Union County's Public Communications team has earned two Excellence in Communications Awards for both weekly newsletters the team produces to share vital information with county employees and the community.

At the recent statewide conference of North Carolina City County Communicators (NC3C), Union County received the first place award for digital external newsletter for the Union County Horizon, a weekly newsletter emailed to approximately 60,000 subscribers every Friday. Union County Horizon shares valuable information about county news, programs, services, community events, healthy living tips, and more. 

The team received the second-place award for digital internal newsletter for the UC Insider, a weekly e-newsletter for county employees that serves as a vital channel for disseminating crucial information and updates to approximately 1,500 staff members across 35 county departments. 

Both the Union County Horizon and the UC Insider have consistently outperformed industry standards in terms of engagement metrics. This achievement underscores the newsletters' effectiveness in not just informing but also connecting county employees and residents, thereby fostering a stronger community. 

"We are proud to be recognized for efforts that foster engagement and strengthen connections within our community and among county employees," said Liz Cooper, Director of Public Communications. "Our team is deeply committed to delivering high-quality communications that connect county government to the residents we serve."

Additionally, at the NC3C conference, two Public Communications team members were elected to serve on the NC3C board. Cooper is serving as Program Development Chair, and Communications Specialist Nicole Hricik is serving as Membership and Marketing Chair.


Public Communications team members at the 2024 North Carolina City County Communicators conference. Pictured left to right: Senior Communications Specialist Erika Wells, Senior Communications Specialist Megan Hinkle, Public Communications Director Liz Cooper, Communications Specialist Nicole Hricik, Digital Content Manager Erin Steele, Multimedia Production Specialist Jourdan Westenberg. Not pictured: Brand Manager Brent Ayers.