Benjamin Kent Awarded Top Honor for Excellence
(MARBLE FALLS, Texas) May 5, 2026 — Pedernales Electric Cooperative (PEC) honored its 2026 Apprentice of the Year at a recent awards ceremony in Marble Falls. Benjamin Kent of PEC’s Canyon Lake district received the Cooperative’s Overall Apprentice of the Year Award for his dedication and commitment to ex›cellence on and off the job. Kent was selected for his willingness to learn and embrace all aspects of the job, and for consistently going above and beyond to help his colleagues, members, and community.
“I take tremendous pride in my work here and want to thank my trainers, supervisors, and family who helped me get here,” Kent said. “This is where I want to be for the rest of my career. I love PEC, and I’m excited to be here.”
Kent’s journey began five years ago when he moved from Southern California to Central Texas, drawn by PEC’s reputation for strong training and a supportive culture. PEC’s nationally recognized apprenticeship program teaches the highest standards of safety and best practices. PEC’s Safety and Technical Training Center opened in 2020 with the goal of building the next generation of lineworkers. Since then, PEC has continued to refine and improve its program, preparing crews to provide safe, reliable power to its members and communities.
In 2023, PEC launched its Apprentice of the Year Award to recognize employees for their dedication and care for its members and communities. Award candidates are nominated by their management team, and those with the highest scores move on to the final round where the winner is selected by a panel of PEC leadership. To be eligible for the award, lineworkers must exceed expectations, attend at least one class at the Safety and Technical Training Center during the year, pass all assessments and exams, and have a clean safety record. Nominees must also give back to their community through volunteer work and receive positive recognition from PEC members.
Kent and the following PEC lineworkers were nominated for the Cooperative’s Apprentice of the Year Award:
- Nick Arellano — Bertram
- Aurelio Hernandez — Johnson City
- Clark Horinka — Liberty Hill
- Mario Karam — Technical Services
- Chase Moore — Marble Falls
- Trey Reese — Oak Hill
- Quentin Schulze — Junction
- Sully Taylor — Cedar Park
Robust employee development and training helps PEC to recruit and retain the best lineworkers in the industry. For information about pursuing a career in linework with PEC, visit myPEC.com/careers.
