From the Desk of RMEL Executive Director Rick Putnicki

GET READY FOR RMEL'S SPRING CONFERENCE - WHEN CHALLENGES BECOME OPPORTUNITIES

It’s almost here! RMEL’s first In-Person Spring Management, Engineering & Operations Conference since 2019! It has been a long wait for us to finally get back together again. There is no substitute for the opportunity to share experiences in person! Let’s take a minute and celebrate the ways you all have turned challenges into opportunities! The 2022 Spring Conference is set for May 9-11th in Austin, Texas! Join us to learn more about the latest trends in technology, best practices and solutions for our electric energy industry. Download the brochure with full presentation details, check out the online grid for a quick snapshot of presentations and register online.

ROOMS ARE FILLING UP FAST - BOOK YOUR HOTEL ROOM AT THE HYATT REGENCY AUSTIN

SPECIAL NOTE: RMEL’s room block is approaching capacity and the rate will not be available once we hit that number and/or after the deadline of April 15, 2022, so please be sure to book your room before April 15, 2022! If you are having any issues booking your room with the hotel, please contact the RMEL office at (303) 865-5544. A special room rate of $235 is available. The best way to book your room is online, but you can call (512) 477-1234 and mention “RMEL.” The reservation deadline to receive this rate is April 15, 2022. You must mention you are making your reservation as part of the RMEL room block when calling the hotel. By not doing so, you may be incorrectly told that the hotel is full or quoted a different room rate. If the contracted room block is not met, RMEL is financially liable for penalties. Government Employees: If you make your reservation at the federal government rate, please be sure to mention you are part of RMEL so you will be counted towards the room block.

JOHNNY QUINN, U.S. OLYMPIAN AND FORMER PROFESSIONAL NFL FOOTBALL PLAYER TO KEYNOTE RMEL’S SPRING CONFERENCE

The "tone” will be set for the 2022 Spring Management, Engineering & Operations Conference by high energy Keynote Speaker Johnny Quinn, U.S. Olympian and Former Professional NFL Football Player.

Johnny Quinn is a highly sought-after speaker for businesses and organizations of all sizes. He is a U.S. Olympian in the sport of bobsled and competed at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia. Johnny is also a former pro football player, spending time with the NFL’s Buffalo Bills, Green Bay Packers and Saskatchewan Roughriders of the CFL. Toyota, Chick-fil-A, Cisco, Wells Fargo, Southwest Airlines, Zillow, LiftMaster, Fiserv and Lockheed Martin are a few clients that have hired him to speak, and he has delivered a TEDx Talk on "Understanding the Olympic Mindset." Johnny has been featured on various media outlets around the world, such as: ABC, BBC, CBS, CNN, ESPN, FOX, NBC, TIME, USA Today and the Wall Street Journal. Johnny’s newest book, PUSH: Breaking through the Barriers is available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Target. Johnny, his wife Amanda and their two children, Amelia and Oliver, reside in McKinney, Texas.

Johnny Shares a Message of How to Think Like an Olympian

Johnny has an athletic background that has opened the door to many opportunities. He is a U.S. Olympian in the sport of bobsled and competed at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia. He has traveled the world with Team USA and competition has taken him to Austria, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Russia and Switzerland. Competing, living and interacting within different cultures around the world has provided a unique perspective, and ability, to connect with today’s diverse workforce.

DAY 2 KEYNOTE: RESTORING TRUST, BRADLEY JONES, INTERIM PRESIDENT & CEO, ERCOT

Winter Storm Uri was a major coast-to-coast storm that spread snowfall and damaging ice from the Northwest into the South, Midwest and Northeast Feb. 12-16, 2021. The storm was followed by the coldest temperatures in decades in the south-central states. In Texas, Winter Storm Uri created a severe weather and freeze event with catastrophic impacts to the state’s power grid. Brad will discuss ERCOT’s operational and process changes to improve reliability and restore trust.

This session will be an interactive and dynamic discussion with a large focus on open Q&A with the audience.

SPRING CONFERENCE REGISTRATION PACKAGES ARE AVAILABLE

We are very excited to bring back the in-person RMEL Spring Conference experience, and we are offering RMEL Members the following discounts for in-person registrations. Please note that at this time, we do not plan to provide a Livestream/Virtual registration option for the Spring Conference sessions.

Member Full Conference Registration Rate is $595
After 5 paid, the registration would be reduced to $495
After 10 Full Paid Registrations, the price would be $395

All Company Employee Registration is $4,995
ALL EMPLOYEES eligible to attend if they pre-register.

For more information and to take advantage of this discount, please contact RMEL at (303) 865-5544 or info@rmel.org.

We look forward to seeing you in Austin! Register and download the brochure today!

HYBRID PANEL & ROUNDTABLE: DECARBONIZATION
April 14th, Overland Park, Kansas (Attend Virtually or In-Person)

RMEL will be hosting a panel and roundtable at Black & Veatch (Overland Park, KS) to discuss topics directly related to decarbonizing the Power Generation. This event will be of interest to anyone involved in generation planning, engineering and operations. Attendees will have the ability to participate in person, or remotely through an online conference. The Power Generation industry continue to march towards a low-carbon future. Many renewable generation sources are intermittent, making energy storage crucial to achieving the goal. EPRI will present an overview of the current energy storage technologies and the economic evaluation of options. Siemens will provide their perspective on hydrogen as a carbon-free fuel source and technologies associated with generating and utilizing hydrogen. Black & Veatch will present carbon capture technologies and applications in power generation. Thank you to Black & Veatch for partnering with RMEL to host this event!

2022 RMEL SAFETY CONFERENCE
April 19-20th, Tempe, Arizona

Safety is paramount in the power industry. It holds no boundaries, no rank. It is not a sometime thing. Safety must be at the forefront in everything we do. Everyone is responsible for safety. When it comes to safety, everyone’s a leader. Join us in Tempe, AZ, for the RMEL’s 2022 Safety Conference! Presentations will dive into the challenges we face today and safety best practices. Interactive roundtable discussions mixed into the program provide the opportunity to learn from each other. A special THANKS to SRP for partnering with RMEL to host this event!

CLICK HERE to download the event brochure

JOIN THE RMEL TEAM

RMEL is looking to expand their TEAM! If you know of anyone interested in building a career and being a part of this great Association team, please send me a note!

SEE YOU SOON!

We look forward to seeing everyone soon and celebrating at the first in-person Spring Conference since 2019!

Stay Safe!

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