FMEA Announces 2025 Florida Lineman Competition Winners

Yesterday, in Ocala, the Florida Municipal Electric Association (FMEA) held its annual Florida Lineman Competition, which brings electric lineworkers from all over the state and outside of Florida together to demonstrate their skill and knowledge in the craft of line work.

Competitors took on various challenges such as changing out cables, disconnecting power lines, replacing arrestors and insulators and completing a simulation of rescuing an injured lineworker. Competitors earned points for completing the tasks as quickly as possible and lost points if safety standards and proper work practices were not followed. Journeyman teams, which included at least one lineworker who has been in the industry for five years or more, are made up of three lineworkers. Apprentices, or lineworkers in training, competed individually.

The 2025 Overall Journeyman Team Winners Cup was presented to David Hicken, Caleb Macabitas and Jonathan Cody Stokes of JEA. Winning the Overall Apprentice Award was Ryan Kornegay from JEA.

This year, electric utility workers from 18 utilities participated in the 2025 Florida Lineman Competition. This included 156 lineworkers from 15 utilities registered to compete, comprised of 77 apprentices and 79 journeyman lineworkers competing on 24 teams, and 64 judges from across the state that scored competitors.

“A big congratulations to all the winners, who have demonstrated exceptional expertise and skills while also showing their unwavering commitment to safety on the job and delivering the highest quality service to their communities,” said Amy Zubaly, FMEA Executive Director.

Florida’s public power utilities are locally owned, locally controlled and locally operated, enabling them to quickly respond to the needs of their communities. They are also among some of the most reliable power providers in the state. For more information on FMEA and Florida’s public power communities, please visit www.flpublicpower.com.

Pictured are the 2025 Overall Journeyman Team Award winners, which was presented to David Hicken, Caleb Macabitas and Jonathan Cody Stokes.

Pictured is the 2025 Overall Apprentice Award winner Ryan Kornegay from JEA.