You may register and attend a pre-conference workshop without registering for the TechAdvantage Conference.
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
Location: San Diego Convention Center. Workshops are scheduled to run from 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. unless otherwise indicated. Lunch is on your own unless otherwise indicated.
- 2012 RUS Engineering Update (Cancelled)
- Developing Cyber Security & Risk Mitigation Plan (175.1)
- Procurement & Contract Management (294.01)
- DG Interconnection
- De-mystifying Safety Improvement Planning (1:00-5:00pm)
- SharePoint 2010
- Strategic Technology Management
- MultiSpeak® Integrator Training
- Becoming a More Effective Leader: What They Didn't Teach You in School!
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
A. 2012 RUS Engineering Update. (Cancelled)
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B. Developing Cyber Security & Risk Mitigation Plan (175.1)
Registration fee: $550 (Limit 45 attendees)
NRECA's Cooperative Research Network (CRN) has created a set of documents that co-ops can use to strengthen their cyber security postures and chart a path of continuous improvement in this area. These documents include the "Guide to Developing a Cyber Security and Risk Mitigation Plan" and the "Cyber Security Plan Template" that co-op's can use as the basis for their own cyber security plans. This one-day workshop introduces the Guide, template, and related documents, and walks participants through the process of developing a plan. The workshop will cover risks posed by people, processes, and technology, and will also look at NERC CIP compliance. After taking this class, co-ops will be ready to create their own cyber security plans.
Instructor: Slade Griffin, Senior Consultant, Security Engineer, EnerNex Corporation
Developing Cyber Security & Risk Mitigation Plan Agenda
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C. Procurement and Contract Management (294.01)
Unit 2, Supply Chain Management Certificate Program
Registration fee: $495 (Limit 45 attendees)
Designed by cooperative supply chain professionals, this unique program will show you how to integrate the multiple functions of supply management into your cooperative's organizational processes systematically and effectively.
Individuals must complete all three units of study to receive the Supply Management Certificate. They do not have to be taken sequentially, nor do they have to be taken during any timeframe.
Unit 2 covers core procurement practices and methods, contractual considerations and key regulations impacting your supply management activities. The procurement practices cover issues such as procurement analysis, bid evaluation, lease analysis and supplier considerations. The contractual section highlights the four essentials of a contract, critical terms and conditions and ways to manage the contractual relationship. You will also gain understanding of regulatory issues such as the Uniform Commercial Code, RUS requirements for procurement and competitive bidding processes.
Instructor: Chris Cady, Manager, Supply Chain and Facilities, Aiken Electric
Cooperative, Inc.
Procurement and Contract Management Agenda
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D. DG Interconnection
Registration fee: $550 (Limit 35 attendees)
This project helps co-op engineers and technical staff address consumer-member questions and requests for interconnection of solar, wind and other distributed generation.
This project developed and delivered a one day course that addresses topics related to DG interconnections, including annotated checklists for various persons involved with the complete interconnection process. An emphasis is placed on wading through the wealth of information available on this topic and concisely explaining the information that cooperatives need to know and understand.
The following topics are covered:
- IEEE standard 1547
- Crew work rules and co-op procedures for feeders that might have customer generation
- Co-op inspection of customer-owned interconnection equipment
- Engineering impact studies
- Contracts, insurance, metering policy, and wheeling policy related to customer generation
Instructors: Jeff Triplett, Utility System Consultant, Power System Engineering, Inc.
Erik Sonju, Vice President, Power Delivery Planning and Design,
Power System Engineering, Inc.
DG Interconnection Agenda
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E. De-mystifying Safety Improvement Planning (1:00-5:00pm)
Registration fee: $375 (Limit 45 attendees)
A new, positive emphasis has been placed on safety performance across the cooperative network. This new focus has many cooperatives preparing a Safety Improvement Plan for the first time. This 'how to' workshop will help participants with plan development by providing a structured planning framework that will help ensure important improvement elements are considered. This framework addresses: assessing where improvements should be made, identifying initiatives to address improvement areas, developing action plans, measuring results and communicating plan direction with expectations. Each cooperative's plan will be unique based on their desired outcomes and needs but the approach can be consistently applied to many work areas.
Instructors: Bud Branham, Principal, NRECA National Consulting Group
Gary Pfann, Director of University Based Programs, NRECA
De-mystifying Safety Improvement Planning Agenda
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F. SharePoint 2010 (1:00-5:00pm)
"Practical No Code Solutions to Coop Efficiency Using SharePoint 2010"
Registration fee: $375 (Limit 40 attendees)
Join us from 1 - 5 on Tuesday, March 6 for a hands on course in driving greater inefficiencies in your coop by using Microsoft SharePoint 2010. During this session, you will explore the many diverse features of SP2010 and how they relate to the coop. Next, you'll dive in and actually build several practical solutions from scratch that illustrate the power and flexibility of the platform. You'll even be able to take home a fully loaded USB keychain with all of the course materials, solutions and templates so you can immediately put your new found knowledge to use. The session will include building solutions for:
- Corporate Communications
- HR
- IT
- Fleet Management
- Dispatch
- Meter/Transformer/Truck Shop
- Call Center/Customer Support/Membership Relations/Public Relations
Bring your laptop and a mouse and come ready to have some fun, learn all about SharePoint 2010 and how to get the most out of your investment in this fantastic enterprise product!
Instructor: Derek Martin, Cloud Solutions Practice Area Lead, Slalom Consulting
SharePoint 2010 Agenda
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G. Strategic Technology Management: Navigating through a Sea of Technology
Registration fee: $550 (Limit 25 attendees)
When considering a major technology decision, how can you ensure that your co-op gets the best return on its investment? How can technologies be implemented successfully and safely? What are the new capabilities that managers and their organizations must have to deal with technology effectively? Learn how to put a four-step technology planning process in place at your co-op so you can pick the best investments from among a dizzying array of technology choices. Hear from an industry veteran how best-practice companies have dealt with the technology challenges co-ops now face. Structured in three parts, this workshop zeros in on strategies to apply technologies so that they work for you in ways that minimize risk.
- Why co-ops need to do technology planning, and what can go wrong.
- How to manage technology and build the internal relationships needed to realize its potentials.
- Managerial skill sets for technology leadership.
- Bring the key members of your technology team: CEO, Engineering, Operations and IT.
- AGENDA
- Why is Strategic Technology Management Crucial?
- Technology and the Utility Organization
- Technology Planning & Decision Making
- Strategic Technology Plan Walk-through
- Technology Investment and the Budgeting Process*
- Aligning Technology with the Business
- Technology Leadership and Relationship Building*
*signifies an interactive exercise
Instructor: Eric Cody, President, Cody energy Group.
Strategic Technology Management: Navigating through a Sea of Technology Agenda
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H. MultiSpeak® Integrator Training
Registration fees: (Limit 45 attendees)
MultiSpeak Members: No charge
NRECA Co-op Members: $215
Non-Members: $500
Learn the advantages of implementing MultiSpeak® and how it works during this in-depth training session for co-op staff as well as consultants and software integrators. This workshop will cover Version 3.0, which has been implemented at utilities since 2005, and the new Version 4.1 of the MultiSpeak® specification. Version 4.1 adds UML class model support, work management interfaces, updated staking interfaces, transmission power system modeling, detailed exchange of engineering catalog data and support for additional smart grid technologies.
Participants who complete the class and pass an exam will achieve the designation "MultiSpeak® Integrator."
Instructor: Gary A. McNaughton, Vice President, Cornice Engineering, Inc.
MultiSpeak® Integrator Training Agenda
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I. Becoming a More Effective Leader: What They Didn't Teach You in School!
Registration fee: $495 (Limit 35 attendees)
Looking for a magic bullet to improve your leadership abilities and bottom line results? Polarity Thinking™ principles and tools provide a straightforward method to document your wisdom by accessing a deeper awareness of what it takes to create greater self-awareness, collaboration with others, manage complex issues, and improve results.
Margaret Seidler, Principal, Seidler & Associates LLC.
Session includes a copy of Instructor's book: Power Surge: A Conduit for Enlightened Leadership, 2009 HRD Press.
Becoming a More Effective Leader: What They Didn't Teach You in School! Agenda
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