There’s power in collaboration, and with more than 460 industry leaders coming together for this year’s Cooperative Technologies Conference and Expo (CTCE), the shared vision of building a brighter future for co-ops members in North Carolina was on full display.
The annual conference brings together not only North Carolina’s 26 electric cooperatives, but also industry partners from across the country for a week of collaboration and innovation. The lessons, connections and ideas generated from the weeklong experience will be brought back to each co-op with the goal of improving the quality of life in the communities they serve.
Winslow participates in a panel discussion with Joe Brannon, CEO of North Carolina’s Electric Cooperatives, and Jeffrey Connor, COO at NRECA.
“The key to success is collaboration, and that’s the difference between being a good organization and a great one,” said Josh Winslow, general manager and CEO of Brunswick Electric Membership Corporation. “That’s what makes North Carolina’s electric cooperatives special. It’s our ability to adapt and learn, and bring back solutions from events like this to our members.”
During the four-day conference in Wilmington, North Carolina, speakers and attendees came together to discuss critical issues, including reliability and grid resilience, as well as emerging technologies and innovative energy solutions. Conference sessions focused on key topics facing cooperatives including cybersecurity, smart grid technology, distributed energy resources and more.
Lessons learned
With cooperative employees represented from various roles within their organizations, there were key takeaways for everyone in attendance.
Costa speaks with industry partners in exhibit hall.
“We’re all trying to do the same thing, but we’re all doing it a little differently,” said Devin Costa, vice president of information technology at Jones-Onslow Electric Membership Corporation. “This event allows us to come together under one roof and show how we are a co-op family. We’re able to share lessons we’ve learned and build partnerships that can help us further down the road.”
Beyond breakout sessions and messages from keynote speakers, the cooperatives also had a chance to meet with vendors from organizations specializing in products and services that ranged from cybersecurity to artificial intelligence. Speed networking sessions connected cooperative IT professionals and engineers with industry partners to discuss new products to help improve business operations.
“One of the best parts of this conference is networking,” said Costa. “Working with fellow co-ops, working with vendors and IT professionals, everyone has info and solutions that can help you. The ability to make these connections and be able to call on them later is so valuable in our industry.”
Evolving technology landscape
With new energy technology emerging every year, the ability to keep up with these innovative products and services and ask essential questions is what makes CTCE valuable for many attendees. Tamah Hughes, manager of information technology at Tri-County Electric Membership Corporation, says information gathering and sharing is what has made the conference a success for the past 22 years.
“We’re exploring things that can help improve the lives of the millions of North Carolinians that the cooperatives serve, and that’s what’s exciting about attending these sessions and being a part of these crucial conversations,” said Hughes.
Beyond the sessions, and well after the conference concludes, Hughes said the connections made at CTCE will prove to be an important asset for the cooperatives as they continue power the lives of their communities.
“You begin to know these people on a much more personal level, and it really embodies what we mean when we say the cooperatives are one big family,” said Hughes. “You know you can pick up the phone and ask them for help, or even call and share a solution you found. Because you’ve built those relationships here, you can really count on your cooperative peers to support you when the time comes.”
Next year’s Cooperative Technology Conference and Expo will take place August 12-15 in Wilmington, North Carolina. Registration will open in the spring.