Roundtables You Choose the Topics! Here s your chance to exchange ideas, strategies and solutions worthy of taking back to your co-op. The best part is that YOU get to decide the topics! Grab a sticker and vote for your favorite topics on the board by 10:30 a.m. Thursday. The top six will be announced, along with room locations, on the mobile app. Then join the conversation on Thursday from 1:15 2:15 p.m.! Spotlight Café Spotlight Café is THE hub where CONNECT attendees gather to share information, exchange ideas and learn from peers. Stop by this lively gathering spot and view the innovative, award-winning projects. Winners will be on hand during the breaks to talk one-on-one about their projects. Concern for Community CONNECT is proudly supporting the Salt Lake City Fisher House as its Concern for Community project. Donations will be collected near the registration area and presented to the Fisher House at the closing general session. Check the CONNECT app for donation recommendations. CONNECT App Search NRECA CONNECT to download the cool conference app. You ll find the full agenda, room assignments, speaker bios, presentation materials and more! Don t forget to use the app to rate the sessions. You can link the app to your social networks, too. Here s our preferred hashtag: #CoopsCONNECT. CONNECT to Wi-Fi Presented by: Network: CONNECT18 Password: LogoStoreUSA #CoopsCONNECT
Schedule TUESDAY MAY 8 Note: All meeting space is on the first floor unless otherwise noted. 7:30 a.m. 7:00 p.m. Registration Imperial Ballroom Foyer 9:00 a.m. 1:00 p.m. Pre-Conference Workshops How to be an Adobe Superhero Savoy Unleash Your Co-op s Inner Strength with Internal Communications Murano Garden Salon From Mic to Megaphone: Media Training for Electric Co-op Communicators Audubon (Third Floor) Take to the Sky: Help Your Marketing Strategy Take Flight with Drones Riviera (Third Floor) Electric Vehicles: Coming Soon to a Co-op Near You Venezia Garden Salon Key Accounts Master Course Milano (Third Floor) 2:00 2:45 p.m. First Time Attendee Mixer Grand Salon 3:00 4:30 p.m. GENERAL SESSION 1 Imperial Ballroom Welcome Remarks Phil Carson, President, NRECA Jeff Peterson, Executive Director, Utah Rural Electric Association Tracey Steiner, Senior Vice President, Education & Training, NRECA Keynote: The Power of Connection Jonathan Sprinkles, Author, Business and Leadership Coach Presentation of the J.C. Brown CEO Communication Leadership Award Presentation of the Edgar F. Chesnutt Award for Best Total Communication Program 2 CONNECT 2018
4:45 5:30 p.m. Spotlight on Excellence Award Winners Reception Venezia Garden Salon Invitation only Sponsored by Federated Rural Electric Insurance Exchange 5:00 7:00 p.m. Welcome Reception Garden Courtyard Sponsored by NRTC, CrowdFiber and Pivot WEDNESDAY MAY 9 7:30 a.m. 5:00 p.m. Registration Imperial Ballroom Foyer 7:30 8:30 a.m. Breakfast Grand Ballroom A Sponsored by HomeServe USA 8:30 10:00 a.m. GENERAL SESSION 2 Imperial Ballroom Keynote: What is Creative Placemaking? Zach Mannheimer, Principal Community Planner, MEC Placemaking Keynote: Downtown Comeback Josh Nowell, Owner/CEO of Operations, Laurel Mercantile Co. Jim Rasberry, Owner/Chairman, Laurel Mercantile Co. Mallorie Rasberry, Owner/VP of Procurement, Laurel Mercantile Co. Presentation of the Brand Champion Awards Lynn Moore, Executive Director, Touchstone Energy Cooperatives 10:00 10:30 a.m. Networking Break Grand Ballroom A Sponsored by AM Conservation Group 10:30 a.m. 12:00 p.m. Breakouts: Super Sessions Engaging Your Members with Emerging Technologies Grand Ballroom B In Over Your Head InDesign? Venezia Garden Salon The Newcomer s Guide to the Electric Cooperative Industry Murano Garden Salon After the Storm: Outfitting Your Response Strategies Imperial Ballroom C-Suite View of Communications Grand Ballroom C Blazing the Trail for the Cooperative of the Future Grand Salon 12:00 1:30 p.m. Lunch On Your Own 3
1:30 2:30 p.m. Breakouts: Classics Tools, Tips, and Tricks for Proactive Media Outreach Grand Ballroom B Beneficial Electrification Grand Ballroom C Internal Communications Beyond the Co-op World Imperial Ballroom Pretty Pictures in Photoshop Venezia Garden Salon Maximizing the Value of Solar Murano Garden Salon Immerse Yourself in the Service Excellence Experience: Creating an Ideal Cooperative Culture Grand Salon 2:50 3:20 p.m. Breakouts: Express Skills Managing Up A Key Leadership Skill Imperial Ballroom Networking Know How: Crash Course in How to Create CONNECT-ions Grand Ballroom C In the Crucible: Communicating Governance in an Evolving Industry Murano Garden Salon Form 7: Easy as Pie? Venezia Garden Salon Reach Your Members in an Instant with Instagram Grand Ballroom B Go Beyond the Card with Co-op Connections Grand Salon 3:20 3:45 p.m. Networking Break Grand Ballroom A Sponsored by EnergyOrbit 3:45 4:45 p.m. GENERAL SESSION 3 Imperial Ballroom Remarks Scott Peterson, Senior Vice President, Communications, NRECA Keynote: It s not what you say, it s what they hear. Michael Maslansky, CEO, maslansky + partners Engaging Young Adults at Your Cooperatives Holly Wetzel, Director, Marketing and Member Communications, NRECA Cooperative.com s Newest Features Jessica O Neal, Director, Digital Strategy, NRECA 4 CONNECT 2018
THURSDAY MAY 10 7:00 a.m. 3:00 p.m. Registration Imperial Ballroom Foyer 7:00 8:00 a.m. Breakfast Grand Ballroom A 7:00 7:45 a.m. Overview of the Certified Cooperative Communicator (CCC) Program Grand Ballroom C 8:00 8:30 a.m. Co-op Case Studies Turning High Bill Complaints into High Bill Compliments Murano Garden Salon Bob Kornegay, Manager of Marketing and Member Services, Tri-County EMC Cindy Smallwood, Senior Account Manager, Apogee Interactive Nominations, Petitions, Elections, Oh My! Venezia Garden Salon Pam Hawk, Chief Human Resources Officer, Consolidated Electric Cooperative Tony Hoff, Marketing Manager, Survey & Ballot Systems Kami Noel, Communications Coordinator, Adams Electric NISC Tools for Annual Meeting Member Engagement and Management Grand Ballroom C Stephanie Johnson, Marketing/Member Services, Jasper County REMC MORE Powerful Together: Branding for Today s Consumers Grand Salon Megan McKoy-Noe, CCC, Content Development Manager, Ruralite Services Brenda Dunn, Editor, Northwest Public Power Association Pam Spettel, Member and Public Relations Manager, Blachly-Lane Electric Cooperative #NotFakeNews: The Truth about Social Media in 2018 Imperial Ballroom Melissa Shaw & Gus Wagner, Partners, ARC Media Mandy Barth, CCC, Communication Manager, Indiana Electric Cooperatives Rob Ford, Communication Director, Tipmont REMC Amanda Wolfe, Senior Political Affairs Adviser, NRECA Allow Members to Engage Your Cooperative Through SEDC Applications Grand Ballroom B Marian McLemore, Vice President, Cooperative Communications, Flint Energies Jimmy Autry, CCC, APR, Fellow PRSA, Autry Cooperative Communications Look Great, Reduce Stress, Save Lives Savoy Molly Hall, Executive Director, Energy Education Council - Safe Electricity Brenda Tesch, Director of Public Relations, MiEnergy Cooperative 5
8:45 10:15 a.m. Breakouts: Super Sessions The Lexicon Project: A Deeper Dive Imperial Ballroom Resource Bootcamp for Cybersecurity Communications Venezia Garden Salon Energy Efficiency the Arkansas Way Murano Garden Salon Critical Communications - Reputation Management When the Media Calls Grand Ballroom B Taking Magazine Quality Photos with Your Phone Grand Ballroom C Bring Big Data to Life Grand Salon 10:15 10:45 a.m. Networking Break Grand Ballroom A 6 CONNECT 2018 Sponsored by inlighten 10:45 11:45 a.m. Breakouts: Classic Energy Access for All Murano Garden Salon How to Make Boring Photos More Interesting Grand Ballroom C It s More Than Just Voting: Political Engagement and Co-ops Vote 2018 Venezia Garden Salon Make Strategic Planning a Reality Imperial Ballroom Operating on a Shoestring Grand Ballroom B Co-op Web Builder 3: The Definitive Edition Grand Salon 11:45 a.m. 1:15 p.m. Lunch on Your Own 1:15 2:15 p.m. Roundtable Discussion Sessions Make sure you vote for your favorite topics by 10:30 a.m. today. The top six will be announced along with their room locations on the mobile app. 2:30 3:00 p.m. Breakouts: Express Skills Ten Ways to Communicate a Rate Change Murano Garden Salon Making Your Digital Content Shareable and Findable Grand Ballroom C Integrated Communications Programs for Any Size Co-op Imperial Ballroom Bill Design Theory Venezia Garden Salon
The Art of DIY Videos Grand Ballroom B Vintage Fresh: A Creative Approach for Engaging Every Generation Grand Salon 3:00 3:30 p.m. Networking Break Grand Ballroom A 3:30 4:45 p.m. GENERAL SESSION 4 Imperial Ballroom Concern for Community Presentation Veteran Engagement Campaign Michelle Rostom, Director, Workforce Development, NRECA Keynote: What IF Keynote Experience Mike Rayburn, Hall of Fame Keynote Speaker 6:00 9:00 p.m. Touchstone Energy Cooperatives Closing Reception The Leonardo Museum 209 East 500 South, Salt Lake City Located just 0.4 miles from the hotel, The Leonardo is only a 9 minute walk from the Grand America Hotel. From the main entrance of the hotel, turn right, then turn right onto W 500S/ Cesar E. Chavez Blvd. Make your second left onto S 200 E/ Rosa Parks Blvd. The museum is on your right. A shuttle will be provided for those who need transportation assistance. Please note: A ticket is required to enter the reception. Tickets for guests can be purchased for $30 at the registration desk until Thursday, May 10 at 3p.m. SAVE THE DATE 7
THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS YEARS Presented by: