Two professionals from electric cooperatives in Indiana and Kentucky have been recognized among North America’s top 50 economic developers for 2025. Rachel Huser of Wabash Valley Power Alliance and Brittany Cox of Kentucky’s Touchstone Energy® Cooperatives received the honor from Consultant Connect, a firm specializing in connecting economic development professionals with site consultants for industrial and commercial projects. The annual list is based on peer nominations and highlights impactful contributions to regional growth. n nHuser leads initiatives at WVPA that have attracted over 257 megawatts of new electrical load and more than 2,340 jobs, generating an estimated $12.5 billion in economic impact. She oversees a strategy to identify and prepare development-ready sites across the service areas of 21 member cooperatives. As of now, her team is about halfway toward establishing distinct locations in each territory. n n“We’re analyzing community profiles to better understand local priorities,” said Huser, who joined WVPA in July 2022. “Access to reliable power has become a decisive factor for large-scale investments. That’s why we’re proactively enhancing transmission infrastructure and planning power supply solutions to support emerging opportunities.” n nVicki Duncan Gardner, WVPA’s vice president of marketing communications, praised Huser’s grasp of the cooperative model, noting that it enables consistent, innovative service for businesses of all sizes. “This doesn’t happen by chance,” Gardner said. “It takes a mission-driven leader like Rachel.” n nCox, who began her role in August 2022, has worked alongside award-winning economic development leaders Rodney Hitch and Brad Thomas. She played a key role in attracting Wieland Group, a German copper manufacturer, to Shelbyville, Kentucky, where it opened a $200 million facility on an 81-acre site, employing around 75 local workers. n n“Being recognized is an honor, but so is representing 17 electric cooperatives and the 1.1 million Kentuckians they serve,” Cox said. n nBoth women grew up on farms served by rural electric cooperatives and continue to live near their hometowns. This personal connection deepens their commitment to fostering economic opportunity in communities where their families and friends reside. n nHuser, whose parents remain members of Boone Power Cooperative in Lebanon, Indiana, described her journey as coming “full circle.” “I deeply care that the people at the end of the line benefit from our work,” she said. n nCox, who lives on a farm served by Jackson Energy Cooperative in McKee, emphasized the significance of progress in rural areas. “Success in rural communities isn’t easy,” she said. “But when it happens, it benefits everyone—residents, businesses, and cooperative members alike. Our team takes that responsibility seriously.” n
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Co-op Professionals From Indiana and Kentucky Win Top Economic Development Honors
Two electric cooperative employees have been named among the top 50 economic developers in North America for 2025. n nKentucky’s Touchstone Energy® Cooperatives’ Brittany Cox and Wabash Valley Power Alliance’s Rachel Huser were recently recognized by Consultant Connect, a firm that helps connect economic developers and site consultants for projects. Its annual top 50 list honors economic development professionals nominated by their peers. n nHuser leads a team at WVPA that has helped attract more than 257 megawatts in new load growth and more than 2,340 jobs for a total economic impact of $12.5 billion. n nHuser has managed several initiatives, notably one directly involving member co-ops to identify sites for future development. The senior economic development manager and her team are about halfway to their goal of having distinct sites in the service territories of the 21 co-ops served by the Indianapolis-based generation and transmission cooperative. n n“We’re looking at the community profiles to better understand what our communities want,” said Huser, who joined WVPA in July 2022. “Electricity has quickly become the biggest ‘make or break’ item for large loads. To that end, we are proactively developing transmission infrastructure and power supply strategies to serve opportunities across our footprint.” n nHuser’s deep understanding of the value of the cooperative business model has helped co-ops serve businesses of all sizes “with the same commitment to service and innovation,” said WVPA Vice President of Marketing Communications Vicki Duncan Gardner. n n“That does not happen by accident,” said Gardner. “It happens by having a purpose-driven leader like Rachel.” n nCox, associate economic development manager for Kentucky’s Touchstone Energy® Cooperatives, has worked since August 2022 with Director of Economic Development Rodney Hitch and Manager of Economic Development Brad Thomas, both 2019 recipients of the award. n n“Since joining our team, Brittany has been instrumental in elevating our cooperatives’ economic development efforts on both a national and international level,” Hitch said. “From assisting with recruiting Wieland, a German copper-producing company to Shelbyville, Kentucky, and countless other projects that improved the quality of life, her time with the cooperatives has created transformational opportunities for territories and regions served.” n nIn 2022, global metals recycler Wieland Group opened a $200 million, 81-acre facility in Shelby County that employs about 75 local residents. n n“It is an honor to receive this recognition, and it’s also an honor to work on behalf of 17 electric cooperatives and the 1.1 million Kentucky residents they serve,” Cox said. n nCox and Huser grew up on co-op lines in their respective states, and today they both live and work near their hometowns. That special connection, they said, makes their work to bring economic opportunity to communities where their families and friends still live extra meaningful. n n“I’ve come full circle,” says Huser, whose parents are still members of Boone Power in Lebanon, Indiana. “I take it very close to heart that the communities and residents and the great members at the end of the line are being affected.” n nIn rural Kentucky, Cox feels the same way. n n“Wins in rural communities aren’t easy,” says Cox, who grew up on a farm served by Clark Energy Cooperative in Winchester and now owns a farm served by Jackson Energy Cooperative in McKee. n n“It’s just a huge benefit all the way around. It’s not only a win for the community, it’s a win for our members. We take that very seriously on our team.”