The Electric Cooperatives of Mississippi (ECM) and three local electric cooperatives took home 2025 Spotlight on Excellence Awards this year.
The awards are sponsored by the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA) and the Council of Rural Electric Communicators. The awards shine a light on remarkable talent and innovation by recognizing a body of outstanding work produced by electric cooperative communication and marketing professionals from across the country.
ECM’s Legislative Roster App earned the top honor — gold — in the “Most Innovative Use of Digital Engagement” category.
The app allows users to find their statewide elected officials as well as their state senators and representatives in seconds. Besides profiles and maps for lawmakers and their districts, users can find out which legislators are on the Seante and House committees and follow the progress of proposed bills through each session.
Cooperative Energy, a generation and transmission cooperative, won a gold award in the “Best Wild Card” category for their Cooperative Energy SPARK Award.
Dixie Electric won a first-place gold award in the “Best Short Form Video (Two Minutes or Less)” category for their piece, “Silent Strength: The Unsung Heroes of Power.”
Coast Electric won a silver award in the “Most Innovative Use of Digital Engagement” category for their piece, “Welcome to the Neighborhood.”
In other award news, ECM Vice President of Communications Lydia Walters won the Dave D’Avanzo Communications Leadership Award in May.
The Pioneer Utility Resources award honors co-op communicators known for giving, helping, and lifting others up in their careers in the cooperative world.
The peer-nominated award celebrates quiet leaders in the industry who make work and communities better in meaningful ways.
Congratulations to all the winners!
