From the Desk of Richard Putnicki, Executive Director, RMEL

RMEL MARCH MADNESS IS A SOLID BET
Attend Events for Safety, Generation, Transmission and Distribution

Basketball Madness starts this week. As teams prepare to bring their “A” game to the post-season, the RMEL Education Committees have compiled a "tournament-ready" schedule of conferences this month!  With two successful events already completed, I extend congrats to the work and engagement of the Generation Committee for the Power Supply Planning and Projects Conference and Roundtable, and to the Transmission Committee for the Transmission Planning and Operations Conference. Both Committees compiled the right speakers and content that allowed the attendees to explore current trends, relevant projects and market perspectives of our changing industry. Next week, we’ll look at industry best practices for emerging technologies during the Distribution Overhead and Underground Operations and Maintenance Conference, March 21-22. We close out the month with the ever so important topic to our industry and our Association — safety! Safety is not a sometimes thing. Safety must be at the forefront in everything we do. Our Safety Conference theme, Everyone's a Leader, reminds us we all have a part in contributing to an effective safety program. Join us and learn from industry peers at the 2018 RMEL Safety Conference, March 28-29.  We assure you that the conference will dive into the challenges we face today and safety best practices. I would encourage you to click on the links to get a more detailed summary of our events. The RMEL Section Education Committees, comprised of our membership, keep the content relevant and current. Hats off to them for the work and contributions they provide. Please keep up the good work, everyone! No matter what happens to your bracket this month, you will be a winner in attending the RMEL events.

FIRST-OF-ITS-KIND RMEL COLLABORATION
The Distribution Line Design Workshop You’ve Been Looking For

Registration is now open — the Association for Utility Line Design Professionals, also known as UtilityLDPros, in collaboration with RMEL and Collaborative Learning, Inc., is offering a comprehensive, 4-day line design training program that you won’t want to miss. RMEL member utilities will be asked to complete a short survey to assist in the presentation content. Those completing the survey will receive a copy of the tabulated results. Please contact our office if you are interested in participating. Space is limited to ensure a quality learning experience for the brand-new RMEL offering. The Best Practices in Overhead Distribution Line Design Workshop coming to Colorado, April 23-26. We hope to see you there!

RMEL’s 2018 SPRING MANAGEMENT, ENGINEERING AND OPERATIONS CONFERENCE
Leading to New Heights — Chart Your Course for Tomorrow’s Energy Innovations

Join your electric energy peers in Keystone, CO, May 20-22, to discover the latest technology, best practices and solutions for Generation, T&D and Management.

Kirk Lippold, Former Commander of the USS Cole, will set the tone of the conference as the 2018 Spring Conference Keynote Speaker. He was in command of the USS Cole when it was targeted by a deadly al Qaeda terrorist attack in 2000, 11 months before 9/11. His team training prior to the attack and unflappable leadership afterward galvanized his crew to action, resulting in lives and the ship being saved. 

The Spring Conference program of 25-plus timely and relevant technical sessions is designed from the very start by RMEL members collectively discussing the biggest engineering and operations questions and struggles they are facing at all levels of their utility. The best ideas make the cut, and from there members find the people who have the answers. When conference attendees leave Keystone on May 22, they will have something new in their toolbox to help address those big struggles.

YOU ARE BUILDING THE LEADERSHIP OF THE FUTURE
Thank You to Everyone Who Submitted RMEL Emerging Leader Award Nominations

We had a record number of Emerging Leader Award Nominations this year, and I really thank you all for stepping up to represent those who are making an impact in the industry and at your organizations. The Board of Directors is excited to honor these outstanding individuals, and I think that the high number of nominations is a great sign of leaders developing leaders across the power industry. Well done! 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, 2018 winners, along with past winners, will be invited to a strategy session with 2018 keynote speaker, Kirk Lippold, Former Commander of the USS Cole. We will be contacting winners (and those who nominated them) soon, and announcing those winners at the 2018 Spring Conference in Keystone.

Speaking of great leaders, I would  be remiss for not acknowledging my personal and professional appreciation to Andy Ramirez for his continued contributions to RMEL. We received word this past February that Andy is retiring from El Paso Electric and turning his badge in for a fishing pole. Andy is the secondmost senior board member, with 11 years of service to the RMEL Board, and I appreciate his friendship over my past seven years at RMEL. We are anxiously awaiting the invitation to the fish fry, Andy! Best wishes to you and Mimi and enjoy your time with this new chapter as you turn of the page! 

As we're all still adjusting our mental clocks to “spring-forward,” I am energized by all of the upcoming opportunities for RMEL members to share and learn from each other to hopefully make the mounting challenges ahead easier. Please check out our upcoming events and we hope to see you soon here in Denver and up in Keystone!