In continuation of a theme from last month’s column, another harbinger of spring (despite what Punxsutawney Phil and his shadow indicated this year which was another 6 weeks of winter – thanks a lot Phil) is our national association’s annual member meeting. Each year the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA) hosts its annual meeting. This year, the meeting will be held in Nashville, Tennessee in late February.
Over the past four years in this column, I have either explicitly or implicitly touched on the seven Cooperative principles, except for #5, which relates to education and training. In the NRECA’s view, “Education and training for members, elected representatives (directors/trustees), CEOs, and employees help them effectively contribute to the development of their cooperatives. Communications about the nature and benefits of cooperatives, particularly with the general public and opinion leaders, helps boost cooperative understanding.”
This NRECA signature annual event can attract as many as 10,000 attendees. This meeting is typically attended by a combination of EIEC directors and employees. The opportunity to interact with fellow cooperative employees, board members, vendors, related cooperative organizations, and representatives from all over the United States, and even international attendees as well is a unique learning experience. As electric cooperatives, we share many of the same issues, although we each may have unique circumstances.
Attending the meeting certainly makes a person aware of the larger community of cooperatives, and the influence that can result from joining forces for a common purpose. This event is just one portion of the learning opportunities available within the cooperative realm.
Our state association also offers numerous safety, management, and specific technical training, and the NRECA has a variety of educational opportunities throughout the year.
Some of the topics at the meeting include: broadband and high speed Internet, cooperative governance, cyber security, distributed generation (solar and wind), environmental, futurist view, innovation, motivational/inspirational speakers, national political co-op issues, next generation workforce, rural America attracting workers, and safety.
In future columns, I will highlight a theme or two from the meeting. The ability to share information among cooperatives, and to consider and implement ideas and improvements within our individual cooperatives for the benefit of our members is the goal of any training attended.
Please let us know how we can improve your member experience.
Sincerely,
Bob Hunzinger