Richland’s Energy Northwest was named Employer of the Year for its commitment to serving its 1.5 million customers as well as supporting employees and surrounding communities by the Association of Washington Business.

The public power agency operates four electricity generating stations, including the Columbia Generating Station in Richland.

AWB noted Energy Northwest adopted an “excellence model” to select and retain the right people, including a focus on military veteran recruitment.

The agency in north Richland recently received kudos from the state Employment Security Department for creating job opportunities for veterans. Of its 1,089 employees, 300 are veterans, and 35 percent of the company’s new hires in 2016 were veterans.

CEO Mark Reddemann accepted the award in Seattle on behalf of the agency.

“We have a focus on selecting, developing and retaining the right people, and I believe this award certainly reflects those efforts,” he said. “This award also acknowledges the importance of promoting workforce diversity through hiring programs, such as internships and veteran hiring.

As a 24/7 operation, I especially want to thank the family members of our workforce for their understanding and support.”

The Employer of the Year award recognizes an employer who has implemented innovative job retention, creation and compensation plans that foster a thriving work environment. The AWB also recognized Energy Northwest’s outreach to students studying science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

“Many of our team members volunteer in the community,” Reddemann said. “They demonstrate our commitment to inspiring and supporting the next generation of workers who will develop the energy technologies of tomorrow, and who will create the jobs that drive our economy. I’m very proud to be a part of the Energy Northwest team.”

Twenty employers from across the state were honored Nov. 30 and six took home top awards in AWB’s first-ever Evening of Excellence awards program.

Each employer was recognized for exemplifying the community spirit and stewardship that make Washington a great place to live and work.

“We have so many great employers around the state doing great things, building community and being good stewards of our natural resources and workforce talent,” said AWB President Kris Johnson in a statement. “We’re honored to recognize six of them, understanding they represent a small fraction of the thousands of Washington businesses that harness innovation, invest in employees and embrace the community spirit that drives our economy and supports our families.”

Pacific Northwest National Laboratories in Richland was a finalist for AWB’s Achieve Award, which recognizes an employer that has excelled in creating, implementing or supporting a high-caliber education or workforce development system.

D.A. Davidson Companies, an employee-owned financial services company in Seattle, was the winner.