NRECA CCC News - Volume V, Issue 1, Winter 2007  (Plain Text Version)

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In this issue:
A Message from the CCC Program Board Chair
Welcome the New CCCs
CCC Program Board Elections - Do You Want to Serve?
Artistic Considerations for Better Photos
New Communicator Orientation
Email Etiquette
Keep your CCC Designation Current
Connect 2007 - Simply the Best Conference Yet!

A Message from the CCC Program Board Chair

Patsy Whitehead, CCC

Happy New Year,

It hardly seems possible. Some of us are still trying to figure out what Y2K stands for and it's 2007 already! And many of us made New Year's Resolutions on Dec. 31 and immediately broke them on Jan. 1.

This new year will challenge all of us. Some are still busy rebuilding systems and lives after 2005's terrible hurricanes. Mother Nature spared us this year, but still, I doubt many babies born in the next few years will be named Katrina, Rita, Dennis or Wilma.

Others, faced with increasing operation costs, will work with management on how to communicate with members what these costs ultimately mean to them.

Regardless of the situation you face, the need for effective communication has never been stronger. Our respective Cooperatives rely on each of us, as professional communicators, to lead the way in telling our Cooperative story.

We are different from other utilities. In the coming months, we will have tremendous opportunities to tell the world just how different we are. As natural gas and propane prices continue to soar, and IOU prices follow slightly behind, our not-for-profit, consumer-owned model can shine.

So maybe, if we haven't made New Year's Resolutions yet, we could simply resolve to do our jobs as professionally and sincerely as possible - to seek out opportunities to tell our messages - and to help improve the quality of life in rural America by using our god-given talents to the best of our abilities.

Have a very happy and prosperous New Year!