IACC honors Washington community builders at 2026 conference

The Infrastructure Assistance Coordinating Council recognized local leaders, public servants and projects during its Oct. 20-22 conference in Wenatchee. The awards spotlight the people and partnerships helping Washington communities solve infrastructure challenges and move projects forward.

Why it matters: - The Infrastructure Assistance Coordinating Council honors the people and projects that help Washington communities secure funding, technical help and partners for infrastructure work. - The awards highlight practical leadership in communities that often face complex infrastructure needs and limited local resources. - The recognition also signals the value of collaboration among local governments, tribes, agencies, funders and technical experts.

What happened: - IACC recognized award recipients during its 2026 conference, held Oct. 20-22 at the Wenatchee Convention Center. - The awards celebrated leadership, stewardship, innovation and community impact across Washington state. - Janea Stark, IACC chair and executive director of Washington State’s Community Economic Revitalization Board, said the awards honor community builders who solve infrastructure challenges, protect resources, share expertise and help others succeed.

The details: - Michael Echanove of the City of Palouse and Andrew Denham of the Town of Twisp received the Joe Mitschelen Lifetime Achievement Award. - The Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes people whose careers have delivered long-term benefits to the communities they serve. - Tom Hastings of the Snoqualmie Pass Utility District received the Community Impact Award. - The Community Impact Award honors a person or project with widespread and meaningful community impact. - The City of La Center received the Creative Solutions Award. - The Creative Solutions Award recognizes innovative approaches to infrastructure challenges. - Barbara Smith, a retired CERB member, and Lori Blau of the Rural Community Assistance Corporation received the Heart and Soul Award. - The Heart and Soul Award recognizes IACC members who give time, expertise and energy to support the organization and its annual conference. - IACC was founded in 1986, when staff from several agencies began meeting to share information and better coordinate infrastructure assistance for local governments. - The organization held its first statewide infrastructure conference in Wenatchee three years later. - IACC says the collaboration-first approach has remained central to the organization since then. - The IACC Awards began in 2009. - IACC says the awards celebrate leadership, persistence, creativity and collaboration that make infrastructure work possible. - More information is available at More information.

Between the lines: - The award list shows IACC’s focus on both technical problem-solving and the less visible work of coordination. - The mix of individual and project-based winners suggests the organization values outcomes as well as the partnerships that produce them. - Honoring longtime contributors alongside current local leaders reinforces IACC’s emphasis on continuity across Washington’s infrastructure network.

What's next: - IACC will continue connecting Washington communities and tribes with infrastructure resources, technical assistance and partners. - The annual awards are likely to remain a public marker of the organization’s priorities and its statewide network of collaborators.

The bottom line: - IACC used its 2026 conference to spotlight the people behind infrastructure progress in Washington and to reinforce the role of collaboration in getting projects done.