North Central Electric Cooperative employee recognized for community service
The North Dakota Association of Rural Electric Cooperatives (NDAREC) recognized Pete Erickson, North Central Electric Cooperative (NCEC) member services manager, with the Community Service Award at its 82nd annual meeting Feb. 11. The award recognizes Erickson’s passion for helping others, which has made a lasting impact on the Bottineau community.
“Pete’s commitment to the cooperative principle of ‘concern for community’ is unparalleled, and his extraordinary talent for inspiring others has been a driving force behind the success of many community projects and worthwhile causes,” says NDAREC General Manager and Executive Vice President Josh Kramer.
Erickson’s legacy of service is most evident on the baseball field. An American Legion Baseball coach and co-founder of the Bottineau Baseball Boosters, he has been instrumental in growing the sport and fostering a community spirit. When Bottineau needed a field that could support its baseball programs, Erickson secured crucial funding, making the Lumberyard ballpark a reality. Thanks to his vision and determination, generations of players have a place to swing for the fences and build a love for the game.
Erickson’s impact extends far beyond the dugout. A dedicated community leader, he has served on the local museum board, helped establish the Bottineau Community Fund and organized volunteer efforts to prepare Lake Metigoshe State Park for each season. In addition, his early work as a promoter for Thunder Mountain Speedway played a key role in shaping Bottineau’s thriving racing community.
A steadfast leader and dedicated volunteer, Erickson has helped foster a culture of service at his local electric cooperative. Under Erickson’s leadership, NCEC’s Willie Wiredhand Christmas Giving Fund has grown from just a few hundred dollars to more than $6,000 annually, providing Christmas gifts, holiday meals and clothing to families in need. Erickson also initiated the cooperative’s Volunteer of the Month and Volunteer of the Year awards, motivating employees to step up and give back.
“As a leader in our organization, it’s inspiring to watch Pete encourage and guide our employees to think of the cooperative as more than poles and wires, but also an organization that cares a great deal about the people we serve and the communities we are a part of. His community mindset inspires others to answer the call in their own communities by being involved and dedicating their time,” says NCEC General Manager Jon Beyer.
Every year, NDAREC recognizes individuals for their generous contributions to North Dakota’s electric cooperatives and the communities they serve. An eight-member committee of the NDAREC board of directors selects award recipients from nominations submitted by the association’s members, which include 17 electric distribution cooperatives and five generation and transmission cooperatives.
NDAREC is the statewide trade association for 17 electric distribution cooperatives and five generation and transmission cooperatives operating in North Dakota. The distribution cooperatives provide electricity to nearly 250,000 North Dakotans. NDAREC services include legislative advocacy, lineworker safety training, professional development, cooperative business development and communication services, including publication of the North Dakota Living magazine.