2022 NEXT Conference Program

           
Monday | January 31, 2022 (Pacific Time)

Pre-Conferences    |   8:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.

Improving Member Experience With Key Accounts & Building Trusted Relationships
Key accounts are a cooperative’s largest energy users. Their contribution to state and local economies is significant. The whole membership benefits from the infrastructure investments made to support key accounts. Competition is increasing; as are member knowledge and expectations. Establishing trusted advisor relationships improves key account member experience and profits all stakeholders. 

The Rural Community of the Future
Join this engaging workshop focused on trends, technologies and initiatives that drive growth for rural America.  Learn about smart tech, 3D printing, broadband and community needs that advance the cooperative mission to make life better in our communities. 

Energy Manager Connect & Lunch    |    11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

Welcome Energy Managers!
Connect with your peers during a private lunch to welcome you to the 2022 NEXT Conference program.


General Session I    |    1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.

Welcome to 2022 NEXT Conference
Jana Adams, Executive Director, Touchstone Energy Cooperative, Inc.

Better Together
Justin Ganschow, Caterpillar, Inc
Humans have evolved to be connected to others who share a common purpose.  Together we can achieve more than any of us can accomplish alone.  But being together isn’t always easy.  How we interact and work as leaders and employees, members of cross-functional teams, and collections of departments in an organization impacts our ability to create safer and more efficient work cultures. The pandemic changed the way we interacted, lead and managed business, which made it more difficult to connect.  And as physical separation increased the division in society between groups with different beliefs, parallels could be found in the workplace.

The Innovation Mandate
Nick Webb, Author & Inventor  |  Keynote 
In today’s ultracompetitive marketplace, the difference between success and failure is innovation. From small entrepreneurial startups to global Fortune 500 companies, innovation--the steady flow of new ideas--drives sustained success. It allows a company to introduce new products and services, effectively connect with customers, sharpen the supply chain, efficiently manage finances, and hire and retain the best people. Without a steady stream of new ideas, even the best company will slow down, atrophy, lose market share, hemorrhage customers, and eventually close or be sold.

Expo Grand Opening & NEXTworking Break  |  3:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Enter our expo center and see the cutting edge energy solutions that our sponsoring companies can offer. 
 

Breakout Sessions    |    3:30 p.m. - 4:45 p.m.

1) Go Electric!  |  Dive into the growing world of Beneficial Electrification and learn how businesses & communities can electrify their lives with energy efficiency and technology. 
 
2) Battery Storage Keeps Going and Going  |  The ability to store megawatts worth of energy for when you need it is disrupting the entire energy landscape.  Hear from utilities and turn key solution providers of how they've leveraged this evolving technology. 

3) Crucial Conversations: Power Continuity & Disaster Recovery  |  Join the conversation to double down on how we can strengthen the resiliency of the grid and be prepared for natural disasters and recovery measures. 
 

Welcome Cocktail Reception   |   5:00 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.

Enjoy light fare as we welcome you to the mountains of Indian Wells, California.  Get reacquainted with good friends and make new connections and potential dinner plans. 
Tuesday | February 1, 2022 (Pacific Time)

General Session II    |    9:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.

Community Focused Technology
Zachary Mannheimer, Alquist 3D 
Hear from 3D printing pioneer and founder of Alquist about the importance of embracing community wide technologies to re-invent and develop rural America. 

NextMapping: The Future is Human
Chery Cran  |  Keynote 
Using key strategies to help you navigate the future of humanity and tech — Cheryl will help you map out what’s next for your company, your leaders and your teams and plan what to do to be future ready now. Never before have workplaces had so much ambiguity, uncertainty and constant change. Workers are challenged with doing more with less, learning at the speed of disruption and working with diverse situations. There is a massive opportunity for leaders to create the future for themselves and their teams. 

Legislative Forces Driving Industry Change
Hear from NRECA's Senior Vice President of Government Relations as he checks the vital signs that shed insight into the legislative landscape and economic impacts we could face in 2022. 
Innovation & NEXTworking Showcase  |  11:00 a.m. - Noon.
Enter our networking room and see the cutting edge energy solutions that our sponsoring companies can offer. 
Lunch  |  Noon - 1:15 p.m.
All attendees are welcome.


Breakout Sessions    |    1:30 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.

4) Electric Vehicles  |  Hear about medium and heavy duty sector of electric vehicles and the evolving infrastructure to support the club of EVs. 

5) What's NEXT? Technology Shocks  |  Learn how technology will continue the transform the world over the next five years. 

6) Carbon Capture  |  See the incredible progress that has been made in turning CO2 emissions into usable products, including contests, like Carbon XPRIZE, who recently awarded up to $20M to winners. 
 
Expo & NEXTworking Break  |  3:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Enter our expo center and see the cutting edge energy solutions that our sponsoring companies can offer. 

 

General Session III    |    3:30 p.m. - 4:45 p.m.

The National Energy Manager Perspective
Bryan Singletary  |  Keynote & Engagement Moderator
Join master key accounts trainer, Bryan Singletary, as he brings the audience on a journey from the perspective of a national energy manager.  Hear from an engaged panel of national energy managers about their priorities, strategies and goals. 
2022 NEXT Conference Evening Reception   |   6:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.

Enjoy the beautiful Hyatt Regency Resort and surrounding mountain views of Indian Wells, California. Network and connect with your colleagues and peers as we celebrate member relationships. 
Wednesday | February 2, 2021 (Pacific Time)

Breakout Sessions    |    9:00 a.m. - 10:15 a.m.

7) Local Loads: Serving Essential Accounts  |  Cooperatives serve many types of key accounts, including those that are the heartbeat of community life.  Learn the best practices of serving local loads (schools, hospitals, government buildings and more). 

8) Corporate Mandates & Green Goals  |  Aggressive and time sensitive sustainability goals are driving many projects at the C&I, state and federal levels.  Hear how utilities and key accounts can partner to break through the noise and make these dreams a reality.  

9) Cybersecurity & Big Data  |  What keeps you up at night?  Join a conversation around the locked down world of cybersecurity and how to manage and interpret big data. 
 

General Session IV    |    10:15 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.

The R Factor: Leadership, Culture & Behaviors
Focus3  |  Keynote
Hear from one of the most sought after speakers from Focus3 while they share how organizations are constantly changing. Technologies emerge, competitors arise, and markets transform. Programs and initiatives come and go. The heart of performance will always be found in how people Manage the R.
 
Wednesday | February 2, 2021 (Pacific Time)

Networking Activities    |    Noon - 5:00 p.m.

Palm Springs Aerial Tramway ($125)  |  Enjoy the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway, the world's largest rotating tram car, that travels over two-and-one-half miles along the breathtaking cliffs of Chino Canyon, transporting riders to the pristine wilderness of the Mt. San Jacinto State Park.  Once you reach the Mountain Station - elevation 8,516 feet - enjoy two restaurants, observation decks, natural history museum, two documentary theatres, gift shop and over 50 miles of hiking trail.  Transportation, lunch and activity is included.

Jeep Tour, San Andreas Fault Zone ($225)  |  Extraordinary scenery abounds as your Big Red Jeep winds its way through the labyrinth of geological cuts and canyons of the San Andreas Fault Zone.  Along the way your naturalists guide will describe the plants, animals, geology, and seismology of the San Andreas Fault.  Transportation, lunch and activity is included. 

Palm Springs Golf Outing ($250)   |  Hit the links at the beautiful Indian Wells Golf Course, ranked in the Top 25 "Best Municipal Courses in the United States" by Golfweek Magazine. The Celebrity Course & Players Course AKA "Beauty and the Beast" have hosted Golf Channel's Big Break and the PGA's Skins Game.  Network with your fellow NEXT attendees as you battle other foursomes in friendly competition.  Transportation, green fees, golf cart, lunch is included.  Golf club rentals not included.