More Than 3,000 Sites Marketed on SitesAcrossAmerica.com

Since its September launch, SitesAcrossAmerica.com (http://www.sitesacrossamerica.com) has become increasingly popular. The Web-based tool created by Touchstone Energy Cooperatives helps electric co-ops market their communities' sites and locations to expanding businesses. Currently, co-ops in more than 20 states have posted better than 3,000 available sites and buildings on SitesAcrossAmerica.com. The site is targeted at real estate and site selection professionals who make the decisions about where companies locate.

"In SitesAcrossAmerica, electric co-ops have a free mechanism that allows them to get their communities' sites and buildings noticed by commercial and industrial customers," said Charlie Gloeckner, Touchstone Energy/NRECA senior director of business development. "Going forward, not only will there be an opportunity to increase the level of detail of each posted site, but SitesAcrossAmerica will help co-ops partner with local developers, listing agents, economic development groups, etc.," he added.

Jan. 19-21 NET Conference Features Tactical and Practical Content

Time is running out. Get your registrations in now for Touchstone Energy's 2005 New and Emerging Technologies Conference (NET) Jan. 19-21, 2005, at the Saddlebrook Resort, Wesley Chapel (near Tampa), Fla. This annual event is designed for electric co-ops and their business customers. Keynote speaker Hunter Ellis, host of the History Channel's Tactical to Practical, will explore the evolution of military innovations - night vision, GPS, robotics, remote operated vehicles - into everyday life.

NET2005 will provide information that's applicable to co-op CEOs/general managers, marketing personnel, business development officials, key accounts managers, and economic development professionals.

As in the past, the NET conference offers the latest on emerging technologies and trends important to electric co-ops and their business customers. Click here--Online registration--to access registration information. For questions regarding the conference program, contact Kathryn Momot at Kathryn.Momot@nreca.coop or 703.907.5707.

Brand Champions to be Honored at Connect 2005

The Touchstone Energy board of directors has created the "Brand Champion Award" to recognize exceptional efforts by electric co-op employees and directors in promoting the Touchstone Energy brand at the local, state or regional level. The first Brand Champion Awards will be presented at Connect 2005 in New Orleans in May.

The Cooperative Relations Advisory Committee recommended the creation of the award to the board at its December meeting. Up to 10 awards can be given to Touchstone Energy leaders across the country each year.

The call for nominations will go out in February. Nominees will be judged on leadership, innovation, effectiveness and consistency. For more information, contact Mary McLaury at mary.mclaury@nreca.coop.

Connect 2005 Registration Fee Set at $575

Registration for the inaugural Connect Conference--the May 16-18, 2005 event for co-op communications, marketing, and member services professionals--will be $575. Hosted by Touchstone Energy Cooperatives and NRECA, Connect 2005 will offer a venue for co-op employees to connect with their peers nationwide. In essence, this new event blends the best of the Touchstone Energy Brand Leadership Summit and the NRECA Marketing, Member Services and Communications Conference (MMS&C). The registration fee is a significant reduction from the 2004 MMS&C registration fee of $695. The hotel is the Hyatt New Orleans adjacent to the Superdome, and the rate for Connect 2005 attendees is $135/night. Online registration will be available Jan. 20, 2005.

Touchstone Energy Day a Big Draw During Southern Illinois University Homecoming

Hot dogs, tailgating, homecoming, and football were some of the attractions at the Touchstone Energy Child ID Day at McAndrew Stadium on the campus of Southern Illinois University-Carbondale (SIUC).

As the Salukis of SIUC took on the University of Northern Iowa Panthers, employees of Illinois Touchstone Energy co-ops Egyptian Electric, SouthEastern Illinois Electric, and Southern Illinois Electric Cooperative greeted ticket holders at the gates with complimentary Touchstone Energy Child ID kits.

By working together on the event, the three cooperatives delivered the Touchstone Energy message in an effective way. Pre-game publicity included ads in the statewide membership magazine, Illinois Country Living, featuring Salukis' Coach Jerry Kill, with a message of the Touchstone Energy cooperatives' concern for the safety of children. Coach Kill also delivered the same message via a television ad that appeared on two local television stations.

In addition to Kill's promotion, publicity included game-day announcements on the public address system and identification of the game as Touchstone Energy Day on SIUC pocket and poster schedules.

The three cooperatives started the day with a pre-game tailgate for the group that truly makes Touchstone Energy a national success: the employees. Treated to traditional tailgate fare, employees had an opportunity to mingle with fellow colleagues and those from their neighboring cooperatives. That's the power of human connections.

Brand Manager Tip of the Month--Recognize Community-Committed Members

Minnesota's Touchstone Energy Community Service Award Engages Member-Owners
Wright-Hennepin Cooperative Electric Association (W-H) in Rockford, Minn., makes sure that members are recognized for their community involvement. And the way this progressive co-op achieves this helps to build the brand at the local level. Recently the co-op named member Marge Pavlik the winner of the co-op's local 2004 Touchstone Energy Community Award.

W-H sought candidates for the Touchstone Energy Community Award, which recognizes individuals or organizations for outstanding contributions to the local community. Pavlik's sewing efforts over the past 40 years have touched the lives of thousands of people through her patchwork of quilts, costumes, band and choir uniforms and many other projects in need of her patient and caring hand. It is because of her devoted community service that Pavlik was selected to receive the award, a plaque and $250.

Minnesota's Touchstone Energy cooperatives created this award program this year. Each participating co-op can name a Touchstone Energy Community Award recipient in the co-op's locale. Winners are then submitted for consideration in the statewide Minnesota Touchstone Energy Community Award. The statewide winner will receive $1,000 that will go toward a community cause of choice. The Minnesota Touchstone Energy Community Award will be presented in February, during the Minnesota Rural Electric Association's annual meeting in St. Paul.

Quotable Quotes

"I think this award will be a real positive for Touchstone Energy.  There are so many people around the country that are investing a lot of hard work into Touchstone Energy who can't qualify for the national award.  The brand's success on a national level will ultimately be determined by the collective efforts of many people working on many different local and regional levels. This award is an opportunity to acknowledge them and will represent an incentive for others.  A company or brand is only a representation of the collective efforts and throughput of all its employees."

Richard Beck, vice president of marketing, Big Rivers Electric Corp., on the creation of a Brand Champion Award to be given at the Connect 2005 conference May 16-18 in New Orleans

South Dakota Co-ops Use Brand in Conservation Speech Contest

South Dakota Touchstone Energy co-ops are helping students earn money for college and using the brand as a vehicle to do so. A conservation speech contest sponsored by the cooperatives and the state's Department of Agriculture-Division of Resource Conservation and Forestry and the South Dakota Association of Conservation Districts will provide more than $2,300 in scholarships for high school students.

High school students who participate in the contest must deliver an original four- to six-minute speech on the topic "Grass-Nature's Blanket." First, students will compete in a local contest. Two winners of the local contest will then compete in an area contest. Two winners from the area contest will compete in the state contest April 2.

Three winners will receive scholarships in the following amounts: state champion-$1,100; second place-$750; and third place-$450. The Touchstone Energy co-ops will pay these scholarships to any college, university or accredited vocational technical school in the state of South Dakota chosen by the contest winners.

Web Sites That Wow

The Web Sites That Wow monthly feature is intended to demonstrate how Touchstone Energy cooperatives effectively use Web sites in brand-building efforts. This month's site belongs to the cooperative members of East River Electric Power Co-op, a G&T in Madison, S.D. Go to http://www.touchstoneenergyscholaroftheweek.coop.

It's Coming: Deadline to Submit Info for Co-op Connections First Quarter Print Run

Touchstone Energy co-ops planning to implement the Co-op Connections member benefits card in 2005 can take advantage of a good deal by participating in a first quarter card and key fob print run. 

In order to guarantee the unit price of $.14302 per a full set (one card and one two up key fob), co-ops need to participate in the first quarter run.  On future runs, the price is likely to increase due to material costs and varying quantities. All co-op orders for the cards and key fobs must be placed in 2,500 increments.

To participate in this print run, please adhere to the following schedule:

Jan 10, 2005
Co-ops send e-mails to lauraj@cardsource.com and cynthia.henthorn@nreca.coop confirming card and key fob quantities for the print run.  Co-ops should include anticipated distribution due date to membership.

Jan 31
Co-ops are encouraged to submit their order by this date or earlier on www.advancingthebrand.coop.  Co-ops will submit their logos and finalized customized copy for the card and key fob. The production process commences the week of Feb. 21.

For more information, contact Cynthia Henthorn at Cynthia.henthorn@nreca.coop or 703.907.5575.

Touchstone Energy Board Elections Process Under Way

It is election time for the Touchstone Energy Cooperatives board of directors.  There are four open seats, with three directors eligible to run again.  Each Touchstone Energy regional representative without a current seat on the board of directors, including the four with open seats, is eligible to nominate one candidate to stand for election. Contact your regional representative for more information on the election process.

Open seats include:

Board Incumbent	Regional Representative	Eligibility
Roger Clark Boone Electric Co-op Columbia, Mo.	Associated Electric Co-op	Not Eligible Completed second term
Tom Jones Grand Canyon State Electric Co-op Phoenix, Ariz.	Sierra Southwest Cooperative Serv.	Eligible
Alan Edwards Basin Electric Power Co-op Bismark, N.D.	Basin Electric Power Co-op	Eligible
Ken Ritchey Tipmont REMC Linden, Ind.	Wabash Valley Power Assn.	Eligible

 
     
The election schedule is as follows:

Deadline for Nominations	January 7, 2005
Ballot Distribution	January 12, 2005
Voting Deadline	January 21, 2005
Election Results Announced	January 25, 2005
First Board Meeting	March 21-22, 2005

                                                                               

Happy Holidays from Touchstone Energy Board and Staff

The Touchstone Energy staff and board of directors wish everyone a safe and happy holiday season. Much has been accomplished this year and all of us look forward to rising to the challenges ahead and enjoying much success in 2005.

Editor, Marty Haught
marty.haught@nreca.coop
703-907-5986