Award Eligibility

• Nominations may be submitted by any supervising Manager at a MEAM member utility or through unanimous nomination by the MEAM-CES leadership team (president, secretary, and treasurer).

• Must currently work for or have recently retired from a MEAM member utility.

• Nominee must be one of the following:

  • The individual responsible for the majority of public communications at a MEAM member utility.

  • The main communicator managing public relations for a major project or incident at a MEAM member utility.

  • Primary coordinator for outreach and advocacy for energy services programs offered by a MEAM member utility.
     

Communicator of the Year Award Criteria

The MEAM Communicator of the Year award recognizes individuals who consistently demonstrate effective public communications and are recognized public power advocates with a reputation for being highly credible with a variety of diverse audiences. 

COTY award winners use communication strategies that demonstrate creativity and innovation in a public utility environment. Nominees should demonstrate exceptional leadership in addition to exemplary ethics and professionalism. COTY award winners are widely recognized as role models for communicators and non-communicators alike and exemplify the best of MEAM member utility practices.

​

Rising Star Award Criteria

The MEAM Rising Star award recognizes exceptional communications, community outreach, or project management achievement of a public power employee who has been in a communications or energy services position fewer than 5 years at the time they were nominated.

​

2026 Nomination Process

• Nominate candidates using the online form.

• 2025 Nominations must be submitted by TBD

• Winners will be chosen by the MEAM-CES Leadership.

• The awards will be given at the MEAM-CES Conference.