Person of the Year Award presented to Ted Garille

The NEPPA Person of the Year Award is NEPPA’s most prestigious award and is presented to those individuals who have distinguished themselves through their sustained, outstanding service and contributions to NEPPA and to the entire public power community. This year, the association recognized Ted Garille of the Pascoag Utility District.

John Bilda presented the award citing Garille’s many contributions to the association and thanked him for playing so many different roles with NEPPA during his tenure as the general manager of the Pascoag utility, from which he will retire later this year. As Rhode Island’s only public power system, Pascoag has an extra burden to carry in representing public power in the state.

"Ted has been an exceptional representative, spokesperson and all-around cheerleader for the values and principles of public power," Bilda said. "Through his leadership, Pascoag has been recognized as an outstanding, customer-focused utility in the state of Rhode Island, and has been cited by state officials as an example of how an electric utility should be operated."

Garille was also cited for his leadership role in NEPPA, serving on the Legislative and Executive Committees, as a member of the Board of Directors, and as President from 2006–2008, when the association developed a new strategic plan.

"To all of these roles, Ted has brought his customary enthusiasm, thoughtfulness and dedication, along with his ever-ready sense of humor and perspective," said Bilda. "He has been a great colleague and a strong and loyal supporter of our association, and we are very pleased to recognize him this evening for all of his contributions."