PR 22 10 BONNEVILLE POWER ADMINSTRATION
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Thursday, Nov. 10, 2022
CONTACT: Tom Conning, BPA, 503-230-2832
or 503-230-5131
Several Vancouver-area residents earn prestigious awards
Awards cite extraordinary contributions and services to the Pacific Northwest
PORTLAND, Ore. – The Bonneville Power Administration presented three Vancouver-area residents with awards as part of its 2022 Administrator’s Excellence Awards program. BPA is a federal power marketing administration under the U.S. Department of Energy that serves the Pacific Northwest.
The Aug. 17 virtual ceremony celebrated a total of 26 exceptional individuals – all nominated by their peers – who embody the 2022 AEA theme, Energizing, Electrifying, Empowering. They are people who consistently demonstrate their willingness to identify challenges, develop solutions and invigorate the workforce and BPA’s mission. They are also individuals often found working behind the scenes, looking for flexibilities, pushing limits and taking on challenges others believe are impossible.
“It’s my sincere pleasure to recognize our awardees, who personify the meaning of public service; who believe in, and advance BPA’s mission; and who inspire others to do their best for the people of the Northwest,” said BPA Administrator John Hairston. “The awardees we’re celebrating were the cornerstones of our success during this uncertain time.”
Awardees:
La Center resident Jon Stimmel – BPA Employee Development Award
Stimmel, an engineer in the Substation Engineering Design group, set to work establishing priorities for his group. He also standardized engineering templates, which allowed everyone to work from the same starting point.
“I am humbled to have been recognized by members of my teams, both current and past,” said Emerson. “I truly enjoy coaching, mentoring and sharing with others. I enjoy knowing that I have made an impact on others, and seeing them move up in the agency.”
Camas resident Aaron McNutt – BPA Special Service Award
McNutt, a project manager for the Transmission Project Management Office, Substations, responded to 70 electrical emergencies and was able to use those as opportunities to collaborate across the agency to help other organizations. For example, he was able to replace environmental program equipment during an emergency outage.
“This work at BPA provides real benefit to the people of the Pacific Northwest and I am glad to help contribute to that effort,” said McNutt. “Receiving this award also reflects how I feel about the many quality folks at BPA and how hard they work to achieve BPA's mission. Without everyone's contributions, none of this work would be possible.”
Vancouver resident Melissa Millard – BPA Unsung Hero Award
Millard, manager of the Technology and Strategic Planning group, successfully stepped into various leadership roles across the supply chain, where she willingly spearheaded any effort, problem-solved process improvements and achieved high-stake project goals. Notably, Millard led and delivered the overhaul of an aging enterprise asset management system used throughout the agency under budget and on time.
“It truly is an honor to receive this award,” said Millard. “We couldn’t have accomplished as much as we had without all the participation of the many people across many different BPA organizations. Thank you to everyone who painstakingly contributed, and most importantly, for completing your task lists. I look forward to my next chapter at BPA and all of the opportunities and successes that await.”
Stimmel, McNutt, Millard and the other AEA recipients are some of the people behind the power that have enabled BPA to keep the lights on in the Northwest for more than 80 years, even in the most challenging times. This year, BPA honored those whose initiative, innovation, superior service or exemplary acts have made an exceptional contribution to BPA's mission, the electric utility industry or to the greater community.
The annual BPA awards program has historically been the organization’s most anticipated workforce recognition event of the year. In the past, the event took place at BPA’s headquarters in Portland, Oregon, where awardees’ co-workers, families and friends were in attendance, clapping, cheering and celebrating. In 2020, the event went virtual for the first time due to the state and agency’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
About BPA
The Bonneville Power Administration, headquartered in Portland, Ore., is a nonprofit federal power marketer that sells wholesale electricity from 31 federal dams and one nuclear plant to 142 Northwest electric utilities, serving millions of consumers and businesses in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, western Montana and parts of California, Nevada, Utah and Wyoming. BPA delivers power via more than 15,000 circuit miles of lines and 259 substations to 490 transmission customers. In all, BPA markets about a third of the electricity consumed in the Northwest and operates three-quarters of the region’s high-voltage transmission grid. BPA also funds one of the largest fish and wildlife programs in the world, and, with its partners, pursues cost-effective energy savings and operational solutions that help maintain affordable, reliable and carbon-free electric power for the Northwest. www.bpa.gov.
###