Piggott receives service award from Duke Energy
July 10, 2014
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Mike Piggott, Purdue's community relations director, left, receives the Difference Maker award from Duke Energy on July 6 at Victory Field in Indianapolis. Piggott is shown with Kevin Johnston, Duke's Northwest community relations manager, center, and Cal Burleson, vice president and general manager of the Indianapolis Indians, right. (Photo provided) |
Mike Piggott, Purdue's community relations director and a Lafayette resident, received the Difference Maker award from Duke Energy on July 6 in Indianapolis for his commitment to community service.
The award, created earlier this year, honors Indiana residents whose hard work and dedication have significantly bettered the lives of their local community's residents. Piggott received the award during an Indianapolis Indians game from Kevin Johnston, Duke's Northwest community relations manager.
Piggott's primary community service project began eight years ago, Johnston says, when he helped launch an effort to enhance the overall quality of life in the local community. He and local business leaders Charlie Shook and Doug Gutridge launched the Community of Choice project, which is now part of Greater Lafayette Commerce. The effort led to a 54-page plan of goals and strategies.
So far, the project has helped save local passenger rail service, created an annual community welcome for incoming Purdue students and enhanced the relationship between the University and municipal government. Piggott and his partners have engaged nearly 200 people in these efforts.
Piggott also is involved in numerous community organizations. Last year, Greater Lafayette Commerce honored him with its second annual Community Diversity Leader award.
In addition to his volunteer work, Piggott has spent 30 years working for local media organizations. He has been a news director for WASK-FM, and he has been a news director, anchor and general manager of WLFI-TV.
Piggott also emcees dozens of community events each year, and he serves as public orator for commencement ceremonies at Purdue and Ivy Tech.
Duke has partnered with the Indianapolis Indians to give the Difference Maker awards. In addition to a certificate, each winner receives 20 free tickets for family and friends to the game during which they are honored.
This year, 15 Difference Maker winners will be announced. All winners hail from Duke's Indiana service area.
Duke's operations in Indiana provide about 7,500 megawatts of owned electric capacity to approximately 800,000 customers in a 23,000-square-mile service area, making it the state’s largest electric supplier.