For the fourth consecutive year, Umatilla Electric Cooperative (UEC) has been recognized with the 2026 Customer Satisfaction Award from American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI®) for Co-op Energy Utilities.
The award is presented to qualifying Touchstone Energy® cooperatives that achieve an ACSI score ranking within the top 25th percentile as publicly measured in the 2026 ACSI Annual Energy Utility Study.
“Listening to our members is an important part of how we serve our communities,” said Weston Putman, manager of public relations. “Moving to quarterly surveys gives us more opportunities to hear directly from members and make informed improvements across the cooperative.”
Over the years, the cooperative has conducted member satisfaction surveys on a biannual and annual basis and has now expanded those efforts to quarterly surveying to better identify and respond to evolving member needs.
Cooperative members are randomly selected to participate in the surveys and are asked to evaluate their overall satisfaction with UEC, how well the cooperative meets their expectations, and how closely the experience aligns with their ideal utility provider. These measurements are core components of the proprietary ACSI methodology, recognized as the nation’s only cross-industry measure of customer satisfaction.
By increasing survey frequency to a quarterly model, UEC can gather more timely feedback and better target specific priorities identified by its membership.
“Our members are at the center of every decision we make,” said Josh Lankford, UEC’s executive vice president/COO. “The ability to hear directly from them more frequently helps us strengthen programs, improve communication, and continue delivering responsive service.”
This achievement is an example of the cooperative difference and aligns closely with the national Cooperative Principle #7: Concern for Community. Through active engagement, continuous improvement, and member-focused service, UEC continues to enhance the quality of life in the communities it serves.
ACSI® and its logo are registered trademarks of the American Customer Satisfaction Index LLC. For more information about the ACSI, visit www.theacsi.org.