, Ben Frantz has served the public
power industry through his long and distinguished career in the electric
utility industry and through extensive volunteer service to his community and
the industry. His career is a solid path of ascension at North Slope Borough
Power & Light and later at Barrow Utilities and Electric Cooperative, where
he has served as its general manager for nearly 20 years. He is now in his
third, two-year term as president of the APA Board and he serves on the
following committees: Executive Committee, Managers’ Forum, Government Affairs
Committee, ACRE CARE Political Action Committee, and the Membership Committee.
General Manager Doug Hardy is well respected in the utility
service by many. He is a leader and go-to guy for questions on anything
pertaining to co-ops and power. Outside of Central Montana Electric Power
Cooperative, Hardy has participated on various industry boards and committees
over the years, including the Montana Electric Cooperatives’ Association Power
Supply Committee, Legislative Committee (chairman), and Dues Formula Committee;
ACRE Committee and its board of directors; NWPPA Board of Trustees; Mid-West
Electric Consumers Association Board of Directors (vice president),
Organization Committee (co-chair), and Water & Power Planning Committee;
Missouri River Recovery Implementation Committee; and NRECA Nominating
Committee.
Associate Member
Plaque of Appreciation
This award honors an associate member for outstanding
service and work on behalf of the Association and its membership.
Dan Kessler of Cooperative Finance Corporation has been a
strong supporter of NWPPA over the years and his organization has been an
annual meeting sponsor many times throughout the years. He has a long,
successful history in the Northwest with utilities, having also worked at a
utility before being scooped up by CFC as their Northwest representative. Many
have seen him on the golf course, but more have seen and experienced his
helpfulness and training over the years via CFC.
Life Membership Award
This award is presented to policymakers and managers who are
retiring from member utilities and have made notable contributions to the
Association and public power.
This year there were five recipients: Bill Gaines of Tacoma
Public Utilities (Wash.), John Gerstenberger of Hood River Electric Cooperative
(Ore.), Terry Kelly of Salem Electric (Ore.), Mark Reddemann of Energy
Northwest (Richland, Wash.), and Les Teel of Columbia REA (Walla Walla, Wash.).
