The Spring TMEPA E&O Conference, Sponsors and Exhibitors Too?!

For the first time in the History of the E & O Group we had sponsors and exhibitors at the Spring meeting, and the response was wonderful! We gathered at the beautiful Crowne Plaza Hotel in Downtown Knoxville on April 7 and 8. We had over 90 in attendance, who represented 

Municipal power providers from all across the state. We believe this may have been one of the largest E & O Spring meetings that has been held. There were 16 Meeting Sponsors/exhibitors, most set up exhibits in the exhibit area. We always try to maximize the one on one time with our sponsors and exhibitor’s by holding breakfasts, breaks and the Social hour in the room with our exhibitors. The sponsors were all enthusiastic about the event. Torco Testing, Tom Grimes, and Kevin Simpson, graciously provided a Hospitality Suite for everyone. 

Kenneth King, Bristol TN, Chair of the E & O, welcomed all to the meeting and introduced Mike Bolin, VP of Knoxville Utility Board and he offered some welcoming remarks. The program was excellent; the spring planning committee, Philip Lim, Murfreesboro, Mark Eades, Johnson City, and Bret Burke of Benton County, along with the E & O Officers, Including Ken King, Daniel Kimbell, Clarksville, Vice Chair and Michael Cain, Jackson, Secretary, scheduled a great meeting showcasing interesting topics and speakers. Wireless Internet, A solution with No Strings attached was presented by Matt Elb and Niles Clendenon from JCPB. Kim Culpepper, Training Education Manager at TVPPA, spoke about Violence in the Workplace. After the Break, and just before the regular prize drawing, a special prize drawing was held to give away the TMEPA 50th Anniversary Meeting Registration Gift, a Wenger Backpack, it was won by Mike Debord of Morristown. Barry Batson, from EPRI, discussed the Current R & D Activities in Distribution and his presentation along with most of the others are available at the E & O section of the TMEPA website.

The planning committee and officers held the business meeting just before lunch, and the 2017 Spring Program committee was named, Jimmy Taylor, Carroll County, Brandon Hesson, Gallatin, and Ryan Trentham Lenoir City Utilities. You can look forward to a great Spring Conference.

After a great buffet lunch, the meeting continued with a field trip to the Buffalo Mountain Wind Farm, in Harriman TN. A special thank you to our friends at TVA Mark Meigs and Christin Cagle-Brooks for coordinating this special event for us. Friday Morning, started with a breakfast with the Exhibitors. The group heard from Mike Simmons, from JT & S, Jeremy Elrod from TMEPA and Danette Scudder at TVPPA. Keith Johnson from Pickwick Electric Co-Op’s topic was Large Scale Solar, The Good, The Bad and the Ugly. This was followed by JCPB’s evaluation of the LED Street Lighting, RFO to PO, by Mark Eades and Ken Edgar.

A certificate of attendance will be offered to those attendees who request it. You can view the entire program including all topics, as well as a list of our wonderful Sponsors, by clicking on this link or at the TMEPA website. Look for the E & O link in the red box on the left of the screen.

Carl Brandt and Harold Hicks our friends at Service Electric Company hosted an alternative to the Wind Farm Tour, a golf outing on Thursday afternoon at Lost Creek Golf Course, with 24 golfers participating.

Make your plans now to attend the Fall E & O Conference in Brentwood, TN at the Sheraton 4 Points, October 6 and 7, 2016.