Energy Savings Brochure is Valuable Communications Tool

The brochure is available electronically at www.touchstoneenergy.coop, or to request a CD containing the print-ready images, contact Kristine Jackson at 703.907.5633 or email her at kristine.jackson@nreca.coop.

ACSI Participation Surges in 2005

During the past year, more than 125 Touchstone Energy cooperatives took advantage of the unique opportunity to assess and improve member satisfaction as well as compare their co-op to the rest of the electric utility industry using the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI). This level of participation represents a significant increase over previous years.

Touchstone Energy has offered ACSI scoring to all members as part of their national investment fee since 2002. In addition to providing this service on a co-op by co-op basis, Touchstone Energy receives a quarterly national score based on a survey of a random sampling of co-ops. Recent results give Touchstone Energy co-ops, in aggregate, a score of 81 out of a possible 100. This score places Touchstone Energy at the top of the electric utility industry and confirms that co-ops provide unmatched customer service.

An ACSI score is generated by incorporating four standard questions into any member survey. Responses to these questions should be e-mailed to Touchstone Energy’s Erin Keogh at erin.keogh@nreca.coop, who will submit the data to ACSI and return a score within 10 business days. All scores are kept strictly confidential.

For more information on how to implement the ACSI locally, contact Erin Keogh at 703.907.5572 or erin.keogh@nreca.coop. All necessary documents and instructions can also be found at www.touchstoneenergy.coop in the member resources section.

Co-ops Get in Spirit of Giving with Toy Drives

‘Santa Claus for a Cause’ Aids Children Affected by Hurricane Katrina

For the employees of Peace River Electric Cooperative (Wauchula, Fla.), the devastation wrought by Hurricane Katrina is all too familiar. With the experience of three damaging hurricanes in 2004 fresh in their minds, the employees of PRECO recognized the losses suffered by their co-op peers in the gulf coast region and decided to do something to help make their holidays a little brighter. The co-op launched its ‘Santa Claus for a Cause’ program to collect toys for children of employees of Coast Electric Power Association (Bay St. Louis, Miss.). All of the co-op’s 210 employees suffered major property damage, and 70 employees lost everything they owned.

Brad Kimbro, vice president of marketing and member services at PRECO, says the program is a way to give back to the co-op family. “We faced similar hardships last year and received a lot of support. ‘Santa Claus for a Cause’ is a way to say thank you and let people know they haven’t been forgotten.”

To date, the program has collected more than 200 toys for children ages 1-19. The donations have poured in from employees, members, churches and other charitable organizations. PRECO will deliver the toys to the employees of Coast Electric the weekend of Dec. 17.

“It will be a long time before life returns to normal in that area, and our employees and members are willing to lend a helping hand. PRECO is committed to helping Coast Electric as long as help is needed,” said Kimbro.

‘Toys for Tots’ Brings Cheer to Children in Need

For the sixth year in a row, Adams-Columbia Electric Cooperative (Friendship, Wis.) has spread Christmas cheer to area children with its “Touchstone Energy Toys for Tots” program.

Since its launch, the program has received widespread community support and succeeded in its goal of collecting toys for children in need. The three offices of Adams-Columbia serve as the drop-off points for donations. From there, the toys are distributed as part of various community charity efforts.

“This program has been so successful throughout the years … under the Touchstone Energy banner, we have donated over $22,000 worth of toys to the children of our combined communities,” says Ginny Wilbrandt, marketing coordinator at Adams-Columbia. “It is the members of the community, the members of Adams-Columbia, and our employees who have made this program so successful.”

Co-op Connections Secures National Discount from Best Western Hotels

Best Western Hotels, the world’s largest hotel chain, has teamed up with Touchstone Energy’s Co-op Connections member benefit card program to provide special low rates available only to cooperative members. Under the new discount deal, members are eligible for the best available rate at each Best Western location, an average savings of $26-$30 a night.

Jonathan Smith of Western Farmers Electric Cooperative (Anadarko, Okla.) worked with Alan Wagner and Joe Martin of Best Western at the NET2005 Conference, where they collaborated to finalize this national deal. 

“Co-op Connections has been an ideal way to strengthen the concept of membership, while at the same time creating a link between the local co-op and the national Touchstone Energy brand,” said Smith. “In terms of promoting the co-op difference, this program delivers a very tangible benefit.”

For more information about this great savings opportunity, plus 22 additional national discounts and more than 4,000 local deals, log on to www.connections.coop. 

To learn more about Co-op Connections, please contact Cynthia Henthorn at 703.907.5575 or cynthia.henthorn@nreca.coop.

Kentucky Co-op Lives the Brand through Employee Recognition

Nolin RECC (Elizabethtown, Ky.) is educating its employees about Touchstone Energy’s core values and recognizing them for good deeds and acts of kindness at the same time. Through the “Touchstone Energy Employee of the Month” program, employees are encouraged to nominate co-workers for the award and are required to specify how one or more of the four core values of integrity, accountability, innovation and commitment to community is represented in the nominee’s work.

Recipients of the award have included one employee who entered a burning home to save an infant and another who donated blood platelets monthly to help cancer patients.

“This program encourages our employees to ‘live the brand’ and serves as a constant reminder of Touchstone Energy’s four core values,” said Patsy Whitehead, communications coordinator at Nolin RECC. “Employees who receive this award personify these values.”

Happy Holidays from Touchstone Energy

The Touchstone Energy staff and board of directors wish all Touchstone Energy cooperative employees and their families a safe and happy holiday season. We look forward to another exciting and rewarding year in 2006. 

Prairie Energy Cooperative (Clarion, Iowa) displayed this tree at the "Festival of Trees" at a local museum. The top of the tree is made up of Touchstone Energy pencil sharpeners, the ribbons on the tree have the four Touchstone Energy values written in glitter, and the tree skirt features the Touchstone Energy logo.

Quotable Quote

"A great brand is more than just a product; a great brand is something that people want to be part of and share in."

      -Anonymous

Editor, Erin Keogh
erin.keogh@nreca.coop
703.907.5572