September 30, 2026

WPPI Energy recognizes reliable strength of public power

An Update from WPPI

Municipal utilities staff and community officials gathered Sept. 17 in Sheboygan to celebrate the strength of public power at the 2026 WPPI Energy Annual Meeting.

During the event, individuals and utilities received awards for leadership, community service and advocacy. This year’s event focused on “Strength You Can Rely On.”

“This gathering truly highlighted how our member utilities’ work provides reliable service and support to their communities each day,” said Mike Peters, president and CEO of WPPI. “Those individual efforts come together to demonstrate how impactful dependable, local utilities can be for the residents and businesses they serve.”

WPPI presented 15 awards during the ceremony.

Shining Star

The Shining Star Award recognizes managers and employees who show growth and leadership with proven dedication to strategic initiatives within the utility. These individuals have gone above and beyond the call of duty.

  • Brian Dellemann – Two Rivers Utilities
  • Jill Hill – City of Cuba City
  • James Lincoln – Lodi Utilities
  • Savannah Menzia – Slinger Utilities
  • Jack Nytes –New London Utilities
  • Roger Secrist – Florence Utilities
  • Jason Valentine – Oconto Falls Municipal Utilities
  • Karen Witte – City of Whitehall

Community Service

Named in honor of late public power champion Richard “Dixie” Kirchoff, the Community Service Awards recognize member utility managers and public officials who demonstrate the utility’s value through their active participation in the community and commitment to volunteerism.

  • Joe Hammer – City of Columbus
  • Alan Wildman – Village of Prairie du Sac
  • Dan Graff – Crystal Falls Electric Department

Individual Achievement

This award recognizes a member utility manager or employee who has made a significant contribution to the success of WPPI Energy through actively participating as part of a committee, task force or other group work for at least five years.

  • George Morrissey – City of Cuba City
  • Brian Rhodes – Hartford Utilities

Utility Leadership

The Utility Leadership Award recognizes a WPPI member utility that displays excellence and leadership. This utility helps to advance strategic initiatives, provides benefits to the membership and supports public power and joint action.

Menasha Utilities has long held a commitment to advancing strategic initiatives, providing meaningful benefits to WPPI’s membership, serving as a model for fellow public power utilities and demonstrating steadfast support for public power and joint action.

The utility also experienced a natural disaster when an EF-3 tornado hit the community at the end of July. There were 260 power poles that needed to be replaced. Many of the 9,500 homes Menasha Utilities serves were without electricity. Despite this, utility staff were able to coordinate a response that returned power to everyone within 10 days.

Because of the great attributes listed above, Menasha Utilities was the recipient of this year’s Utility Leadership Award.

Joint Action Leadership Certification

WPPI also recognized graduates of the Joint Action Leadership Certification program at the annual meeting. WPPI offers this two-year commitment to broaden participants’ knowledge of the electric industry and of how WPPI member utilities work together to share resources and keep costs down.

  • Jason Bieri – Surgeon Bay Utilities
  • Chris Jahn – Waupun Utilities
  • Karsten Huse – Cedarburg Light & Water Utility
  • Andrew Hirvela – Sun Prairie Utilities
  • Kevin Kaari – Oconomowoc Utilities
  • Cade Schreiber – Hustisford Utilities
  • Lucas Caine – Lake Mills Light & Water
  • Marc Stephanie – New Holstein Utilities

Milestones

WPPI member utilities have a proven record of service. Most have been providing municipal electricity to their communities for over a century.

WPPI recognized member utilities with milestone anniversaries in 2026:

  • Baraga Electric Utility – 135 years
  • Stoughton Utilities – 135 years
  • Crystal Falls Electric Department – 130 years
  • Cedarburg Light & Water Utility – 125 years
  • Evansville Water & Light – 125 years
  • Jefferson Utilities – 125 years
  • Plymouth Utilities – 125 years
  • Lake Mills Light & Water – 115 years
  • Slinger Utilities – 115 years

Volunteer Power

WPPI named Hustisford Utilities Clerk Jamie Kulkee its 2026 Volunteer Power! Award recipient. This award recognizes a person who demonstrates exceptional leadership in their volunteer work and contributes to the betterment of the place where they volunteer.

Kulkee dedicates her time to students and the local soccer club by coaching the local team and sitting on the Hustisford Soccer Club Board. She holds the rural seat on the Hustisford School District Board of Education.

Hall of Fame

Every inductee in the Joint Action Hall of Fame has made major contributions to the development and success of WPPI. They have also made a significant positive impact on joint action through their contributions.

WPPI named two retired utility leaders to its hall of fame in 2026: Mike Reynolds and Tim Herlitzka.

Reynolds retired in the spring after 36 years on WPPI’s board of directors, including 24 years on its Executive Committee. He served as both secretary and vice chair during his time on the committee. Reynolds spent more than three decades with the city of Boscobel as director of public works and city engineer.

Herlitzka retired from Waunakee Utilities this summer after 21 years as general manager. For more than two decades, Herlitzka served as a WPPI board director. Fellow directors elected him to the Executive Committee in 2012. He became treasurer the following year. Herlitzka joined WPPI’s Finance & Audit Committee in 2007 and served as committee chair for more than 12 years.