Review “hot button” issues and industry trends, and get updates on the latest RUS publications and standards from the Electric Staff Division. This is also a great opportunity to network with RUS staff and learn about the latest developments in the industry.

Bob Lash
USDA Rural Development

The Supply Chain Management Certificate program shows you how to systematically and effectively integrate the multiple functions of supply management into your co-op’s organizational processes. Unit I provides a look at core functions and processes within the supply management area such as the following:

• Processes and controls to help achieve greater efficiency
• How to evaluate various suppliers to help ensure that materials and supplies are of high quality and delivered as promised
• Is a bid system the best approach, or will a vendor alliance provide higher value?

Christopher Cady
Aiken Electric Cooperative

1:00 – 5:00 p.m. (maximum of 30 attendees)
This workshop provides an overview of federal environmental requirements facing electric distribution co-ops. It is based on the Cooperative Research Network (CRN) Environmental Management Guide, a first-stop resource for helping electric co-op managers and employees identify their key environmental issues and develop appropriate programs and measures to meet their obligations. All attendees receive a copy of the Guide.

David VanWie
MACTEC Engineering and Consulting
www.mactec.com

Gary McNaughton
Cornice Engineering

www.multispeak.org Learn how the MultiSpeak specification works during this hands-on training session for co-op staff, consultants and software integrators who want to provide implementation services to co-ops. Upon completion of the class, you will receive a certificate of training as a MultiSpeak Integrator.

8:00 a.m. – Noon
This half-day program focuses on the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS), a mandatory compliance regulation that dictates best-practice security standards for any organization that accepts or processes credit card transactions. PCI DSS was created to safeguard credit card information, requiring organizations to meet compliance or face stiff penalties. During the workshop you will learn the following:

• What PCI is and what the levels are
• How to monitor when you fall over to the next level
• If you have a valid security policy and vulnerability management program
• Automating compliance to reduce manual costs
• Critical best practices – prevention, protection, compliance, and control
• What happens in a PCI audit

Andrew Cannata
Sunera LLC
www.sunera.com

1:00 – 5:00 p.m.
Learn about the latest cyber security standards and how they will be enforced by the Electric Reliability Organization (ERO) and regional entities. Develop an understanding of some key cyber security elements, such as risk assessment methodologies used to identify critical cyber assets, and considerations for establishing an electronic security perimeter.

Jack Kutzer
Ron Blume
DYONYX
www.dyonyx.com

This workshop discusses internal, external, and written communication, including how to organize your message to ensure that the content is easy to understand. Discover your own style of communication and identify factors that impede or enhance your effectiveness as a supervisor. Key discussion topics include the following:

• Recognizing various obstacles to communicating clearly
• Exploring the effects of nonverbal communication
• Describing formats for written communication that work best for co-ops
  Ann Maggard
  NRECA/Touchstone Energy