NEPPA Awards Presented at Annual Conference

TCI of New York, LLC Receives Affiliate Member of the Year Award
This award recognizes companies that are associate or corporate members of our association that provide exceptional levels of support or assistance to our organization and our members. TCI of New York, LLC received this award after a very difficult year, where their building was leveled by a fire. Through this hardship, they still serviced all of their customers and have continued to be a generous and loyal supporter of NEPPA.

NEPPA Service Award Presented to Kristin DiGirolamo
Kristin DiGirolamo of Northeast Public Power Assocation was presented with a NEPPA Service Award, which is given to individuals who have made significant contributions to NEPPA. Kristin has been with NEPPA for 24 years.

"She is the hub that keeps the NEPPA wheel rotating," said NEPPA Executive Director Larry Brownell, who presented the award.

Century Awards Presented
Barbara Grimes, NEPPA vice-president, presented the Century Award to NEPPA members celebrating 100 years of service as a public power system. They are Boylston Municipal Light Department, Georgetown Municipal Light Department, Holden Municipal Light Department, Littleton Electric Light and Water Departments and Middleton Municipal Electric Department.

Distinguished Service Award Presented to Burlington's Manager of Power Supply
NEPPA’s Distinguished Service Award recognizes individuals who have provided outstanding service to their public power systems and their communities and this year it was awarded to Kenneth Nolan, Manager of Power Supply at the Burlington Electric Department in Vermont. He has served Burlington for 14 consecutive years. Ken has lead the charge to hold GMP, CVPS and VELCO accountable to BED and in doing so has helped other municipal utilities and coops. Ken has also taken active roles in town politics and appointed boards.

Six New England Commissioners Presented with Awards
The Commissioner Service Award is presented annually to Commissioners and Directors of public power utilities who have served their systems with distinction for at least 10 years. NEPPA recognized six individuals for their outstanding service to their utilities with Commissioner Service Awards.

From New Hampshire Electric Cooperative, Inc. – Chuck Braxton
From New Hampshire Electric Cooperative, Inc. – Sharon Davis
From New Hampshire Electric Cooperative, Inc. – Dave Talbot
From the Town of Stowe Electric Dept. in Vermont – Arthur Lloyd
From Groveland Municipal Light Dept. in Massachusetts – Robert Brady
And from the Marblehead Municipal Light Dept. in Massachusetts – Philip W. Sweeney

Francis "Skip" Willey Individual Achievement Award Presented to Bill Guertin
This year's Francis "Skip" Willey Individual Achievement Award was awarded to Bill Guertin from Pascoag Utilities. This award is given to an employee of a NEPPA system who demonstrates a professional commitment to public power through personal development and participation in NEPPA’s educational programs and other association activities. For six years Bill Guertin has been a champion for our education efforts assuring that our training facility was always equipped, accessible and functional for our classes.

"Without him many of our certificate programs and rodeos would not be possible," said NEPPA Executive Director Larry Brownell. "He would seek out our instructors and volunteer improvements and services and his hard work drew as many people to our rodeo as the competition itself."

Bill could not attend the Annual Conference so Mike Kirkwood, General Manager of Pascoag Utilities, accepted on his behalf.

Special Recognition Award Presented to Scott Edwards
This award is for a specific accomplishment advancing the interests of public power and is not usually given out every year. Since 2010, Scott Edwards has worked tirelessly seeking perfection for NEPPA’s new training center and offices located in Littleton, Mass. He has personally walked the project at least twice a day since it began and because of his obsession with perfection, NEPPA will have the best public power training facility in the country.

Bob Jolly Receives Person of the Year Award
The person of the year award is given for sustained outstanding service and contributions to NEPPA and to public power. Bob Jolly recently retired from Marblehead Municipal Light Department after a distinguished career. During his volunteerism with NEPPA he served as board secretary and chair of the Annual Conference Committee. Bob concluded his service to NEPPA in April seeing us through the transition to a new executive director and the process of committing to our new home. Bob has always been a cornerstone of the annual Washington, DC rallies.

"Like all good volunteers, Bob did not stop volunteering, he just added another cause," said NEPPA President John Bilda. Since retiring from Marblehead and NEPPA Bob is fulfilling a volunteer commitment as Deputy Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Masons in Massachusetts.