FMEA presents awards in recognition of contributions to Florida Public Power

Palm Beach, Fla. – The Florida Municipal Electric Association (FMEA) recognized members of the Florida Public Power community and two  elected members of the United States Congress for their contributions to Florida Public Power during its annual conference banquet held last night in Palm Beach.

“One of the greatest strengths of public power has always been our support of one another, whether it’s a community a couple towns over or a fellow public power utility in a state across the country. This year’s award recipients exemplify that commitment to supporting public power in every way they can,” said Amy Zubaly, FMEA Executive Director. “These public power champions have had a huge impact on our industry, our association and our communities and we thank them from the bottoms of our hearts.”

The 2022 FMEA Member of the Year award was presented to Kinn’zon Hutchinson, Chief Customer Officer for Gainesville Regional Utilities (GRU). The Member of the Year award is given to an individual or group within a FMEA member utility who exemplifies extraordinary service and dedication to FMEA and Florida public power.

As GRU’s Chief Customer Officer, Hutchinson oversees multiple areas including contact center, billing, collections, new services, energy & business services, quality control, purchasing, warehouse, real estate, facilities maintenance, and mail services. He currently serves as the Chair of FMEA’s Customer Connections Committee, and frequently presides over FMEA general sessions and breakouts. Additionally, Hutchinson represents Florida Public Power in numerous national organizations including the American Public Power Association’s Customer Connections Committee and CS Week.

The 2022 Associate Member of the Year was awarded to Melissa Seitzinger, Project Development Manager with LJA Surveying. The FMEA Associate Member of the Year award recognizes an associate member or associate member company who exemplifies extraordinary service and dedication to FMEA and Florida’s public power community.

Seitzinger has spent the last 23 years managing, developing and designing projects for transmission and distribution, water/wastewater, and civil/public service. In that time, she worked with firms and cities large and small.

In addition, Seitzinger has supported FMEA for over a decade in multiple capacities, including attending and sponsoring Annual Conference, exhibiting at Energy Connections Conference and Trade Show, and volunteering her time on the scoring team at the association’s annual Florida Lineman Competition. She also supports our Florida public power members as they attend and compete at the American Public Power Association Lineman Rodeo.

Congressmen Neal Dunn and Darren Soto were also recognized with the prestigious Friend of Florida Public Power Award.

Introduced in 2020, the Friend of Florida Public Power Award is a high honor bestowed on an individual or organization whose efforts, support, and leadership have significantly benefited Florida public power and Florida’s public power communities, utilities, and/or employees. The Friend of Florida Public Power makes significant contributions to the advancement of public power on a statewide level. Prior to this year, only one Friend of Florida Public Power Award has previously been bestowed.

Congressmen Dunn and Soto played an instrumental role in passing the FEMA Loan Interest Payment Relief Act in the U.S House of Representatives, which provides financial assistance to local governments as reimbursements for qualifying interest on disaster-related loans.

For more information on FMEA and Florida’s public power communities, please visit www.flpublicpower.com.

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The Florida Municipal Electric Association (FMEA) represents the unified interests of 33 public power communities across the state, which provide electricity to more than 3 million of Florida’s residential and business consumers.