ILLINOIS, March 29 - On March 31, The Grainger College of Engineering at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign will honor ICC Chairman Carrie Zalewski as a 2023 Distinguished Service Award recipient. At a dinner ceremony she will be presented with a Medallion in recognition of her professional achievement, exceptional leadership, and service as a state regulator and attorney and for her advocacy for environmentally sustainable energy solutions.

The Distinguished Service Award is given to exceptional alumni each year. Zalewski is one of seven alumni being recognized in 2023. According to The Grainer College of Engineering Alumni website, the recipients are recognized for professional distinction through outstanding leadership, contributions to the field of engineering, creativity, and entrepreneurship, as well as service to society, the professional community, and to the department, college, or university.

"Carrie Zalewski has done an outstanding job guiding the Illinois Commerce Commission since I appointed her to the position of Chair in 2019. I am pleased with the work of the ICC under her watchful eye regarding the implementation of the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act. Her efforts will have a lasting impact on our state's energy landscape and environment, and I want to congratulate her on receiving this esteemed award," said Illinois Governor JB Pritzker

"I am a proud U of I graduate and am honored to have been chosen for this prestigious award. The education in engineering I gained at Grainger has proven useful nearly every day of my career and has prepared me to lead as a state regulator," said Zalewski. "Aside from overseeing plans for a power grid capable of standing up to our future energy needs, I've used my position as ICC Chairman to encourage other women to get involved in the energy industry. Moving toward zero-emissions by 2050 is going to take strong leadership, and I have no doubt that current and future Grainger engineering students will be up to the task."