Northern Wasco County PUD Earns Two Workplace Recognitions for 2026

Oct 15

Written By Columbia Community Connection

From Northern Wasco County PUD:

By Karen Heim

The Dalles, OR – October 15, 2026 — Northern Wasco County People’s Utility District (NWCPUD) has been named to two workplace lists this year, both based on employee feedback. The utility ranked 13th of 33 large organizations on Oregon Business magazine’s “100 Best Nonprofits to Work For in Oregon” list, its third year in a row on the list. Last month, NWCPUD placed 16th of 34 small employers in The Oregonian’s Top Workplaces 2026, its second consecutive year.

NWCPUD has moved up the Oregon Business list each year, from 21st in 2024 to 16th in 2025 and 13th this year. Rankings are based on employee surveys that rate satisfaction with five areas of the workplace: work environment, management and communications, mission and goals, career development and learning, and benefits and compensation. Each organization’s benefits are also scored independently.

The Oregonian’s Top Workplaces list recognized 102 employers across Oregon and Southwest Washington in three size categories. NWCPUD moved from 20th to 16th among small employers, which this list defines as organizations with 35 to 99 employees. The survey asks employees whether they feel engaged, aligned with their organization, respected and supported, able to grow, and fairly valued. NWCPUD’s overall score rose from last year and came in above the nonprofit benchmark, with pay, benefits, and employee well-being standing out most.

“We use what we hear in these surveys to keep improving as a workplace, because the people who do the work every day know best what’s working and what isn’t,” said Roger Kline, General Manager and CEO of NWCPUD. “It means a lot that our employees keep telling us we’re on the right track. Our line crews, our customer service team, and everyone in between look out for each other and for our customer-owners, and that care carries into the work they do for this community.”

Over the past three years, the same strengths have come up on both lists. Staff point to NWCPUD’s workplace culture, the flexibility to balance work and home life, and a clear sense of where the utility is headed. Those strengths help the utility attract and keep the people it needs as demand for utility services in The Dalles and Wasco County continues to grow.

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Northern Wasco County People’s Utility District (NWCPUD) is a customer-owned utility that provides nearly 25,000 people and businesses with utility services in Wasco County, Oregon. Formed in August 1939 and first delivering power in April 1949, NWCPUD’s mission is to be the leader in delivering reliable, affordable utility services guided by and accountable to the communities we serve. As our name implies, “people” are what we are all about. For more information, please visit: https://www.nwascopud.org/.