Several Indian Electric Cooperative employees were honored for their industry achievements during a December ceremony in Oklahoma City.

The Oklahoma Association of Electric Cooperatives, of which IEC is a member, presented the awards.

Receiving a spotlight during the event was IEC Apprentice Lineman Harlan Britt. Britt was the recipient of the Shining Star Award, given to employees in Oklahoma who go above and beyond the normal scope of their duties and embody the cooperative spirit.

Britt was part of an IEC crew that was in a chain-reaction, rear-end accident on Highway 64 in Pawnee County in August. A vehicle rear-ended another, and the second rear-ended the IEC bucket truck. The driver of the second vehicle was injured and needed immediate medical attention. Harlan, an EMT when he is off the clock at the co-op, jumped into action and was able to stabilize the woman until an ambulance arrived to transport her to a hospital. Britt provided assistance that not only was medically necessary, but also gave reassurance to the injured woman that someone capable was there and would keep her safe while on-duty first responders were on the way. While his actions were considered heroic by his co-workers and others on the scene of the accident, it simply was just another day of serving others for Britt.

“IEC is proud of Harlan, who is representing IEC at the highest level,” CEO Todd Schroeder said. “He is service minded and puts people first. Those are the qualities that set cooperative employees apart, and Harlan is leading by example.”

Lineman graduates apprentice program; Stakers earn certifications

Caleb Murray, who began at IEC as an apprentice lineman in 2021, received his diploma from Northwest Lineman College. He graduated an intensive program that demands many hours of classroom training and four years of on-the-job training. Students spend time away from the cooperative studying, and also turning in 40-plus hours a week in the field. Murray now is a Journeyman Lineman.

Casey Ralls, Colton Hewitt and Jerrod Osborn also were honored last month for earning certifications in staking after completing required classes. The trio work in IEC’s engineering department, which determines where new infrastructure is built.

According to Schroeder, Murray’s graduation in line work and the staking certifications boost an already skilled workforce as it continues to map out the future of the system and maintain to the cooperative’s high reliability standards.