The Communications Department for Carroll Electric Membership Cooperative (EMC) was recognized by the Cooperative Communicators Association (CCA) for its outstanding work in graphic design.

CCA is an organization of cooperative communicators representing varying industries, including agriculture and utilities, across the United States and Canada. To showcase the work of its members, the organization hosts an annual communications contest that recognizes the best in photography, programs and projects, publications and writing.

This year’s competition drew nearly 400 entries from more than 40 cooperatives. Members of Carroll EMC’s communications team were awarded second place in the illustration/graphic art subcategory of programs and projects for their collaborative work on a t-shirt design celebrating Earth Day.

“In a time where communications can be heavy, we’ve realized our audience doesn’t want more dense material,” said Kelly Jimenez, Communications and Corporate Events Coordinator for Carroll EMC and board member of CCA. “Visual pieces with a simple message are what they remember, so our goal is to incorporate more of those creative elements in our messaging.”

To be considered for an award, applicants must complete an online application outlining details of the project including objectives, goals and production process. Volunteer judges, with a demonstrated history in communications, score each entry based on category-specific criteria.

All 150 winners were recognized at an awards ceremony during the CCA Institute in Santa Fe, NM, in early June. The institute, which is a three-day educational conference, included professional development sessions ranging from effective communications to digital media production.

Since 2011, Carroll EMC has received more than 10 awards from CCA for its employee and Member communications.