Celebrating Excellence: Tri-State Launches Its First Employee Awards Program 

In 2025, Tri-State launched the organization’s first formal employee recognition program known as the Excellence Awards. Designed to honor individuals and teams whose work exemplifies the very best of who Tri-State is, the awards spotlight the outstanding contributions happening across the workforce every day, but the Excellence Awards did not happen overnight.  

After People and Culture Manager Brigid Woodward introduced the concept, teams across the organization worked quickly to bring the vision to life — defining criteria, building processes, and ensuring the program reflected Tri-State’s values and strategic plan. The initiative was championed from start to finish by CEO Duane Highley. “There’s no time like now to recognize excellence,” said Highley. “This is an opportunity to help employees share how excited they are about what their peers are doing.”  

The volume and quality of nominations that followed demonstrated that the effort was not only worthwhile but embraced. With 90 nominations in the inaugural year, the program deeply resonated with employees, and the submissions revealed that excellence at Tri-State isn’t rare; it’s the foundation of how our people work, lead, and serve. 

Categories Rooted in Who We Are 

The Excellence Awards categories are grounded in Tri-State’s core values, which were originally established by employees themselves, consisting of Safety, Integrity, Teamwork, and Service. Two additional categories — Innovation and Cost Savings — connect the awards directly to Tri-State’s mission and strategic priorities. By recognizing work that advances both values and vision, the program reinforces that how work is done matters just as much as what is accomplished. 

As Highley explained, the categories help define excellence for the entire organization. 

“Part of the concept is defining what “good” looks like — what we treasure, what we hold dear, and the kinds of activities we want others to learn from.” 

The Work Behind the Work 

Behind every award was a thoughtful, employee‑led process.  In November 2025, there was an open call for any employee to nominate another individual or team who exhibited excellence in their work.  A cross‑functional review committee then evaluated all nominations, bringing diverse perspectives and deep care to the difficult task of selecting recipients from an exceptional pool. 

The nominations themselves told powerful stories of collaboration across departments, safety practices that protect colleagues, innovative problem‑solving, and employees who quietly go above and beyond because they believe in Tri-State’s purpose. “This is such a great way to bring people from all around the organization together and show that we’re all part of something bigger,” remarked Chief Administrative Officer and CHRO Elda de la Peña. “Sometimes we focus largely on our own departments, but this program shows we are all Tri-State.” 

The Excellence Awards were intentionally designed to honor a small number of recipients each year while recognizing that outstanding work is happening everywhere across the organization. Most importantly, every nomination reflected the act of one employee taking time to appreciate another. 

At its heart, the Excellence Awards celebrate what has always made Tri-State strong: talented people working together, in service of members and one another. 

Take a look at the inaugural Excellence Award recipients.  

Safety  

Steve Kretzel – Senior Fleet Services Specialist 

Steve Kretzel plays a vital behind‑the‑scenes role in keeping Tri‑State employees safe on the road. Available around the clock, he responds quickly to vehicle issues and coordinates trusted service partners across the Tri‑State footprint, ensuring field employees can focus on their work with confidence. His dedication to vehicle safety makes a direct and lasting impact on the wellbeing of his colleagues. 

Integrity  

SunZia Substation Technicians Team 

Jeremy Gallegos, Joe Garcia, Cesar Gonzales Camarillo, Marcus Padilla, Clinton Reno 

Facing one of Tri‑State’s most complex and high‑profile capital projects, the SunZia Substation Technicians team stepped in under challenging conditions and tight deadlines to deliver exceptional results. Through long hours, weekend work, and seamless teamwork, they completed extensive energized substation work with zero safety incidents, no inadvertent trips, and no member load loss. Their professionalism, resilience, and accountability exemplify integrity in action and demonstrate a deep commitment to Tri‑State and its members. 

Teamwork 

Jason Freeman – Managing Attorney, Financing & Energy Markets 

Jason Freeman’s collaborative approach and legal expertise have been instrumental to Tri‑State’s success in complex contract negotiations across multiple teams. Working long hours alongside Energy Management and Origination staff, he guided negotiations, protected Tri‑State’s strategic interests, and delivered significant cost savings by reducing reliance on outside counsel. His dedication, integrity, and willingness to support colleagues make him a trusted partner and an exceptional teammate. 

Service 

Jennifer Carron – Manager, Project Management 

Jennifer Carron is a leader who consistently puts people, projects, and the cooperative first. Known for her deep knowledge, compassion, and tireless support, she plays a key role in advancing critical systems, mentoring colleagues, and leading high‑impact projects. Her commitment to service, both within her team and across the organization, reflects a genuine dedication to Tri‑State’s employees, mission, and members. 

Innovation 

Richard Hejde – Senior Construction Field Representative 

Richard Hejde’s innovative thinking delivered measurable value on a vegetation management project in Taos, New Mexico. By combining LiDAR and drone data, he developed a precise, data‑driven scope of work that reduced ambiguity, lowered costs, and strengthened Tri‑State’s credibility with the U.S. Forest Service. His creative problem‑solving enabled successful permitting and execution, earning praise from both regulators and the public. 

Cost Savings 

Craig Station Machine Shop Team 

Al Landa, Dave Andujo, Greg Smith, Dan Arnold 

The Craig Station Machine Shop team demonstrated exceptional ingenuity and collaboration by fabricating critical turbine components in‑house that were extremely costly to source externally. Through smart planning and skilled machining, the team delivered meaningful cost-savings while ensuring continued operational reliability at Craig Station. Their teamwork and practical innovation keep essential equipment running and exemplify operational excellence. 

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About Tri-State    

Tri-State is a power supply cooperative, operating on a not-for-profit basis, serving electric distribution cooperatives and public power district member-owners in four states. Together with our members, we deliver reliable, affordable and responsible power to more than a million electricity consumers across nearly 200,000 square miles of the West. Visit www.tristate.coop.