Eastland Grand Ballroom

5:30 pm Welcome Reception, Sponsored by Altec

6:30 pm Dinner, Opening Remarks, John Gasstrom, NEAEC Board President, Educational Fund Presentations

Eastland Grand Ballroom

8 - 8:45 am Registration & Breakfast

8:45 - 9:00 am Welcome & Safety Minute - John Gasstrom, NEAEC President

9:00 - 9:45 am Keynote Address, Mike Partin, President of NRECA

9:45 - 10:00 am Break

10 - 11 am Industry Update, Jan Ahlen, VP Utility Research & Policy, CFC

11 - 11:45 am Political Action Committee (PAC) Update, Amy Lewis, NRECA
and Jeff Wright, BIUD

11:45 - 12:30 pm Lunch

12:30 - 1:30 pm Safety Starts at the Top - CEO Panel: Scott Hallowell, Michael
Jennings, Jeff Wright

1:30 - 1:45 pm Transition to Breakout Sessions

1:45 - 2:45 pm Breakout Sessions (see sections below)

2:45 - 3 pm Breakout Session Transition

3 - 4 pm Breakout Sessions (see sections below)

Winslow Homer Junior Ballroom

5:00 - 6:30 pm Vendor Expo & Reception - Sponsored by United Utility Supply

Eastland Grand Ballroom

6:30 pm Dinner

Eastland Grand Ballroom

1:45 - 2:45 pm Ratemaking in Transition: Principles, Technology, and Trends for Cooperatives,
Jason Strong, Vice President, Utility Pricing, Policy & Analytics, CFC

This session will provide an overview of the ratemaking process, beginning with the fundamentals of cost-of-service studies. We will explore how AMI data is transforming load research and ratemaking, with a focus on use cases, best practices, and the role of analytics in improving decision-making.  The presentation will conclude with an examination of emerging rate design trends for electric cooperatives, highlighting the opportunities and challenges posed by today’s rapidly changing energy environment.

Participants will gain a stronger understanding of ratemaking fundamentals, actionable insights into leveraging AMI data, and strategic perspectives on evolving rate structures that can better serve members and ensure long-term cooperative sustainability.

Hawthrone

3:00 - 4 pm Equity Management, Cathy Davison, Vice President Electric Distribution Senior
Executive of Finance, Strategy and operations, CoBank

Eastland Grand Ballroom

1:45 - 2:45 pm: Ratemaking in Transition: Principles, Technology, and Trends
for Cooperatives, Jason Strong, Vice President, Utility Pricing,
Policy & Analytics, CFC

This session will provide an overview of the ratemaking process, beginning with the fundamentals of cost-of-service studies. We will explore how AMI data is transforming load research and ratemaking, with a focus on use cases, best practices, and the role of analytics in improving decision-making.  The presentation will conclude with an examination of emerging rate design trends for electric cooperatives, highlighting the opportunities and challenges posed by today’s rapidly changing energy environment.

Participants will gain a stronger understanding of ratemaking fundamentals, actionable insights into leveraging AMI data, and strategic perspectives on evolving rate structures that can better serve members and ensure long-term cooperative sustainability.

3:00 - 4 pm Mitigating Risk, Maximizing Reliability with AI & Data, Lira Park,
Zeitview

Hawthorne

1:45 - 2:45 pm Substation Maintenance, Kevin McCutcheon, Vice President
Utility Engineering & Design, Power System Engineering

Rines A

3:00 - 4 pm Utility Tools for Educating and Engaging Members, Steve
Pascoe, NISC

Eastland Grand Ballroom

8:00 - 8:45 am
Breakfast

8:45 - 9:30 am
A Safer, Smarter Approach to Asset
Management, Eric Rajchel Willerer, Vantage Point

9:30 - 10:30 am
Economic Update - Sam Kem, CFC

10:30 - 10:45 am
Break

10:45 - 11:30 am
Federated Rural Annual Update, Lyndon Bailey & Angelea Kelly

11:30 - 12:30 pm
Lunch

12:30 - 1:30 pm
Balancing Clean Energy Goals and Cost Pressures: Market Insights, Chris Whittle, Energy and Data Analyst, CFC

1:30 - 2:15 pm
Engineering & Customer Enablement, Ilija Mitrov & Tom Survalent

2:15 - 2:30 pm
Transition to Breakout sessions (see sections below)

2:30 - 3:30 pm
Breakout Sessions (see sections below)

Rines A

4 - 4:30 pm
UUS Annual Meeting for CEOs and GMs

Winslow Homer Junior Ballroom

5:30 pm
Reception

6:30 pm
Dinner & Aiken Award

Hawthrone

2:30 - 3:30 pm
CFC Solutions Update: Compass, BudgetPro, KRTA & Key Tools, Adam
Hargett, Senior Finance Leader, CFC

Eastland Grand Ballroom

2:30 - 3:30 pm
Balancing Governance Challenges with Leadership Awareness, Kimberly Miller, CFC

This session will dive into governance challenges and the dilemmas leaders face when values, personalities, and conflicts collide. We’ll explore strategies for navigating these situations effectively while upholding key governance responsibilities—such as fiduciary duties and high-pressure decision-making.

Rines A

2:30 - 3:30
SCADA Expansion at NHEC, Michael Jennings, NHEC and Tom Szonntag, Survalent

Rines A

4 - 4:30 PM
United Utility Supply Annual Meeting for CEOs and GMs, Jeff Shaw

Eastland Grand Ballroom

8:00 - 8:45 am
Breakfast

8:45 - 9:30 am
The Good, the Bad, and the Battery: VEC’s Storage Saga, Dan Potter, Sr.
Power Planning Analyst

9:30 - 10:15 am
Capital Credits Lessoned Learned, Bill Miller, CPA, Utility Tax Partner,
Bolinger, Segars, Gilbert & Moss LLP

10:15 - 10:30 am
Transition to Breakout Sessions

10:30 - 11:30 am
Breakout Sessions (see sections below)

11:30 - 12 pm
2026 Conference Planning, NEAEC Board

12 pm
Lunch and Goodbyes

Eastland Grand Ballroom
10:30 - 11:30 am
Connecting the Importance of Financial Health to Employees Overall Wellbeing, Michael Haire, Sr. Field Representative & Retirement Education Specialist, NRECA

Rines A
10:30 - 11:30 am
Chart of Account Changes, Bill Miller, CPA Utility Tax Partner, Bolinger, Segars, Gilbert & Moss LLP

Marsden Hartley
10:30 - 11:30 am
Connecting with Your Membership via Social Media, Kyla Lawrence, Oneida-Madison Electric Cooperative