February 2006
Welcome to the Touchstone Energy Brand News!
Touchstone Energy Board Adds Two New Members
Touchstone Energy Annual Meeting Celebrates Brand’s Success, Pays Tribute to Heroes
Distinguished Service Award Goes to Jimmy Baker
Touchstone Energy Brand Leadership Summit Returns as Connect Pre-Con
Touchstone Energy TV Perfect for Co-op Meetings
Time Running Out to Nominate Brand Champions
Welcome to the Touchstone Energy Brand News!
Welcome to the first edition of the Brand News, Touchstone Energy’s new and improved monthly newsletter.
Congratulations to Sherry Fishbaugh of Butler REC (Oxford, Ohio) for submitting the winning name selected from more than 80 entries by the Touchstone Energy Cooperative Relations Advisory Committee.
Touchstone Energy Board Adds Two New Members
The results of the Touchstone Energy Cooperatives board election were announced Feb. 21 at the Touchstone Energy Annual Meeting in Orlando. Re-elected to the board were E.E. “Skip” Strickland, president and CEO of Berkeley Electric Co-op (Moncks Corner, S.C.) and current chair of the Touchstone Energy board, and Jim Coleman, president and CEO of Shelby Electric Cooperative (Shelbyville, Ill.).
New board members include Nelle Hotchkiss, senior vice president of corporate relations at North Carolina Electric Membership Corp. (Raleigh, N.C.), and Loren Noess, general manager of Central Electric Cooperative (Mitchell, S.D.).
Hotchkiss has been an unwavering champion of Touchstone Energy and its initiatives since the brand was launched in 1998. By overseeing all North Carolina EMC external programs, including branding, advertising, media and community relations, government relations, and training and safety, Hotchkiss has been able to successfully integrate the Touchstone Energy brand in a broad range of areas that has helped to promote the advantages of being a member of an electric cooperative.
Since the brand’s inception, Noess has been an active participant in building Touchstone Energy in South Dakota. Through his cooperative’s extensive advertising and brand-building efforts, such as sponsoring the Touchstone Energy Stampede Rodeo Queen, Noess has played a key role in successfully communicating the cooperative difference.
Hotchkiss and Noess will replace Jim Byrd of Southern Pine Electric Co-op (Brewton, Ala.), and Chuck Terrill of North Carolina EMC, whose terms have expired.
“Jim Byrd and Chuck Terrill are true champions of the Touchstone Energy Cooperatives brand,” said Jim Bausell, COO of Touchstone Energy Cooperatives. “Through their exceptional leadership on the board of directors, Touchstone Energy has become the premier national brand within the electric utility industry,” he added.
Touchstone Energy Annual Meeting Celebrates Brand’s Success, Pays Tribute to Heroes
Touchstone Energy cooperatives had much to celebrate at the 2006 Touchstone Energy Annual Meeting, held Feb. 21 in conjunction with the NRECA Annual Meeting in Orlando. Skip Strickland, chair of the Touchstone Energy board of directors and CEO of Berkeley Electric Cooperative (Moncks Corner, SC), opened the meeting with an update on the brand. With membership at an all-time high of 627 cooperatives, the strength of the brand is more evident than ever before, said Strickland.
Touchstone Energy COO Jim Bausell spoke about the evolution of the brand from its inception in 1998 to its current status as “the premier national energy brand in the electric utility industry.” Bausell introduced speakers from co-ops across the nation who gave attendees a glimpse of the many programs and tools offered through Touchstone Energy that deliver value to member co-ops and help them to communicate the cooperative difference.
SitesAcrossAmerica Brings National Attention to Co-op Properties
Dennis Chastain, vice president of economic development at Georgia EMC, and Robert Pittman, senior principal at CH2M/Lockwood Green, a well-known site selection consulting firm, took the stage and spoke about SitesAcrossAmerica.com, Touchstone Energy’s free national Web site that helps corporate real estate professionals find available properties served by electric co-ops.
“With more than 3,500 properties from 32 states listed, there is no other Web site as comprehensive as SitesAcrossAmerica,” Chastain told attendees. “And it’s become a huge success. 83 properties have recently been sold.”
“SitesAcrossAmerica is a valuable service for us because it provides a one-stop shop to look for properties,” said Pittman. “And we have the added bonus of knowing these sites are served by Touchstone Energy cooperatives,” he added.
Co-op Connections Card Puts Value in Members’ Hands
The Co-op Connections member benefit card was next on the agenda. Rachel Settles of Blue Grass Energy (Nicholasville, Ky.) and Jack Farrell of Oklahoma Electric Cooperative (Norman, Okla.) talked about the success their co-ops have experienced with the card and how it brings value home to their members.
“Co-op Connections is a win, win, win program,” said Settles. “Our members get discounts, small businesses get more customers and our co-op gets a great program that builds our local brand and increases member loyalty.”
“The card is a great way to build member satisfaction, increase our members’ understanding of the cooperative difference and counter some of the turbulence in our industry, such as rate increases,” said Farrell. “Co-op Connections give us another reason to communicate with our members about a positive topic they care about—saving money,” Farrell told attendees.
Challenging Year Brings New Co-op Heroes
Following the presentation of the 2006 Touchstone Energy Distinguished Service Award to Palmetto Electric Cooperative’s Jimmy Baker (see story below), the focus turned to the challenges faced by co-ops during the past year and the admirable response by the co-op network. Hurricanes and ice storms brought unprecedented damage to the Gulf Coast and upper Midwest, and co-ops from across the country sent line crews and other support to affected areas.
Clay Campbell, CEO of Escambia River Electric Co-op (Jay, Fla.), and Lee Hedegaard, CEO of Singing River Electric Power Association (Lucedale, Miss.), recounted the response each has provided each other over the years as hurricanes wreaked havoc on their systems. Both expressed their gratitude for the support they received from the co-op network during these challenging times. Together, they unveiled the new Power & Hope employee recognition program that honors co-op employees who have provided power and hope within the community of within the cooperative network.
“The Touchstone Energy Power & Hope employee recognition program will honor co-op employees who help restore power and hope under the most challenging of circumstances,” said Campbell. “Any co-op employee is eligible for the award, and the recipients will be determined by individual co-ops.”
Bausell wrapped up the meeting by reminding attendees that while there are many challenges on the home front, it’s important to remember those who are serving our country abroad. The Touchstone Energy Annual Meeting concluded with a “2006 Tribute to Co-op Heroes,” a video set to music featuring images of co-op employees and members serving in the military overseas. The video is ideal for use at any co-op event, including annual meetings. DVD copies will be sent to all Touchstone Energy co-ops.
Distinguished Service Award Goes to Jimmy Baker
The 2006 Touchstone Energy Distinguished Service Award, the brand’s highest honor, was awarded Feb. 21 to Jimmy Baker, vice president of marketing and public relations at Palmetto Electric Cooperative (Hardeeville, S.C.), at the 2006 Touchstone Energy Annual Meeting in Orlando.
“This is certainly the highlight of my 27 years with Palmetto Electric and the electric cooperative program,” said Baker in receiving the award. “When I consider all of the previous recipients of this award, I am truly proud and humbled to have been selected for this honor,” he said.
The Distinguished Service Award is the most significant award given by Touchstone Energy and is presented to individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the development, growth, and success of the Touchstone Energy brand.
“In seeking nominations for this award, we received letters from many members about the unique qualities of Jimmy Baker,” Touchstone Energy COO Jim Bausell told Annual Meeting attendees. “In fact, the voting to support this nomination for the award was unanimous at all levels of the process,” he added.
Since Touchstone Energy was launched in 1998, Baker has played a pivotal role in building the brand. Baker served as chair of the Cooperative Relations Advisory Committee, where he focused on educating cooperatives about the value of Touchstone Energy and communicating the cooperative difference.
“Being part of the development of Touchstone Energy and working to promote its growth has been a labor of love,” said Baker. “It is easy to be passionate about something you believe in, and I honestly believe that Touchstone Energy is one of the electric cooperatives’ greatest achievements,” he added.
Touchstone Energy Brand Leadership Summit Returns as Connect Pre-Con
After a one-year hiatus, the Touchstone Energy Brand Leadership Summit will make its return as a pre-conference event May 16 at Connect 2006. The summit will be held at the Marriott Rivercenter in San Antonio--same as Connect 2006--and will feature the rollout of a number of new Touchstone Energy resources. Running from 10 a.m to 3 p.m., attendees will hear from a range of speakers, including members of the Touchstone Energy advisory committees, national staff and other experts who champion the brand. There is no registration fee for the Brand Leadership Summit.
A limited number of hotel rooms has been set aside at the Marriott Rivercenter, with a special conference rate of $172 single/double for conference attendees. To receive this special rate, you must reserve your room by April 10, 2006. Reservations made after this date will not be guaranteed the special conference rate and are subject to availability.
Click here to register online for the Brand Leadership Summit and Connect 2006. For hotel reservations, please contact the Marriott Rivercenter at 210.223.1000 and mention the “NRECA/Touchstone Energy Connect Conference.”
Touchstone Energy TV Perfect for Co-op Meetings
Touchstone Energy TV, developed to educate co-op staff and members about the brand’s many benefits, debuted in Orlando during the NRECA Annual Meeting. This video, which runs for about one hour and 45 minutes, features co-op guests and national staff speaking about Touchstone Energy resources.
Touchstone Energy was able to secure channels at nine hotels during the NRECA Annual Meeting, providing an excellent opportunity to educate co-op directors and managers about the brand. The video is perfect for co-op events, including statewide, regional and annual meetings. It’s recommended that co-ops work with host hotels to get the video to run on the hotels’ closed-circuit channels so that it airs 24/7.
Many of the Touchstone Energy TV and radio spots, as well as other educational videos, are interspersed throughout the loop. Each segment runs anywhere from three to eight minutes. A few topics covered in the video include:
- The Value of Touchstone Energy
- Co-op Connections Card
- SitesAcrossAmerica.com
- Touchstone Energy Home Program
- American Customer Satisfaction Index
- Touchstone Energy Hot-Air Balloon
- National Survey on the Cooperative Difference
DVD copies will be available by request, beginning March 2. Any co-op wishing to receive a DVD should contact Scott Bialick at scott.bialick@nreca.coop.
Time Running Out to Nominate Brand Champions
Nominations for the 2006 Touchstone Energy Brand Champion Awards will be accepted through Wednesday, March 1.
The Brand Champion Award was created by the Touchstone Energy board of directors to recognize outstanding contributions and leadership by electric co-op CEOs, employees and directors in promoting the Touchstone Energy brand.
The recipients will be selected by the Touchstone Energy Cooperative Relations Advisory Committee, made up of representatives from member cooperatives across the country. Up to 10 Brand Champion Awards will be presented Thursday, May 18 at the Connect 2006 Conference in San Antonio.
To request a nomination form, contact Erin Keogh at 703.907.5572 or erin.keogh@nreca.coop.
Look Out for Touchstone Energy Extra, CBA Balloon Calendars
Brand managers at Touchstone Energy co-ops will soon receive a shipment of the winter edition of the Touchstone Energy Extra, with enough copies for each co-op employee. The Extra is a great way to keep employees engaged and informed about the latest Touchstone Energy news!
Brand managers will also receive a 2006 Cooperative Balloon Associates calendar, which features images of the Touchstone Energy balloons at various co-op events.
Additional copies of the Extra and calendars can be requested through Scott Bialick at 703.907.5627 or scott.bialick@nreca.coop.
Quoteable Quote
“Listing your properties on SitesAcrossAmerica can bring jobs and businesses that build your community. As a site selector, I want to know what’s available. If your property isn’t listed on SitesAcrossAmerica, it may be invisible to us.”
-Robert Pittman, senior principal at CH2M/Lockwood Greene, a well known site selection consulting firm, speaking to attendees at Touchstone Energy’s Annual Meeting
Editor, Erin Keogh
erin.keogh@nreca.coop
703.907.5572