Thirteen Finalists Named for the 2025 UAI Excellence Awards
Honoring Leaders, Professionals, and Teams Driving Innovation in Utility Analytics
Nashville, TN – September 3, 2025
The Utility Analytics Institute (UAI), an EndeavorB2B brand and the premier community advancing utility transformation through analytics, is proud to announce the finalists for the 2025 UAI Excellence Awards. Now in its 6th year, the Excellence Awards recognize the individuals and teams who exemplify the highest standards of achievement, creativity, and leadership in utility analytics.
The finalists will be celebrated and winners revealed during Utility Analytics Week 2025, taking place October 28-30, 2025, in Austin, TX. For full details on the UAI Excellence Awards, visit utilityanalytics.com/awards. To learn more about UA Week 2025, visit https://www.utilityanalyticsweek.com/2025.
Award Categories Highlighted at UA Week:
The UAI Excellence Awards feature multiple categories, with three signature awards undergoing a comprehensive peer review and interview process:
- Best Innovative Utility Analytics Team
- Best Utility Analytics Leader
- Best Utility Analytics Professional
These categories showcase the industry’s top contributors, recognizing innovation, leadership, and consistent excellence in advancing analytics to address utility challenges.
In addition to these signature awards, UAI will also announce the 2025 Analytics Ambassador, recognize winners of the Community Engagement Awards (Most Engaged Individual Member, Most Engaged Utility Member, and Most Engaged Solution Provider Member), and unveil this year’s Top 25 Thought Leaders in Utility Analytics during UA Week.
Finalists for the 2025 UAI Excellence Awards:
Best Innovative Utility Analytics Team – Celebrating teams who apply advanced analytics to solve pressing utility challenges, while cultivating a strong culture of data-driven collaboration:
- Avista – The Avista Decision Support System (ADSS) Team
- SDG&E – Wildfire Mitigation Department, WMP Advanced Analytics (WMP AA) – Wildfire Next Generation System Planning (WiNGS)
- Austin Energy – Data Office
- Eversource Energy – Power System Automation
Best Utility Analytics Leader – Recognizing individuals who demonstrate vision, commitment, and leadership in advancing the role of analytics across their organizations:
- Joyce Solomon – AMI Data Science and Analytics Manager, Southern Company
- Mike Turner – Chief Data Officer, Austin Energy
- Hannah Ball – Data Governance Manager, Tacoma Public Utilities
Best Utility Analytics Professional – Highlighting professionals whose technical expertise and dedication produce high-impact results and innovative contributions to the utility analytics field:
- Anthony Cerrato – Senior Data Engineer, Rappahannock Electric Cooperative
- Tim Holmes – Lead Developer, Logic20/20
- Zefan Tang – Senior Data Scientist, Eversource Energy
- Jing Yang – Lead Data Scientist, Eversource Energy
Peer Review Process and Judges:
Finalists for these signature categories were chosen through a competitive, multi-phase review led by volunteer judges—experienced utility professionals and industry experts who bring deep insight into analytics practice. Judges will conduct finalist interviews in the coming weeks and select the 2025 winners.
Judging Panels for 2025:
- Best Innovative Utility Analytics Team
- Gary Rector (Salt River Project)
- Senthilkumar Sakthivel (Entergy)
- Eugene Hamrick (Rappahannock Electric Cooperative)
- Best Utility Analytics Professional
- Scott Ertel (Entergy)
- Chuck Hahm (San Diego Gas & Electric)
- Eric Verner (Southern Company)
- Best Utility Analytics Leader
- David Patrick (Santee Cooper)
- Sean Douglas (Entergy)
- Jenika Raub (Salt River Project)
- Hesen Peng (Rappahannock Electric Cooperative)
Quotes from UAI Leadership:
“We are thrilled to celebrate this year’s finalists, whose work reflects the transformative potential of analytics in the utility industry,” said Leslie Cook, UAI’s Manager of Membership, Engagement & Training. “The Excellence Awards judging process ensures that these finalists represent not only technical achievement but also collaboration, innovation, and leadership that advance the entire industry.”
“Each year the Excellence Awards showcase the outstanding talent and innovation happening across the utility analytics community,” added Gina Weber, Managing Director of UAI. “We look forward to honoring the winners on stage in Austin and sharing their accomplishments with the broader industry.”
About UAI
UAI is the only community enabling utility transformation through analytics. A utility-led membership organization, UAI supports the energy utilities industry in advancing the analytics profession across organizations of all types, sizes, and analytics maturity levels, as well as analytics professionals throughout every phase of their careers. UAI provides the knowledge, resources, and guidance to enhance analytics capabilities through research, content, events, training, and community engagement. Learn more at https://utilityanalytics.com/.
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