Lakeland Electric, Employee Receive Statewide Recognition for Community Enhancement & Excellence

Matt Mills, troubleman supervisor at Lakeland Electric, received the Florida Municipal Electric Association (FMEA) Professional Excellence Award during the association’s Energy Connections Conference & Trade Show in Tampa. Lakeland Electric was also presented with a Building Strong Communities Award.

The FMEA Professional Excellence Award is presented to an individual who, throughout their career, which must include at least five years of service in public power, has consistently demonstrated a commitment to their utility, public power and/or the improvement of services and reliability.

Mills began his 26-year career at Lakeland Electric as a lineman apprentice and worked his way up to troubleman supervisor. He leads the utility's Reliability Committee, which identifies recurring system issues and solves them before they become larger problems, and he has spent countless days away from home restoring power for other communities through mutual aid after hurricanes.

Lakeland Electric was among 20 Florida public power utilities presented with a Building Strong Communities Award. This award was created to recognize Florida public power utilities for their community-focused programs and services that enhance the quality of life for the people of their municipality.

Lakeland Electric was recognized for programs that connect residents with their utility, including its Customer Academy, Speakers Bureau visits to neighborhood associations, an annual grant program for local nonprofits and a partnership with the Junior Achievement Discovery Center opening in 2027.

“We are very proud of Matt for his dedication to Lakeland Electric and his work to ensure our customers have the best, most reliable service possible,” said Scott Bishop, interim general manager. “It is an honor to receive this Building Strong Communities award, and we are privileged to be recognized alongside our fellow public power utilities that go above and beyond to enrich their local communities and provide service at the highest levels.”

FMEA is the statewide trade association representing Florida’s public power utilities. The association actively represents and advocates for member cities’ interests on a wide variety of state and federal issues, provides emergency response and mutual aid coordination, provides education and training for members and serves as a clearinghouse for industry news and information.

Municipal electric utilities provide affordable, reliable electric service, and have been doing so for more than a century. As community-owned and locally managed organizations, these utilities are focused on serving local needs and interests while reinvesting back into the communities they serve.

For more information on FMEA and Florida’s public power communities, please visit www.flpublicpower.com. For more information on Lakeland Electric, please visit http://www.lakelandelectric.com/.