REC's Communications and Public Relations team was recognized in the 2019 Spotlight on Excellence Awards program, sponsored by the Council of Rural Electric Communicators and the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA). Categories focus on ways cooperatives connect with their members, ranging from social media to publications and videos to websites. Entries are accepted from electric cooperatives from across the country. REC won awards in the following six categories:
- Best Internal News Publication, Gold award for PowerLines
- Best Special Publication – Small, Silver award for Seasonal Rates Bill Insert
- Most Innovative Use of Digital Communications, Silver award for REC Volunteers at the Therapeutic Adventure Camp of Orange video
- Best Use of Social Media, Silver award for Wind Storm Riley: Social Media Response
- Best Digital Storytelling, Silver award for Windstorm Riley Creates Havoc
“Communicating with our members and keeping them informed about a variety of topics – safety and energy efficiency tips, member programs, and power restoration in major outage events – is an essential part of the cooperative and a challenge we take head on every day,” explains Casey Hollins, REC’s director of communications and public relations. “We work through multiple platforms, print and online, to connect with members and keep them updated.”
The annual Spotlight on Excellence Awards program recognizes the best communication and marketing efforts by electric cooperatives and related organizations. REC competed with electric cooperatives of similar size. In total, electric cooperative communicators and marketing professionals submitted nearly 640 entries.
Entries were judged by faculty members from the University of Missouri – Columbia and the University of South Carolina, as well as noted professionals in the fields of marketing, web design and digital communications, and newspapers.
The council of Rural Electric Communicators was organized in 1982, and seeks to advance the recognition, education, and professionals of electric cooperative communicators and their affiliated organizations. It is a volunteer association working on behalf of more than 4,000 electric cooperative communicators across the United States. NRECA, the service organization representing the national interests of cooperative electric utilities, coordinates the Council’s activities.
Keep an eye out for your copy of Cooperative Living and connect with REC on social media.
