Consumers Energy Receives Employer of the Year Award from International Right of Way Association

Energy Provider's Real Estate Department Exemplifies Best Practices

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Jul 13, 2015, 06:00 ET

JACKSON, Mich., July 13, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- The Consumers Energy team charged with acquiring and managing land rights for thousands of miles of gas and electric line corridors has been recognized with the Employer of the Year award from the International Right of Way Association (IRWA).

"The recognition is special to us because this is our peers holding up our real estate employees at Consumers Energy as an example for how to engage in industry practices," said Mary Anne Marr, director of real estate at Consumers Energy. "Our team takes a professional approach to each of our activities. These include supporting construction projects and working with developers, local communities, governmental agencies and the public to accommodate compatible uses of our property such as hiking and biking trails, roads and other infrastructure."

The IRWA Employer of the Year award is presented to companies that demonstrate an ongoing commitment to excellence in education and advancing the global infrastructure of the real estate profession. Consumers Energy received the award in the category of companies with over 20 employees working in right of way at the annual International Education Conference in San Diego, California.

Consumers Energy received the award in part for work it has done to provide educational resources for IRWA members. The energy provider recently piloted a two-day social ecology class at its Cross Winds Energy Park in Tuscola County titled "Listening to the Community" for IRWA members, and will host another pilot course in August on the topic of right of way acquisition for electric providers.

"Consumers Energy employees very actively volunteer and provide organizational and educational leadership to keep IRWA a strong, focused organization," said Lee Hamre, president of IRWA. "They were very deserving of the recognition, and it was a pleasure to present them with this year's Employer of the Year award."

The IRWA is a nonprofit professional association with over 10,000 members worldwide. Its mission is to be the central authority for global infrastructure real estate by creating a community that fosters ethics, learning and a standard of excellence within the industry.

Consumers Energy, Michigan's largest utility, is the principal subsidiary of CMS Energy (NYSE: CMS), providing natural gas and electricity to 6.6 million of the state's 10 million residents in all 68 Lower Peninsula counties.

For more information about Consumers Energy, go to www.ConsumersEnergy.com.

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SOURCE Consumers Energy