June 2008

"CFL Charlie" Debuts on Kids Zone

Connect 2008 Hits the Mark with Attendees

Three Honored As Brand Champions

Co-op Connections Rolls Out Two New National Discounts

Sign Up by June 13 For Next Co-op Connections Card Print Run

Share Your Brand-Building Success Stories

"CFL Charlie" Debuts on Kids Zone

New Mascot Promotes Energy Efficiency Online and in Classrooms

Attendees at the Connect 2008 Conference were treated to a sneak-peak of a new addition to Touchstone Energy’s energy efficiency portfolio. “CFL Charlie” is an animated mascot that guides users through the Touchstone Energy Kids Zone, a virtual classroom dedicated to teaching kids about energy efficiency, renewable energy and safety.

In addition to the online applications, CFL Charlie also promotes a new set of hands-on resources for school classrooms. Targeted to students grades K-4, the Super Energy Saver kits contain energy saving checklists, Super Energy Saver certificates, take-home folders, activity books and posters. The kits will be available for purchase soon. A CFL Charlie costume, pictured at left, will be available for Touchstone Energy co-ops to rent or purchase in the coming months. A variety of eco-friendly promotional items featuring CFL Charlie, such as magnets, rulers and lunch bags, will be part of the list of items co-ops can purchase.

Stay tuned for more details! Contact Kristine Jackson-DeJarnette with questions at kristine.jackson@nreca.coop or 703.907.5633.

Connect 2008 Hits the Mark with Attendees

Attendees at the Connect 2008 Conference, held May 13-15 in Portland, Oregon, came away from the event with new ideas, knowledge and energy, and were treated to a lineup of top-notch speakers and experts during the general sessions and learning labs.

The conference opened on a high note with motivational speaker Nido Qubein and Touchstone Energy’s Jim Bausell, who presented the brand’s latest advertising and communications campaign, “The Conversation.” Other general session speakers included James Greathouse, director of internal communications at Starbucks Coffee, cultural anthropologist Jennifer James, Dan Bartel of the Electric Power Research Institute, and comedian Joel Zeff.

“I found the speakers at the conference inspiring and took back so much good information from the various learning labs I attended,” said Jeb Hockman of the Virginia, Maryland and Delaware Association of Electric Cooperatives. “Effective communication is vital for our network. The Connect conference is the one opportunity for all of us to get together and share concerns, ideas and strategies to fulfill our roles as communications professionals.”

Attendees participated in 26 cross-functional learning labs, featuring topics ranging from price increase communications to photography to NRECA’s Our Energy, Our Future campaign. Touchstone Energy Cooperatives sponsored five of the sessions and covered information on brand resources like the Co-op Connections member benefit program, energy efficiency tools and a new employee training activity (stay tuned for more details).

Touchstone Energy also sponsored a morning breakfast featuring Rachel’s Challenge, a school and community program named after Rachel Scott, a victim of the Columbine High School shootings. The program’s goal is to inspire both young people and adults to make positive changes in the way they treat others, starting a “chain reaction of kindness.”

An evening reception at the Evergreen Aviation and Space Museum capped off the conference.

“Connect 2008 was a great conference. I especially enjoyed the learning labs. It was great to participate in the new Touchstone Energy employee training activity and learn more about the Co-op Connections program and how other cooperatives are enhancing the value of cooperative membership. I look forward to next year’s event,” said Charles McDonald of Duck River EMC (Shelbyville, Tenn.).

Many of the conference presentations have been posted on the Connect 2008 Web site.

Three Honored As Brand Champions

Touchstone Energy Cooperatives recognized three brand leaders at the Connect 2008 Conference. The 2008 Touchstone Energy Brand Champions were selected for their outstanding efforts and continuous commitment to building the brand at the local and regional level.

Eddie McKnight, Berkeley Electric Cooperative

Eddie has been dedicated to the brand since its earliest days. His unwavering leadership of the Standards and Best Practices Committee helped redefine the committee’s role and has led to significant contributions and enhancements to the brand as a whole. Under Eddie’s guidance, the committee developed the Best Practices Knowledgebase, an online library of proven best practices that provides a foundation for operational improvement—and increased member satisfaction and loyalty—at co-ops. Back home, Eddie has worked diligently to connect the Touchstone Energy Cooperatives brand to Berkeley Electric. His efforts have include the Touchstone Energy Million Dollar Hole in One Golf Tournament, local television advertising the Co-op Connections card and participating local merchants, and the Touchstone Energy Student of the Month program, which showcases students who demonstrate one or more of Touchstone Energy’s core values.

Jeff Pardeck, White River Valley Electric Cooperative 

Jeff is a driving force for Touchstone Energy Cooperatives brand awareness in his region. He has aggressively worked to implement Touchstone Energy resources at his co-op and to engage and educate the members of the community about co-ops and the brand. Jeff has led numerous successful community events, during which the brand is always visible. His “White River Home Energy Efficiency Makeover” video, originally started as a means to educate and assist co-op members, has aired on the Vacation Channel and is now available nationwide. The video actively promotes the brand and its values throughout.  Jeff has also worked tirelessly to increase member satisfaction by consistently utilizing the co-op’s American Customer Satisfaction Index score as an internal benchmark. 

Dennis Gad, Basin Electric Power Cooperative

Dennis has been an active and resourceful advocate for the brand since its inception. He currently serves as a member of the brand’s Regional Partners and Strategic Communications Advisory Committees. His efforts at generating visibility and excitement about the brand have been seen across North Dakota and many other parts of the co-op network. Dennis has produced videos, initiated event sponsorships and coordinated regional advertising efforts—all in the name of communicating about co-ops and the Touchstone Energy Cooperatives brand. Dennis promotes the brand anywhere he can find a place for it—be it on civic center scoreboard, through photography and other print materials, at professional fishing events or at the Norsk Hostfest, a large Scandinavian heritage event where Basin Electric is an annual sponsor.

Co-op Connections Rolls Out Two New National Discounts

The Co-op Connections member benefit program has added two new businesses to its list of national discount deals.

Guardian by Generac Power Systems now extends exclusive rebates up to $300 to Co-op Connections cardholders when they purchase a Guardian Automatic Standby Generator.

Cruises Inc., an online cruise booking and search engine, offers cardholders various discounts up to 50 percent, including upgrades, onboard credits and discounted shore excursions.

For complete details on these and other national discount deals, visit the Co-op Connections Web site or contact Scott Bialick at 703.907.5627/ scott.bialick@nreca.coop.

Sign Up by June 13 For Next Co-op Connections Card Print Run

Don't miss out on the incredible savings enjoyed by co-ops members nationwide. Plan to join the 159 Touchstone Energy co-ops already taking advantage of the Co-op Connections member benefit program during the upcoming card and key fob production run.

The program has attracted tremendous interest from businesses in co-op communities (more than 11,000 merchants nationwide offer discounts), and offers more than 50 national discounts, including the popular pharmacy discount, which qualifies co-ops members for savings on prescriptions at more than 56,000 retail pharmacy locations.

Orders for the second production run of the year are due June 13, 2008, with cards and key fobs set to deliver in early September. To place an order, fill out the attached form and follow the instructions on the form to submit electronically. A production schedule for this and future print runs and proposed pricing is available to help with the budgeting for your co-op's launch.

Learn more about this program by visiting the Co-op Connections section of the Touchstone Energy Web site. Contact Scott Bialick with questions about the program and production run at 703.907.5627 or scott.bialick@nreca.coop.

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