Professional Development

- Webinars

In the world of photo editing, Lightroom Classic stands as a powerhouse of possibilities. However, mastering its intricacies can feel like a daunting journey. That’s precisely where “How Do I Do That in Lightroom Classic?” comes to the rescue. Based on Scott Kelby’s renowned work, this book is your roadmap to navigate Lightroom Classic’s extensive toolkit efficiently. No more sifting through complex theories or deciphering jargon – it’s all about clear, concise guidance on which button to click, which setting to use, and precisely when and how to use them. This webinar is a practical, no-nonsense approach designed to swiftly equip you with the necessary techniques and shortcuts to create your desired effects. So, join us in this CCA Webinar, “How do I do that? Lightroom Edition,” and let’s unravel the secrets of Lightroom Classic together, ensuring you’re never stuck again.

Participants will learn:

1. Efficient Workflow: Discover time-saving techniques to streamline your editing workflow, making the entire process smoother and more productive.
2. Editing Techniques: Learn how to apply various editing techniques, such as adjusting exposure, color correction, and enhancing details, to bring out the best in your photos.
3. Shortcut Mastery: Unlock the power of keyboard shortcuts and other time-saving features to navigate Lightroom Classic like a pro.
4. Precise Editing: Understand how to use the right tools and settings for specific editing tasks, ensuring your images look exactly as you envision them.
5. Troubleshooting: Get solutions to common editing challenges and roadblocks that users often encounter in Lightroom Classic.

Webinar participants will earn 5 points in Technical Communications Knowledge toward MCC designation or renewal.

Target Audience:

1. Photographers: Amateur and professional photographers who want to improve their photo editing skills and efficiency in Lightroom Classic.
2. Graphic Designers: Designers who work with photos, such as those in advertising, marketing, or media, looking to enhance their photo editing capabilities.
3. Photo Editing Enthusiasts: Individuals passionate about photography and post-processing who want to become more proficient in using Lightroom Classic.
4. Students and Hobbyists: Photography students and hobbyist photographers eager to expand their knowledge and skills in photo editing.
5. Small Business Owners: Entrepreneurs and small business owners who handle their own product photography or marketing visuals and wish to optimize their image editing.
6. Creative Professionals: Artists, illustrators, and creatives who incorporate photography into their work and require advanced editing techniques.

Presenters: Katelynn Baer
Katelynn Baer, or as most people know her as Kate, serves as the Associate Manager, Production – AV at GROWMARK. In her role, she is responsible for creating and reinforcing the GROWMARK System brand and image through the creation of audio, video, photography, and graphic images for multimedia applications. Additionally, she is responsible for developing and executing a creative vision for the GROWMARK System using multimedia tools. Katelynn’s visual storytelling journey goes back many years, but in 2019 she finally decided to take the next step and now has her own business — Katelynn Baer, Photographer — and has turned a life-long love of photography and videography into a lasting career at GROWMARK.

You know social media is essential, but are you intimidated by vertical video, algorithms or the sheer number of social media platforms your audience uses? Social media platforms and trends are constantly changing, and it can be difficult to keep up. Pioneer Utility Resources helps cooperatives shine on social media, and we want to help you learn what’s new in social media and give you our tried-and-true methods to make social media work for your cooperative. We’ll also discuss what’s no longer working and how co-op communicators can maximize their time.

Participants will learn about what’s new in the world of social media, as well as Pioneer Utility Resources’ best practices we use for our clients on a daily basis. Communicators who have limited capacity or bandwidth can also learn how to use their time effectively and prioritize what’s going to be most effective for their cooperative.

Webinar participants will earn 5 points in Media Relations toward MCC designation or renewal.

Target Audience:
Cooperative communicators who use social media but would like to take their cooperatives’ accounts to the next level.

Presenters: Sydney Turner and Katie Teems Norris
Sydney Turner, Pioneer Utility Resources’ Director of Social Media, began supporting electric co-ops on social media in 2016. She enjoys reading, writing letters, listening to records on her turntable, studying American Presidents, and traveling as much as she can. Her most recent trip was to Greece!

Katie Teems Norris, Pioneer Utility Resources’ Social Media Content & Account Lead, is a third-generation cooperative employee. She started her career as a communicator for metro-Atlanta electric cooperative Coweta-Fayette EMC in 2016. Katie is loving life in New Mexico with her husband and three cats. In her free time, she enjoys writing, singing and listening to live bands.

Want to plan meetings that are meaningful and engaging? Join us to learn how you can take small steps to make meetings have the outcomes you are looking for and keep meeting attendees engaged for both in-person and virtual settings.

This webinar will provide participants with:

• An understanding of what makes an effective meeting.
• Tools to keep meetings on track and produce outcomes.
• Ideas to manage meeting discussions.

Webinar participants will earn 5 points in Planning & Programs toward MCC designation or renewal.

Target Audience:

Anyone who is responsible for organizing and running meetings.

Presenters: Wendy Volkert
Wendy Volkert is the Senior Director of Member Relations at Wisconsin Farm Bureau. In her role, she organizes and facilitates leadership development and training programs for members across the state. Over the past 12 years at WFBF, she has had the opportunity to work with Farm Bureau leaders to help them move their meetings from mediocre to meaningful.

Do you find yourself spending precious time and energy overcoming resistance to change? Not just once, but again and again? Managing complaints, negative energy (aka drama)? Attend this session and get insight into why resisters resist, and what to do about it. Resistance will always exist. Shift from frustration and exhaustion to clarity and purpose.

Participants will learn the most common factors leading to change failure; what resistance is, and what typically causes it; and how to increase resilience and a positive orientation to change.

Target Audience:

Communication experts.

Presenters: Cyndi Wentland

Cyndi is the Founder of Intentionaleaders, an organization that fosters growth, development, and passion in leaders at all levels of experience.  An avid teacher and learner, she believes that with the right tools, resources, and support anyone can learn to be a phenomenal leader regardless of title or role.

She’s spent the last three decades in large and small corporations across a variety of industries, teaching business courses at the college level, providing executive coaching and as a solo entrepreneur.

Cyndi has a Bachelor of Science degree in Education from the University of Wisconsin Madison, and an MBA from Edgewood College. She’s an authorized partner and facilitator for Everything DiSC^©, the Meyers-Briggs Type Inventory^©, Management Research Groups Leadership 360, is a certified coach through the Life Coach School, and has been certified as a Virtual Presenter by eSpeakers.

Choosing the best gear for the job can be overwhelming, especially since almost all brick-and-mortar camera stores have disappeared.  In this webinar, participants will learn how to purchase gear that is the best fit for the job.

Robin will provide participants with the knowledge to help them decide which camera, lenses, cards, mics and tripod to purchase.

Webinar participants will earn 5 points in Technical Communications Knowledge

Target Audience:
Any communicator who is charged with capturing images, sound, and video.

Presenters: Robin Conover
Robin recently retired as editor of The Tennessee Magazine and V.P. of Communications for the Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association. She’s began working at TECA in 1988. Hired as a communications specialist, Robin also has served as photojournalist and production manager.

Robin is best known for her award-winning photojournalism that has appeared monthly during the past 34 years in The Tennessee Magazine. Teaching others how to improve their photography is also a passion of Robin’s. She leads photography workshops for cooperatives across the country.

Conover’s work has received numerous awards in both the Cooperative Communicators Association and the Statewide Editors Association. She has earned the Photographer of the year honors eight times and received the 2017 H.E. Klinefelter Award from the Cooperative Communicators Association.

A defensible budget stands up to scrutiny, aligns with strategic direction, and adapts to marketplace challenges. Join JuliAnn Graham and Allan Reetz to learn how to take the stress out of your budget process and put clarity in. Learn how JuliAnn developed a departmental budgeting process in partnership with the cooperative’s executive team and accounting department. Allan’s annual budget receives direct scrutiny and approval by Hanover’s CEO (a former chief investment officer for HSBC in Hong Kong and London). Whether you need a refresher on sound budgeting or seek insights to tackle your first one, come learn some tips and share your own.

Participants will learn techniques for developing and maintaining a departmental budget, and defending the budget to senior leadership and board members

Handouts:

• Defensible budget bullet
• Budget Planning Example Template

Target Audience:
Anyone looking to learn more about developing and defending a budget.

 Presenters: Allan Reetz and JuliAnn Graham
Allan Reetz is Director of Public and Government Affairs at the Hanover Co-op Food Stores and Auto Service Centers of New Hampshire and Vermont. His work includes local and national advocacy for sustainable small-scale agriculture, affordable workforce housing, and equitable community transportation. Allan has been a CCA member since 2008.

As the communications manager at TCEC, an electric distribution cooperative based in the Oklahoma Panhandle, JuliAnn Graham’s team is responsible for employee and member engagement. They work on public relations, event management, sponsorships and charitable giving, community outreach, youth leadership programs, publications, promotions, and social media. JuliAnn has been a CCA member for more than ten years.

From evolving demographics and technology to the COVID-19 pandemic and the “Great Resignation,” today’s workplace is defined by change. Attendees will learn how these changes are redefining employee expectations and how co-ops can adopt new recruitment, onboarding, and employee engagement strategies to strengthen co-op culture. We’ll also look at lessons learned from two major change communications projects that can be applied to any employee communications project.

Participants will learn:

• How employee expectations are changing and how co-ops can adapt
• Fresh approaches to employer branding, onboarding and employee engagement
• Actionable communications tips and tactics from successful change management projects

The best way to improve the quality of your video is to improve the quality of your audio. Join Larry Jordan as he presents a variety of techniques to improve your audio – from picking the right mic, using the right mic the right way, recording techniques and audio editing tips. These are exactly the techniques you can put to work tomorrow to make an immediate difference in the quality of your audio; and, thus, your videos overall.

Participants will learn specific tips, tricks, and techniques to demystify audio, improve recording, and solve problems during editing.

Note: It is recommended that participants watch the webinar: Improve Your Impact by Improving Your Audio – Tips for Better Sound prior to attending this session.

Webinar participants will earn 5 points in Projects toward MCC designation or renewal.

Target Audience:
Video producers, along with anyone else needing to record audio or video as part of their job.

Presenter: Larry Jordan
Larry Jordan is a producer, director, editor, author, teacher, and Apple Certified Trainer in Digital Media with more than 45 year’s media experience with national broadcast and corporate credits. Based in Boston, he’s a member of the Directors Guild of America and the Producers Guild of America. He’s been recognized with awards as an “Industry Innovator” and “Top Corporate [Media] Producers in America.” A now-retired Adjunct Professor for ten years at USC, he’s written ten books on media and software, thousands of technical tutorials, and created hundreds of hours of video training. His latest book is: “Techniques of Visual Persuasion.”  Visit his website at: LarryJordan.com.

Audio terrifies a lot of folks, which is a shame, because the best way to improve the quality of your picture is to improve the quality of your sound. Getting great sound isn’t hard, but it does require knowing how to select and use different gear and technology. In this webinar, Larry Jordan presents an overview of what audio is, suggestions on how to choose the right gear for your projects, and techniques you need to know to make your audio sound great. (And, here’s a secret: The most important decisions you need to make to improve your audio happen BEFORE any signal touches your computer.) Bring your hardest questions, this session will change your life.

Participants will learn the components of audio and how humans hear. They will learn the different types of microphones available and when each is appropriate. They will learn how to properly record audio and some initial tips on audio mixing.  (Note: This session focuses more on recording audio.)

Webinar participants will earn 5 points in Projects toward MCC designation or renewal.

Target Audience: Anyone creating video or podcasts needs to also create clear intelligible audio with no noise or bad levels. While recording good audio isn’t difficult, all too often, audio is an afterthought with results that sound like it.

Presenter: Larry Jordan
Larry Jordan is a producer, director, editor, author, teacher, and Apple Certified Trainer in Digital Media with more than 45 year’s media experience with national broadcast and corporate credits. Based in Los Angeles, he’s a member of the Directors Guild of America and the Producers Guild of America. He’s been recognized with awards as an “Industry Innovator” and “Top Corporate [Media] Producers in America.” An Adjunct Professor at USC since 2011, he’s written ten books on media and software, thousands of technical tutorials, and created hundreds of hours of video training. His latest book is: “Techniques of Visual Persuasion.”  Visit his website at: LarryJordan.com.

‘The Art of Seeing’ is a look into the art of making a photograph. Having an eye is just as important, if not more so, than being technically able to capture it. This webinar will focus on how to see with regard to the subject, composition, background and lighting. It will not get into the weeds of ƒ-stops, shutterspeeds and ISO.

Participants will learn how to take what they see through the viewfinder, or on a smartphone screen, and refine it before they ever make an exposure. Learning a few basic techniques will help participants train their eye to see all the elements of an image before shooting.

This webinar qualifies for 5 points toward Technical Communication Knowledge for MCC designation or renewal.

Target Audience:

Anyone who communicates with still or video images will benefit from the simple techniques that will be discussed.

Presenter: Robin Conover

Robin Conover has spent several decades documenting the people and places of Tennessee with The Tennessee Magazine. After graduating from Murray State University, Robin began working for the magazine in October 1988 as a communications specialist and photojournalist. She now serves as TECA vice president of communications and editor of The Tennessee Magazine. Her interest in preserving the environment and Tennessee’s beautiful natural areas has led her down many miles of trails to capture thousands of images. Robin is currently a board member of the Friends of Radnor Lake, a nonprofit in Nashville. Robin’s images can be seen in greeting cards, calendars, books and at a few fine-art shows she participates in each year. She is also very decorated within the Cooperative Communicators Association, having won numerous titles for her writing, publications, and photography, including photographer of the year. Robin is a past Klinefelter Recipient and currently resides on the CCA Board of Directors.

Excited about the return to live events? We will talk about how to return to in-person events safely, navigating new health protocols, liability, and things to think about as you start planning your next in-person event.

Participants will learn:

• What you need to think about as you plan an event.
• How to mitigate the risk of meeting in-person.
• Questions to ask before meet in-person.
• Duty of Care requirements.
• Code of Conduct suggestions.
• How to still have some fun at your events.

Webinar participants will earn 5 points in Planning and Programs toward MCC designation or renewal.

Target Audience:

Anyone who helps plan or work a meeting or event.

Presenter: Teri Ditsch

Teri Ditsch is the Vice President of Marketing & Communications for BLUE HAWK, a purchasing cooperative of HVACR distributors.  She has planned meetings and events for the past 20 years.  The meetings she plans range from 15-person board meetings to 1,000 attendee multiple-day annual conferences.  In 2020, she became a Pandemic Compliance Advisor to help bring in-person meetings safely back to her co-op.

In a digital-first world, are your messages reaching members? Learn how to build an effective advertising strategy for the digital marketplace. We will share tips from Pioneer’s team of cooperative content strategists, covering search engine marketing, targeted social media campaigns, the role of value-driven content (video, eBooks, blogs), and the best digital tools to not only reach members but engage them and keep the conversation going.

Participants will learn how to build an effective digital advertising strategy, including:

1. Search engine marketing.
2. Targeted social media advertising campaigns.
3. Role of value-driven content.
4. Helpful digital marketing tools.

Webinar participants will earn 5 points in Projects for MCC designation or renewal.

Link to the eBook referenced by the presenters on the call:  https://www.pioneerutilityresources.com/ebooks/

Target Audience:

Communicators

Presenters:  Andy Johns, Melissa D. G. Shaw, Tina M. Potter, and Megan McKoy-Noe

Andy Johns, Director, Marketing and Business Development.
An innovative storyteller and communicator, Andy has been with WordSouth—now part of the Pioneer family of companies—since 2011. Prior to joining WordSouth, Andy was an award-winning writer at the Chattanooga Times Free Press, the Anniston Star and the Rome News-Tribune. He studied communications at Berry College and earned his MBA with a marketing focus from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. In 2019, he also earned a certification in Marketing Automation.

Melissa D. G. Shaw, Director, Social Media Content & Operations.
Melissa Gilliam Shaw is an American Marketing Association Professional Certified Marketer (PCM®) who holds a M.A.M. from Carnegie Mellon University and both a B.A. (in English) and a B.M. from Northwestern State University of Louisiana. She manages Pioneer Social, supporting almost 200 utilities with targeted social media campaigns, monitoring and content.

Tina M. Potter, a certified Digital Media Strategist, supports targeted digital advertising efforts on Pioneer’s Business Development Team. She is Google Certified, and has over fifteen years of advertising experience. Tina was born and raised in rural Mid-Missouri and lives in Jefferson City, Mo. She has a BA in Marketing, from Missouri State University.

Megan McKoy-Noe, Brand Storyteller. Megan helps utilities find ways to engage members at Pioneer, a communications cooperative. Before joining Pioneer she steered NRECA’s Straight Talk team to support electric co-ops across the nation. She got the co-op bug while working for GreyStone Power, an electric distribution co-op in Georgia. She won CCA’s Writer of the Year award twice and is a Graznak Award recipient.

Everyone knows that video is the best method of communicating your message on social media, but why aren’t your videos being seen? Much of what we were taught in school about video doesn’t work in social media. Why? Because it’s a different medium than traditional TV. What are the do’s and don’ts of making video that works in social media and how to incorporate these new methods into your production.

In this session, the participants will learn how to start with the audience in mind and then incorporate their message vs. the traditional method of starting with the message first. They will also learn how to do authentic and transparent video messaging vs. a traditional over-produced talking head with b-roll.

Webinar participants will earn 5 points in Projects for MCC designation or renewal.

Presenter: Don Schindler
Don Schindler is the Senior Vice President of Digital Innovations at DMI. Don has been teaching farmers, staff and the dairy industry how to connect with consumers using social media and digital marketing for seven years. Before coming to DMI, Don directed the Communications team at the University of Notre Dame and taught classes at the Mendoza College of Business at ND. He grew up on beef and row crop farm in southeast Missouri. and also served his country in the US Naval Submarine Service.

The presenters will address both writing a book on behalf of your co-op and writing one for yourself. Covered topics will include why the listener should consider writing and publishing a book, how the industry has changed with the onset of the Internet, traditional publishing versus self-publishing – whether to self-publish or retain a publisher, DIY tools for self-publishing, building an author platform, and more.

This webinar qualifies for 5 points toward  Publications & Writing for MCC designation or renewal.

Target Audience:
Communication professionals and writers.

Presenter: Chellie Phillips and Mark Johnson
Award-winning author Chellie Phillips combined over 20 years of corporate experience with 15 years of mentoring college students as they began their professional life to create Successfully Ever After – an online program designed to land you in the interview seat of your dream job. Get Noticed, Get Hired (Published May 2020) is packed with the proven tactics from Successfully Ever After and is designed to give you the keys to navigating a career search in today’s digital world. Her first book, When In Doubt, Delete It! was published in January 2019 and received the Author Academy Award in the Self Help Category in October of 2019.  She currently serves as the VP of Communications and PR for Coweta Fayette EMC and has been a 20+ year member of CCA.

Mark Johnson has worked as a staff and freelance writer for two decades. In 2018, he self-published his first book, “Doofus Dad Does Everest Base Camp,” followed in 2019 by his music industry memoir, “Blow the Man Down.” Johnson has also recorded audiobooks for both titles.

As demographics change, the 25-45 age segment will form the core of cooperative membership—and leadership – for the next several decades. To maintain the member focus that is essential to the cooperative business model, co-ops must adapt to the values, interests and service expectations of this essential member group amidst stiff market competition.

Learn more about connecting with young adult members in this webinar that covers:
• Why it is important to engage the young adult member audience (and how to make the business case to co-op leaders)
• Key research findings and recommendations from the Young Adult Member Engagement Initiative
• How co-op products and services align with young adult values and interest areas
• Simple steps co-ops can take to more effectively engage this age group

Participants will come away with the business case for engagement; overview of research findings in the electric co-op industry and implications for the larger co-op market; greater understanding of the values and interests of young adult (25-45) members; characteristics of this cohort and overview of how to engage this group.

Target Audience:
Anyone in the cooperative community that engages with members and especially those with an interest in engaging with young adult (25-45) members of the co-op.

Presenter: Anne Prince
With more than 25 years of public affairs experience, Anne Prince is the Member Communications Manager for NRECA. Anne has developed a variety of tools and resources such as the Communications Planning and Crisis Preparedness Toolkits along with content for Young Adult Member Engagement for NRECA, among others. Anne provides strategic counsel, positioning and messaging guidance and has written about issues relating to the electric utility industry and topics impacting rural America.

Presenter: Dr./Commander Mary Kelly

Presenter: Mark Johnson

Mark Johnson shows you how each month, he builds the CCA Connect newsletter in the WordPress platform using a popular CMS (or theme) called Enfold. Participants will learn the basic principles of web development within the WordPress environment as well as some valuable tips for content creation.

Presenter: Chuck Zimmerman

This webinar will focus on the fundamentals of starting and promoting a podcast as well as measurement options. Reasons to create a podcast are offered with multiple examples. There is also be some discussion on the technical elements of podcasting, including equipment to create a quality sounding program.

Presenter: Beth Ziesenis “Your Nerdy Best Friend”

Exasperated by email? Peeved about passwords? Tired of tedious tasks? You’re not alone. Join Your Nerdy Best Friend, aka Author Beth Ziesenis, for a research-based look of common productivity problems, followed by the technology to solve them. Discover how to use free and bargain technology tools you never knew existed to work more efficiently with your teams, get organized and finally get stuff done. Learn more about Beth at: http://www.yournerdybestfriend.com.

Presenter: Stu Crair

Participants will earn 5 points in the Technical Communications Knowledge category for MCC designation or renewal.

Presenter: Bill Carberry

Participants will earn 5 points in the Projects category for MCC designation or renewal.

Presenter: Megan McKoy-Noe, CCC

Participants will earn 5 points in the Planning and Programs category for MCC designation or renewal.

Presenter: Lani Jordan, Principle, Lani Jordan Strategic Communications

As communicators, we have the opportunity to make ourselves invaluable contributors to our co-op’s success. That, however, means shifting our mindsets from being order takers or simply telling engaging stories to aligning what we do to the organization’s overall business goals. Strategic communication planning can help our co-op’s build strong, successful future and demonstrate the value of investing in the communication team.

In this session, participants will learn:

• The value of aligning communication to their cooperatives’ business goals for the organization and in positioning the
• communication team and its members as an integral part of the co-op’s success.
• Practical tips for creating a strategic communication plan, working with leadership and measuring your success.

This webinar is designed for those who are early to mid-career co-op communicators with a desire to be viewed as valuable strategic thought leaders and essential contributors to their co-op’s success.

Presenter: Don Schindler

While it doesn’t take anything to pull your phone out and make a video, it does take some planning in order to make a video that someone would actually want to share on social media. Unfortunately, corporate communications continue to use talking heads, flat b-roll, and few cuts to tell their story and then wonder why it doesn’t go anywhere. This webinar will review what really works and how you can incorporate it into your next video project. Discover what modern sharable videos are made of. Learn which software to use and get basic tips on how to make your visual storytelling better.

Presenter: April Farlow 

As a speaker, sixty percent of the audience has determined if you are credible before you say the first word. This informational session will provide important resources to make a positive first impression and maintain confidence throughout a presentation. We will focus on how to be one of the rare presenters that engages the audience. In this session, you will learn how to:

• Gain trust from the moment you walk in the door
• Use body language to gain credibility
• Basic steps that demonstrate confidence

Whether you are a beginner looking to gain knowledge or an experienced speaker who needs to refresh skills and eliminate bad habits, this presentation provides insightful information for anyone who communicates with groups on a regular basis.

Presenter: Casandra Durand

RFPs? Attrition? Guarantees? This webinar will focus on more detailed tips and tricks from what to ask for in a contract to protect your organization, to how to save money on that dreaded food and beverage bill. So often marketers get thrown into the event planner role without knowing all the details that go with it. If you’re wondering what you can negotiate in a contract, things you can ask of the hotel, or how to save money on events without looking stingy, then you’ve come to the right place. We will also go over some event technology to make your life easier.

This presentation is designed for communicators who are newly involved in event planning and would like a more specific look at the logistics from the contract to event execution – particularly with a tighter budget.

Presenter: David Sheets

Do you wonder how to make your business meetings more efficient? Are you confused about rulings by the chairman in those meetings? Robert’s Rules of Order were created to make meetings more efficient and to protect the rights of all participants. In this webinar, parliamentarian Dave Sheets will help you understand how the rules can work for you and your organization. The discussion in this webinar will provide an outline of how to serve as a chairman, tricks and tips to help meetings proceed efficiently and how to encourage the members of your organization to embrace parliamentary procedure. This presentation is designed for anyone that serves on a board of directors for an organization or anyone active in an organization that is led by a board. It could be your cooperative or a church or charity you serve.

Presenter: Amber Sheridan

Not every communicator is born with the graphic design gene, sometimes you need to rely on a little help from a freelance graphic designer. Learn from fellow CCA member Amber Sheridan how she successfully works with freelance designers to fulfill all of her cooperative’s design needs.

Presenter: Jimmy Autry

Flint Energies takes its commitment to community very seriously. Between volunteer hours, in kind services and small donations, the rural electric cooperative has been involved with community activities for more than 75 years. One of those activities is the support of Little League baseball. Jimmy Autry, Senior Vice President of Member and Community Relations for Flint Energies, describes the depth of the cooperative’s investments in youth sports and other activities. From a case study, participants will decide what human and financial investments make sense for their own personal commitment to community.

Presenter: Juliann Graham

Leveraging the cooperative principles to help members understand the cooperative difference and its value is one of the primary focal points of every co-op communicator. Being a cooperative can be a competitive edge when you have loyal members who get what it means to be part of a cooperative. In this session, TCEC presents a case study showing how their communications team incorporated the cooperative principles into their communication efforts.

Participants will learn:

• How to craft a strategic plan with the cooperative principles in mind.
• How to build an editorial calendar incorporating the cooperative principles.
• Telling your story with the cooperative principles.

Presenter: Casey Hollins

Co-op communication professionals are face-to-face with learning how to reach their members as the communication channels and communication preferences continue to evolve day after day. While one annual meeting for members may have been the most effective, tried and true approach for many years, it may not allow all co-ops to continue to engage their members. Learn how one Virginia electric co-op has integrated new member engagement activities that are allowing them to reach more members in new and innovative ways, such as Telephone Town Hall Meetings, district-wide local events, social media and more. Having the flexibility within your cooperative to adapt with the changing needs and expectations of your members is essential to increasing member engagement and maintaining overall member satisfaction. This webinar highlights some of the new activities Rappahannock Electric Cooperative has integrated into its approach to enhance member engagement.

Presenter: Michelle Ricard Geans

”Nobody ever tells us anything.” If this attitude is common among a cooperative’s employees, it can be crippling. Strong internal communications are key to making every employee, from top to bottom, feel included and informed about a cooperative’s vision and direction. Informed employees are satisfied employees. Satisfied employees create satisfied members. This webinar highlights some best practices for successful internal communications, along with tips on how to incorporate new technology and “out of the box” ideas for ways to keep employees informed and increase the exchange of ideas. The webinar uses Baldwin EMC as an example of a cooperative that transitioned from being heavily focused on external communications, to a more balanced approach that places just as much, if not more emphasis on internal communications. Participants will learn the value of keeping employees in the loop, and how to let go of the old and embrace the new through technology and techniques to increase internal communications.

Presenter: KD Bryant Graham

Work, family and life’s curve balls can keep you busy. Getting through the hundreds of reminders in your smartphone is often a matter of getting smart about how you organize to maximize. Knowing which behaviors to avoid, along with some methods that best fit your lifestyle, you can get organized and maintain your sanity. Life doesn’t slow down, but sometimes it’s necessary for us to slow down in order to speed up. Just a little planning will return hours to you with an efficient, productive work day, week, month, etc. If you find yourself attending several meetings, working various communication deadlines, preparing reports, designing or taking on impromptu tasks, this is the webinar for you. You’ll learn valuable tips on managing your email, organizing your desktop, implementing hard copy and digital filing systems and determining your most efficient working days and times. Together, you’ll have a system in place to organize the multi-tasked world in which many communicators live.

Presenter: Jim McCarty

During this one hour webinar Jim McCarty, Director, Communications and Printing for the Association of Missouri Electric Cooperatives gives tips on editing, with an emphasis on communicators working in small shops or alone. Participants will learn how to determine what their mission is, what to look for, restraint in editing and resources that will make their job easier.

Presented by Lani Jordan, Director of Corporate Communications for CHS

Writing a speech – or putting the words in someone else’s mouth – is one of the most challenging assignments a communicator can receive. Jordan offers insights into preparing, writing and delivery coaching to help your speaker shine.

This webinar covers:

• How to assess whether you need a speech, PowerPoint presentation or talking points
• Analyzing an audience
• “Hearing” your speaker
• Structuring a speech
• To joke or not to joke: Useful resources

This webinar is designed for communicators with responsibility for providing speech/presentation communication support for their co-op’s senior leaders and directors.