CFC Solutions Cast

Listen to the latest episode of CFC Solutions Cast to hear how Cherryland Electric Cooperative CEO Rachel Johnson stepped into the role for the first time and how she addressed personal challenges, rate changes and technology upgrades. What did Johnson learn over a year full of change?

Cherryland Electric Cooperative—located in Grawn, Michigan—is a distribution cooperative serving more than 38,000 members across six counties in a fast-growing service territory.

Learn more about Johnson’s approach to leadership change, including her innovative employee and member communication strategies.

Join CFC’s Brian Sloboda for an update on the risks AI poses in cybersecurity and how to raise awareness among your staff.

Watch CFC Vice President Jan Ahlen for insights on data center growth and how artificial intelligence may drive significant power demand.

Listen to CFC’s Alisha Pinto for an update on the electric grid, areas for concern and what cooperatives can do to enhance reliability. 

CFC has launched the first episode of a new videocast series—CFC Solutions Cast: Industry Insights—which will focus on bite sized pieces of industry news and how it may impact electric cooperatives. The bi-weekly videocast will feature CFC’s industry team, who will highlight the most important and relevant topics electric cooperatives are facing today and in the future.

Join Chris Whittle for an update on the volatility of crypocurrency and possible impacts to electric cooperatives. 

In this episode of CFC Solutions Cast, CFC Director of Utility Research & Policy Brian Sloboda connects the dots on artificial intelligence (AI) and important business questions cooperatives should consider asking during implementation of new AI technology. He highlights cooperative use cases and potential ways to integrate AI into business processes and systems.  

Listen to the latest episode of CFC Solutions Cast to discover the most important questions electric cooperatives need to be asking about AI integration. 

To view the 2024 Economic and Industry Trends visit https://interactive.nrucfc.coop/economic-and-industry-trends-2024/
 
Share your cooperative story, contact: 

Christine Petchenick: [email protected]
Brian Sloboda: [email protected]

Outline
00:00 Intro
00:57 What Is AI?
05:31 Building Infrastructure for AI
07:00 AI and the Workforce
12:13 Member Engagement Strategy

In this episode of CFC Solutions Cast, we count down the top three Solutions Cast episodes of 2023 and discover which of those trends are accelerating into 2024. CFC Vice President of Utility Research & Policy Jan Ahlen discusses the key electric utility sector trends in store this year, ranging from opportunities for using artificial intelligence to recent headlines challenging the growth of electric vehicle sales and more.

Listen to the latest episode of CFC Solutions Cast to learn about the most important energy and technology trends facing the electric cooperative network.

See the 2024 Trends Report: https://interactive.nrucfc.coop/economic-and-industry-trends-2024/p/1

Outline
1:18        3rd Most Downloaded of 2023: Discover How One Vermont Co-op Is Building a Virtual Power Plant

2:45       2nd Most Downloaded of 2023: North Carolina Co-op Uses AI to Improve Reliability, Safety

4:41        Most Downloaded of 2023: How Cooperatives Can Prepare for Future EV Sales Growth

6:48       Small Modular Reactors in 2023 and Beyond

8:45       Restarting the Palisades Plant and the Future of the Nuclear Industry

9:48       Trends Report 2023: Which Trends Were the Most Impactful?

Educating the Next Generation of Co-op CEOs—Top Tips for Developing Leadership Talent

In this episode of CFC Solutions Cast, we speak with NRECA Executive and Staff Education Director Gary Pfann about what he’s learned during his more than 25 years of training cooperative executives. Pfann shares his expertise on building the next generation of cooperative leaders who are ready to meet the challenges of the future.

Pfann discusses retirement trends electric cooperatives will face in the next decade, including retirements of executive staff, the importance of passing along institutional knowledge and the need for building internal development paths and CEO succession plans. 

Listen to the latest episode of CFC Solutions Cast to hear what challenges cooperatives face as a record number of CEO retirements lie ahead.

Outline:
00:49   Retirement Trends
04:31    Passing Along Institutional Knowledge
07:39    Technology and Future Leadership
09:32    Executive Leadership Demographics and Pathways
15:47     Leading Across Generational Differences
22:03    Developing a Shared Vision
25:03    Building a Succession Plan
27:21     Top Three Tips

In this episode of CFC Solutions Cast, we speak with Hoosier Energy Member Solutions Manager Blake Kleaving and Emerging Energy Resources Senior Manager Ryan Henderson about what sets beneficial electrification apart from electrification.

Hoosier Energy is a generation and transmission cooperative serving more than 760,000 consumers through 18-member electric cooperatives across a 15,000-square-mile area in Indiana.

Learn more about Hoosier Energy’s approach to building beneficial electrification programs including member education and engagement, tapping the Inflation Reduction Act and exploring virtual power plants.

A Game Changer: The Team Sport of Infrastructure Planning

In the second half of this two-part episode, we speak with Wright-Hennepin Cooperative Electric Association Director of Operations Lee Nordby and Director of Engineering Curt Cordt to discuss the dynamic field of electric utility infrastructure planning and the transformative changes happening in the industry. The Wright-Hennepin team has a unique approach to infrastructure planning—considering it a team sport. This non-traditional approach recognizes the importance of infrastructure investments beyond conventional elements, encompassing technology, marketing, beneficial electrification and more. Nordby and Cordt discuss developing and shifting work plans and technology plans to meet the changing needs of their cooperative membership. 

Wright-Hennepin serves approximately 59,000 members in western Hennepin County, Minnesota. The cooperative is a mix of suburban and traditional cooperative areas that are experiencing high growth demands and increased electrification of the transportation sector.  

Learn how Wright-Hennepin are bringing their A-game on investments to meet a growing territory population and an increase in energy demand.

Outline:
00:56 Operations and Technology in the Strategic Vision
01:55 What Does Long-Term Planning Mean for Operations and Technology?
06:43 How Does Changing Technology Affect Planning?
10:51 Choosing the Right Technology to Go With the Strategic Vision
13:12 Building a Robust Generation Program
14:24 Training, Talent and Relationship Building
20:06 Hiring Third Parties
21:13 Keeping the Board Informed
22:06 Handling the Unexpected
25:05 Working the Plan
26:22 How to Handle an Outdated Plan
28:54 Top Three Tips