At the 2026 ElectriCities Annual Conference, we recognized six individuals with Public Power Awards for their outstanding contributions to public power.
Anna Hughey from the Town of Maiden received the 2026 Many Hats Award in the category for communities with 5,000 meter customers or fewer.
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.
In small communities, success depends on employees who see a need and fill it. Anna embodies that spirit every day through the many roles she serves for the Town of Maiden.
As Town Clerk, Public Information Officer, Assistant to the Manager, and much more, she touches nearly every aspect of the Town’s daily operations.
Colleagues say Anna doesn’t just take on responsibilities. She excels in them. She’s known for bringing positivity, urgency, and professionalism to every project, while continually looking for new ways to improve services and strengthen her community.
Anna was the driving force behind Maiden’s Welcome Kit—a project she worked on with ElectriCities’ Communications team to create a proactive and positive introduction to Town programs and services for new residents.
She is constantly looking for opportunities to make Maiden a better place to live, work, and play.
Whether pursuing grant-funded downtown improvement projects, collaborating with the Downtown Business Association, or helping bring new ideas to life, Anna is always thinking about what’s next for her community.
One example is Maiden’s Hometown Hero banner program—Anna’s idea. The program allows veterans or their loved ones to honor local service members with custom banners displayed on utility poles throughout town.
What began as a small recognition effort quickly grew into something much bigger, with so many submissions that the Town now rotates the banners throughout the year.
Anna also serves as a vital link between the Town and its electric customers.
She works closely with Maiden’s Electric Department to communicate planned outages and storm restoration updates, helping ensure residents have timely and accurate information when they need it most.
But as impressive as her accomplishments are, her coworkers say her greatest strength is who she is as a person. They describe her as someone who is always willing to help, who goes above and beyond, who stays humble, and who genuinely brings out the best in others.
As Town Manager Tracy Ledford put it, “Anna is a great employee, but more importantly, she’s an even better person.”
Anna, congratulations on receiving the 2026 Public Power Many Hats Award. Thank you for all you’ve done for Maiden 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 more than 5,000 meter customers): Sandy Driggers from High Point
- Distinguished Service Award: Rob Miller from Monroe
- Lifetime Achievement Award: Vivian Jones from Wake Forest
- Lifetime Achievement Award: Randy McCaslin from High Point