At the 2026 ElectriCities Annual Conference, we recognized six individuals with Public Power Awards for their outstanding contributions to public power.
Sandy Driggers from the City of High Point received the 2026 Many Hats Award in the category for communities with 5,001 meter customers or more.
New this year, the Many Hats Award recognizes leaders who serve in several varied roles to help keep their community powered. To be eligible, recipients must have at least five years of experience at a member community or utility, and they must have responsibilities in at least four areas.
For nearly three decades, Sandy has been a driving force behind High Point’s customer service operations. Colleagues describe her as the backbone of the department and joke that when she retires, they may retire too because they’re not sure how they’ll keep things running without her.
Sandy’s responsibilities span planning and design, administration, accounting, and special projects.
She has played a pivotal role in High Point’s AMI implementation, serving as a lead tester, coordinating with technology vendors, and helping guide one of the utility’s most significant modernization efforts.
Her coworkers say one of Sandy’s greatest strengths is her ability to connect the old world with the new. Her deep institutional knowledge, combined with her willingness to embrace new technologies and new ways of doing business, helped make High Point’s AMI transition a success.
Sandy also manages the customer service budget, leads critical projects, and contributes to everything from systems testing and networking to asset purchasing. Her fingerprints can be found throughout the department.
But what impresses her coworkers most isn’t a project or a process. It’s her commitment to helping others succeed. Sandy has trained and mentored countless employees—many who don’t even report to her. She believes knowledge should be shared, not guarded, and she takes the time to empower others with the tools and confidence they need to do their jobs well.
Colleagues describe her as nurturing, patient, and humble. They say she’s often doing important work behind the scenes without seeking recognition or attention. In fact, one coworker noted that you often have to discover after the fact that Sandy spent her Saturday in the office, helping make sure everything stayed on track.
Perhaps the highest compliment came from a coworker who called Sandy not only the best employee anyone could ask for, but one of the best people anyone could ask for—a rare combination and one that has made a lasting impact on the City of High Point.
Sandy, congratulations on receiving the 2026 Public Power Many Hats Award. Thank you for all you’ve done for High Point and for public power.
Meet the additional 2026 Public Power Award recipients:
- Rising Star Award: Shawn Young from Wilson
- Many Hats Award (for communities with 5,000 or fewer meter customers): Anna Hughey from Maiden
- Distinguished Service Award: Rob Miller from Monroe
- Lifetime Achievement Award: Vivian Jones from Wake Forest
- Lifetime Achievement Award: Randy McCaslin from High Point