From the Desk of Richard Putnicki, Executive Director, RMEL

Welcome to 2018! I hope you enjoyed a wonderful holiday season with your family and friends. We are excited about the many opportunities that lie ahead in 2018!

We are kicking off our first event of the year next week, the Introduction to the Electric Utility Workshop on January 18. We have the largest crowd ever registered for this event, and I think that’s a indication of the many, many talented new people that are being drawn to our industry. Our organizations are engaging them immediately through effective and efficient onboarding processes. We are excited that RMEL can be a part of that. The member companies are sending new and non-technical employees to the RMEL community because you, the RMEL members, are a strong network and a valuable resource for each other. This is great start to a collaborative culture and long career for these employees in our industry. We are at a pivotal moment in our industry, filled with change and opportunity; and best of all, we are embracing it!

I would be remiss if I didn’t acknowledge the Introduction to the Electric Utility Workshop instructor Steve Sax. Steve has presented this class for RMEL over the past 13 years, with just under 900 attendees over the span of those years. Again, a true representation of the quality of folks we have in our industry! Thank you, Steve!  And we, and our membership,  look forward to many more. 

This is just the beginning…here are some other RMEL happenings that I think you’ll find useful. There’s something for everyone!

Who is Innovating to Move the Industry Forward?
RMEL will Honor Emerging Leaders – Nomination Deadline is February 28!

Now is a great time to start thinking about who you’d like to nominate for RMEL’s Emerging Leader Award. The deadline to submit 2018 nominations is February 28, 2018. This industry is not short on challenges, and as your team stays nimble and gets the job done – who is the person that really takes it to the next level? The RMEL Awards Program is not just about the award plaque – this program provides an important acknowledgement for your staff as you build your leadership pipeline. The esteemed group of Emerging Leader Award recipients are a valued and respected group at RMEL, and we look for opportunities to engage these folks and help them meet their potential. For example, at the Spring Management, Engineering Operations Conference the last two years, Emerging Leader Award winners had the unique opportunity to participate in strategy session with 2016 keynote speaker Mark Eaton, former NBA All Star, and 2017 keynote speaker Tom Osborne, Former Head Football Coach and Athletic Director, University of Nebraska. Make sure your organization and your best people are part of this group.

Emerging Leader Award winners participated in strategy sessions with Spring Conference keynote speakers Mark Eaton, former NBA All Star (2016 keynote), and Tom Osborne, Former Head Football Coach and Athletic Director, University of Nebraska (2017 keynote).

How Can We Add New Talent to the Industry as we Tackle the Unknown?
RMEL Foundation’s Scholarship Program – Deadline is February 8

Please help spread the word about RMEL Foundation scholarship opportunities! RMEL member companies are the primary avenue by which these scholarships are promoted. Applicants must complete the online scholarship application. Scholarship eligibility and general information are available here. The online application must be completed by February 8, 2018. Over the past 17 years, 270 scholarships have been awarded totaling more than $667,000. The RMEL Foundation is making a difference, and we thank you for your generous donations and promotion of the scholarship program, especially those who donated during the RMEL Foundation Auction at the 2017 Fall Executive Leadership and Management Convention.

Where Can We Talk About What Works?
RMEL Has Technical Events for Safety, Generation, Transmission, Distribution and Vital Issues

We kick off 2018 events next week with the Introduction to the Electric Utility Workshop. This is a great event to introduce non-technical employees to this amazing industry. Join us January 30-31 down in Tempe, AZ, for the Physical and Cyber Security Conference, where we will look at proactive strategies to protect American power. A free Safety Roundtable will be held at Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association on February 23. March is when we really start to get technical, starting with the Power Supply Planning and Projects Conference and Roundtable March 7-8 – this is the place to discuss and navigate the changing generation landscape. The Transmission Planning and Operations Conference and Roundtable, covering new technology, asset management and data analytics, will be March 14-15. Then we’ll look at engineering, operations and design best practices during the Distribution Overhead and Underground Operations and Maintenance Conference and Roundtable March 21-22. To round out RMEL’s "March Madness,” the Safety Conference and Roundtable will be held March 28-29, 2018.

Let’s get started! It’s going to be a great year.