Northern Wasco County People's Utility District has earned a place on Oregon Business magazine's “100 Best Nonprofits to Work for in Oregon” for 2025, marking the second consecutive year the utility has received this recognition.
The utility improved its standing from last year, ranking 16th among Large Organizations with a score of 572.89 out of 700, up from 21st place and 570.29 in 2024.
Based entirely on employee feedback, the annual recognition evaluates nonprofits across multiple aspects of workplace quality. Survey participants assess their work environment, management and communications, mission and goals, career development and learning, and benefits and compensation. Organizations also receive independent scoring on their employee benefits programs.
“Earning this recognition for a second year – and improving our position – validates that we're not just maintaining our workplace culture, but actively strengthening it,” said Roger Kline, CEO and General Manager at Northern Wasco County PUD. “When our employees feel empowered, heard, and valued, it translates directly into better service for our customer-owners. This achievement belongs to our entire team, whose dedication and hard work make NWCPUD an exceptional place to work.”
Survey responses highlighted NWCPUD's distinctive organizational culture and respect for work-life balance. One employee wrote, “The culture of our organization is what truly makes it a great place to work. Employees are empowered to take initiative, their voices are genuinely heard, and work-life balance is not just encouraged – it's respected.”
The utility stands out for its strong organizational culture, clear mission execution, competitive compensation and benefits, and supportive management that genuinely values employee input, it noted.
This recognition builds on NWCPUD's commitment to workplace excellence and follows the utility's recognition earlier in 2025 as one of The Oregonian's Top Workplaces, where it ranked 20th among small employers in Oregon and Southwest Washington.
"As staffing and retention remain challenging across many sectors, NWCPUD continues to prove that investing in workplace culture delivers results for both employees and the community they serve," it said.
NWCPUD is a customer-owned utility that provides nearly 25,000 people and businesses with utility services in Wasco County, Oregon.
