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s INSIDE t h i ISSUE
ARTICLES ADVERTISERS 6 President’s Message Inside Front CGS, Inc 7 Executive Director’s Message 3 Martin Contracting 8 Community Involvement 4 USI Consulting 10-11 Member News 9 Powell & Meadows Insurance 13 TGA Educational Calendar 12 Energy Worldnet 16 Did You Know 14 B.H. Holmes Construction 18 Energy Efficient Schools 14 J.B. Gibbs & Son Initiative 17 Consolidated Pipe & Supply 18 State Energy Policy Council 19 Clark Engineering & Utility Solutions 19 Underground Utility Damage 24-25Tri-Star Energy Consultants Prevention Enforcement Board 37 Tri-State Meter & Regulator 20-21Scholarship Foundation 37 Blankenship CPA Group 22-23 Business, Accounting & 37 James N. Bush Construction Professional Development 42 G&C Supply 26-27 Fall Management Conference 44 SJ Patterson Company 28-29 New Business Partners 46 Jackson Thornton 30-32 TGA Member Spotlights Inside Back Central Service Association 34-36 Committee Communications Back Cover Team Construction 38-39 Legislative Event 41 D & O Conference 43 Customer Service Workshops 45 Annual Meeting 2020
TGA NEWS is a publication of the Tennessee Gas Association. If you have information for the TGA Newsletter: please submit for the NEXT ISSUE Send to: Kelley Zamboni, Editor E-mail: [email protected]
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In many ways, it is hard to On the legisla ve front, I would believe that we’ve entered a new like to highlight two pieces of legisla on decade. Not long ago, the year 2020 that will greatly benefit the gas industry seemed like the distant future where we in Tennessee. Through the hard work of would own flying cars and wear funny the Legisla ve Commi ee and our looking futuris c clothes. My vision of lobbyist, Jim Spears, TGA has introduced everyday life in the future didn’t the “All Fuels” U lity Act. The purpose of materialize, but the current state of the this legisla on is to preempt a local natural gas industry is be er in many municipality from passing an ordinance ways than anyone would have imagined that would give one fuel or energy 20 or 30 years ago. Supply is ample, source preferen al treatment in new demand is robust, and prices are at construc on. This is an area of great mul year lows. This doesn’t mean that concern for all in the natural gas industry
BRAXTON WILLIAMS the industry does not have challenges to as we have seen several ci es face, par cularly from the throughout the country pass ordinances legisla ve and regulatory that effec vely remove consumer choice fronts. I would like to and ban the u liza on of natural gas in highlight a few ways in which newly constructed homes. the Tennessee Gas Associa on In addi on to the “All Fuels” Act, is working to meet these legisla on has been introduced to challenges. strengthen Tennessee’s Underground Over the last three Damage Preven on Law. A few years, TGA leadership has highlights of proposed changes include: taken a proac ve approach in Crea on of “Damage No ce” for building a stronger TN811
FROM THE PRESIDENT
rela onship with the Requirement for “Hand Digging” or Tennessee Public U li es other approved method of Commission, Gas Pipeline Safety. excava on within the tolerance zone 2020 Execu ve Commi ee & Through open dialogue with Bryce Increase in the maximum penal es Board of Directors Mee ngs Keener and his staff, TGA’s Educa onal that can be levied by the
Steering Commi ee has tailored training Underground U lity Damage Tuesday, February 18 opportuni es to educate members on Greater Dickson Gas Authority Enforcement Board 10:00 a.m. ‐ Noon Execu ve Commi ee Mtg the most relevant regulatory concerns in Noon – 1:00p.m. Board of Directors Lunch the industry. Their feedback helps I would encourage all members 1:00 ‐ 3:00 p.m. Board of Directors Mee ng con nue the success of the outstanding to engage in the legisla ve process with 3:00 – 4:00 p.m. Scholarship Founda on Board Mee ng D&O, Customer Service, Business & TGA. Par cipate on the weekly Accoun ng, and Fall Management legisla ve update calls, lobby your local Monday, April 20 elected officials, and support the TGA D&O Embassy Suites, Murfreesboro Conferences as well as the Safety Summit Noon Execu ve Commi ee Mee ng and Annual Mee ng. Again this year, PAC Fund. It takes all of us working 3:00‐5:00 p.m. Board of Directors Mee ng TGA is working with TPUC to offer one‐ together to ensure a bright future for the natural gas industry in the State of Sunday, June 14 day regional training classes taught by Annual Mee ng Wes n, Cha anooga TPUC staff on this year’s inspec on Tennessee. (tenta ve mes) focus, “Valves, Leak Survey, and Noon Execu ve Commi ee Mee ng It is an honor to serve as your 2:30‐4:30 p.m. Board of Directors Mee ng Patrolling.” TGA also plans to offer President of the Tennessee Gas 5:00‐6:00 p.m. Scholarship Founda on Brd Mtg addi onal regional training opportuni es Associa on. related to leak inves ga on, regulators and pipeline safety compliance.
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The new fiscal year of TGA begins The Annual Mee ng Commi ee is and with it comes a full calendar for our full steam ahead finalizing the finishing members. Your TGA commi ees are hard at touches for its agenda. Don’t forget it is ZAMBONI work for the be erment of TGA members. never too early to book your hotel room for First up is the Legisla ve Breakfast the Annual Mee ng being held at the Wes n KELLEY being held on March 17th at the Cordell Hull in Cha anooga. The deadline for the TGA Building in Nashville. Please reach out to hotel rate is May 23rd. This great city has so your Legislator and encourage them to much to offer right here in our own backyard. a end. My hope is that TGA members will Take a moment to explore the ac vi es that take advantage of this me to further the await you and your family June 15‐17. efforts of the natural gas industry. TGA The Safety Summit is set August 3‐5 members register on the website. The at Montgomery Bell State Park. The Legislators were invited via email. commi ee is ac vely planning the The D & O Commi ee has put conferences agenda. together another highly educa onal The Educa on Steering conference set for April 21‐23 at the Embassy Commi ee has a full training Suites Hotel in Murfreesboro, TN. calendar laid out for the The Customer Service Commi ee membership. The full training developed an intriguing agenda for the two 1‐ calendar can be found in this day workshops being offered. The first newsle er as well as on the TGA workshop will be held at Jackson Energy website. The Fall Management Authority on May 5th followed by the second Conference is set for October 6‐7 iden cal workshop held at Sevier County and the Business, Accoun ng & U lity District. Both D &O and Customer Professional Development
FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Service Regional Workshop registra ons are Conference is set for October 7‐ open. 8. The Conferences will be held The Marke ng Commi ee has jointly at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Upcoming Events assisted Jamie and me on making Knoxville, TN. improvements to the newsle er which we Read more about the ac vi es of hope you enjoy and appreciate. The your commi ees and mee ng details in March 17 Legisla ve Breakfast ~ Nashville, TN newsle er is a work in progress; over the the Commi ee Communica on sec on of April 21‐22 next couple of issues we will con nue to the newsle er. D & O Conference ~ Murfreesboro, TN make enhancements offering addi onal Jamie and I have been hard at May 5 informa on. You will see we have changed work on the TGA website. We are making Customer Service ~ Jackson, TN the Member News sec on. If your company much needed improvements and May 19 has “big” announcements please submit organizing informa on so that it is not Customer Service ~ Sevierville, TN those to Jamie or myself and we will do our only relevant to our members but easier June 15‐17 T best to get them into the next newsle er. to find. The launch is set for late spring Annual Mee ng ~ Cha anooga, TN Please keep in mind that submissions could early summer so watch for August 3‐5 Safety Summit ~ Burns, TN be edited to meet space allowed. Another announcements soon with details October 6‐7 addi on is a TGA Member Spotlight piece explaining all of the aspects of the new Fall Management Conference where we will highlight a West, Middle, and site. Knoxville, TN East TN member gas system. The commi ee I am excited about the coming October 7‐8 members call and interview systems in each year for TGA and all that we have to offer Business, Accoun ng & area. Please take a moment to learn more our members and I hope you are as well. Professional Development Conference about your natural gas neighbor. Knoxville, TN 7
HOW IS YOUR COMPANY IMPACTING YOUR COMMUNITY?
By: Madison Endres, WTPUD & TGA Marke ng Commi ee Member
At the West Tennessee natural gas ad that included a impact on how the company is Public U lity District (WTPUD) our photo of one of our county mayors viewed. mission is to strive to be public and his family promo ng natural Lastly, we believe it is servants. We have recently gas heat. U lizing well respected extremely important to be ac ve in established the following mission members of our community in community events. Par cipa ng in statement. “We exist to provide adver sing, we believe, sends the events across our coverage area cost effec ve, uninterrupted message that we are for our people really adds to our involvement and natural gas to as many as possible and are well infused into the fabric shows we are commi ed to the in our coverage area. However, we of our people. people we seek to serve. desire to thrive, not merely Our call before you dig Contribu ng to local toy drives, exist. We are commi ed public messages are personalized as well. food pantries, town square servants who use natural gas to To give customers a be er fes vals, and library programs are a impact our communi es for good.” understanding of 811, a thirty great way to accomplish this. In In light of this, WTPUD has recently second ad was created with 2019, WTPUD developed a program increased our presence on social employee’s children showing each aimed at 4th grade students in the media and physical presence within step of the 811 process. The video 13 school systems in our area. This our community in an effort to build was posted on social media and at a program was designed to teach a trus ng rela onship. local movie theatre where it plays natural gas safety and TN 811 WTPUD is currently ac ve leading up to the movie. Frequent before you dig laws and prac ces. on Facebook, Instagram, and industry spotlights are posted to We saw over 700 students and the Twi er. Communica on through bring awareness to the industries in program was a huge success. social media is aimed at adding the community that use natural All of this, along with many radio value to customers by giving them gas. A er pos ng regularly on social and print ads, we are doing our informa on to iden fy and media over the past 10 months part. Once again, WTPUD seeks to understand a natural gas meter, the there have been posi ve increases be woven in the community and be importance of calling 811 before in page follows, post interac ons, public servants beyond natural gas. digging, and iden fying locate posts and very posi ve comments from Our hope is the community and rural taps in our system. Along members within the community. and customers can place trust in with these, we also educate the Along with a social media WTPUD as we strive to follow out public on how to recognize, react presence, the logo was recently our mission statement. We are your and respond to gas leaks. Because updated and has received posi ve friends! We encourage our of our desire to be community feedback. Company logos are a big colleagues in the natural gas servants, we recently produced a part of branding and does have an industry to do the same!
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APGA Acknowledges Re ring Member with Pres gious Award On December 12, APGA presented Jim Hodges of Middle Tennessee Natural Gas with the J. Hardy Johnston Award for outstanding service to the natural gas industry at Jim’s re rement lunch in Smithville, Tennessee. Jim has been ac ve in APGA since the 1990s and was APGA Opera ons and Safety Commi ee Chairman in 2009‐2010 and APGA Chairman in 2016‐2017. JIm is originally from Mountain Home, Arkansas and graduated from the University of Arkansas with a B. S. in Engineering Science. From 1997 to June 2011, he served as Vice‐President of Engineering for Middle Tennessee Natural Gas; and, from July 1, 2011 through December 31, 2019 he has served as Execu ve Vice President and Chief Execu ve Officer of Middle Tennessee Natural Gas.
During Jim’s tenure as Opera ons and Safety Commi ee Chairman, APGA held its first Opera ons Jim Hodges Receives Conference in 15 years. Since then the Opera ons J. Hardy Johnston Award Conference has grown to be one of APGA’s largest annual events, second only to the Annual Conference. During Jim’s term as APGA Chairman, APGA ini ated it’s Look Closer campaign to promote the benefits of the direct use of natural gas.
ArƟcle from APGA PublicaƟon
Middle Tennessee Natural Gas Welcomes New CEO Mike Davidson Smithville— January 1, 2020 — The New Year brought new leadership to Middle Tennessee Natural Gas U lity District (the District), as Jim Hodges re red and turned over the du es of Execu ve Vice President & CEO to Mike Davidson.
Mr. Davidson comes to the District a er an extended career with the City of Cookeville, Tennessee. Mr. Davidson served as Cookeville City Manager from March 2015 through June 2019, and prior to that, he held the posi ons of Cookeville Finance Director and Director of Cookeville Gas Department. Mr. Jim Hodges, former District Execu ve Vice President & CEO commented, “We are delighted to have Mike leading our strong team. Mike’s character and his management and financial experience will all serve the District and its customers well over the coming years.”
Founded in Smithville, Tennessee in 1955, the District is the natural gas provider for all or por ons of twenty‐two coun es in Middle and East Tennessee. The District’s mission is to support the growth of the communi es it serves by providing safe, reliable, and compe ve natural gas service. The District is commi ed to providing unrivaled customer service while mee ng the needs of our customers with reliable, professional, and quality natural gas service. A well‐trained, highly skilled, and safety‐focused workforce delivering America’s primary energy source at compe ve rates. Mr. Davidson summed it up nicely by saying, “I decided to join the District because of its reputa on as being a leader in the world of public natural gas systems. The dedica on and commitment of each employee both past and present has earned this reputa on. Together we will con nue to fulfill our District’s mission to our customers and to the communi es we serve.”
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NGVAmerica Presents 2019 NGV Achievement Awards Pat Riley Receives Life me Achievement Award Atlanta, GA – Eleven organiza ons and individuals were honored at Natural Gas Vehicles for America’s (NGVAmerica) 2019 Industry Summit and Annual Mee ng for their contribu ons toward the advancement of natural gas as a transporta on fuel. These annual awards are awarded to nominees from all stakeholder segments, including but not limited to: NGV industry equipment and service suppliers, policy‐ makers, customers and clean‐air/clean transporta on advocates. Nominees’ disciplines include educa on, government rela ons/policy development, public rela ons/communica ons, marke ng, technology and opera ons/applica ons, among others. Pat Riley has worked in the natural gas industry for 39 years. A er gradua ng from the University of Memphis with a degree in civil engineering technology, he began working for Gibson County U lity District. He has worked with GCUD for 32 years, serving as General Manager for the past 20. During that me, Pat has served as the President of the Tennessee Gas Associa on (2004‐2005) and currently holds a seat on the Board of Directors. He is also an ac ve member of the American Public Gas Associa on Board of Directors, the West Tennessee Gas Associa on Board of Directors, the Tennessee Associa on of U lity Districts Board of Directors, and the State Chamber Board’s Environmental & Energy Subcommi ee. In 2017, Governor Bill Haslam appointed Pat to a second three‐year term on the Tennessee U lity Management Review Board. Pat has organized three Natural Gas Expos, and was a pivotal member and co‐founder of our own na onal NGV Road Rally. Find out more at: h ps://www.ngvamerica.org/. Ar cle from NGV America Publica on Cliff Swoape promoted to Director of Human Resources & Communica ons at Middle Tennessee Natural Gas
Smithville— January 1, 2020 — The New Year rang in changes to the leadership of Middle Tennessee Natural Gas U lity District (the District), In addi on to new CEO Mike Davidson, the District is proud to announce that Cliff Swoape has been promoted to Director of Human Resources & Communica ons effec ve January 1, 2020. Mr. Swoape has served the District since 1987 when he began work as a part‐ me meter painter while he went to college. He has served as Property Maintenance, a Service Technician, a Customer Service Representa ve, and most recently as Manager of Safety & Training for twenty‐two years. Cliff Swoape resides in Woodbury, Tennessee with his wife Katherine, their children, and pets. He is looking forward to his new role of caring for the District and its employees beyond just their safety & training needs. He remains commi ed to safety, customer service, and reliability always being top priori es for the District.
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Training & Conference Calendar
Date Educa onal Opportunity Loca on Registra on Open March‐17 Legisla ve Grab & Go Breakfast Nashville Yes April 14‐16 Full 3‐Day 2018 ICC Fuel Gas Codes School MTNG, Smithville No (1st of 2 offerings) April 21‐23 D & O Conference (with Exhibits) Murfreesboro Yes April 28 ICC 2018 Fuel Gas Code on Vent Sizing MTNG, Smithville No (1st of 2 offerings) May 5 Customer Service Workshop JEA‐ Jackson, TN Yes May 7 TPUC Valves, Leak Survey & Patrolling East TN Loca on No May 7 ICC 2018 Fuel Gas Code on Vent Sizing MTNG, Smithville No (2nd of 2 offerings) May 12 1‐day ICC 2018 Fuel Gas Code on Gas Pipe Sizing MTNG, Smithville No (1st of 2 offerings) May 13 1‐day ICC 2018 Fuel Gas Code on Installing Gas Pipe MTNG, Smithville No (1st of 2 offerings) May 19 Customer Service Workshop SCUD‐ Sevierville, TN Yes May 21 TPUC Valves, Leak Survey & Patrolling Middle TN Loca on No May 28 TPUC Valves, Leak Survey & Patrolling West TN Loca on No May 28 1‐day ICC 2018 Fuel Gas Code on Gas Pipe Sizing MTNG, Smithville No (2nd of 2 offerings) May 29 1‐day ICC 2018 Fuel Gas Code on Installing Gas Pipe MTNG, Smithville No (2nd of 2 offerings) June 15‐17 TGA Annual Mee ng Cha anooga, TN No July 28‐30 Full 3‐Day 2018 ICC Fuel Gas Codes School MTNG, Smithville No (2nd of 2 offerings) August 3‐5 TGA Safety Summit (with Exhibits) Montgomery Bell SP No August 11‐12 2‐Day Regulator School SCUD‐ Sevierville, TN No August 25‐26 2‐Day Regulator School JEA‐ Jackson, TN No August 25 Leak Inves ga on (1st of 3 offerings) MTNG, Smithville No August 27 Leak Inves ga on (2nd of 3 offerings) MTNG, Smithville No Sept 1 Leak Inves ga on (3rd of 3 offerings) MTNG, Smithville No Sept 7‐10 Fall Workshop Leak City Leak City, AL No Sept 10 Light‐up School (1st of 3 offerings) MTNG, Smithville No Sept 21‐22 GTI/TGA Intro to Pipeline Safety Compliance Cookeville Gas Dept No Sept 23‐25 GTI/TGA Advanced Pipeline Safety Compliance Cookeville Gas Dept No Sept 24 Light‐up School (2nd of 3 offerings) MTNG, Smithville No Sept 29 Light‐up School (3rd of 3 offerings) MTNG, Smithville No October 6‐7 Fall Management Conference (with Exhibits) Crowne Plaza, Knoxville No October 7‐8 Business, Accoun ng & Professional Development Crowne Plaza, Knoxville No
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On December 5, 2019, the EESI Powell Valley Gas District and coun es are currently using HVAC held a conference call and they verified gas is available to equipment that is 20‐25 years old ed by: by: ed
Stenne approved two new loans. these buildings, but currently and well past its expected life they are all electric. I asked our anyway. The loans were Ma Submi The first loan for $2,235,776 to
Technical Advisory Commi ee to approved with the caveat that the go to Jackson County Schools for take a second look at this coun es pass a resolu on that if upgrades and improvements to installa on and see if changing the energy savings did not fully six sites for ligh ng, controls, these heat pumps to gas units fund the debt, the county would water, and HVAC. There is no net would help the payback or be make up the difference. gas loss or fuel switching as a part possible to jus fy. of this project. The second loan On January 9, 2020 the EESI met for $2,724,247 to go to Hancock Both of these loans had a longer and elected officers. They are County Schools for upgrades and overall payback than the typical Denny Has ngs, Building & Land INITIATIVE
improvements to five sites for loans we do, but since both of Development as Chair; Brooxie
EFFICIENT ligh ng, controls, water, and these coun es qualify as Carlton, Tn Department of
HVAC. There is no net gas “distressed” the Council approved Economic & Community (propane, in this case) loss or fuel the loans. There was some Development as Vice Chair; Ma switching as a part of this project. concern and controversy that the Stenne , MTNG as Secretary. No However, all of the HVAC loan period may be longer than new loans were awarded. installa ons are for heat pumps. I the expected life of the Submi ed by: Ma Stenne talked with the local gas company equipment, but both of these SCHOOLS ENERGY
Since our last report, a good deal of a comprehensive plan, and report In December, the chair of the council, POLICY STATE progress has been made by the State annually. Mr. Joe Hoagland if TVA, presented the Energy Policy Council. As was State the vision as; “A state energy council’s progress report at the annual men oned in our last report, the focus sector which provides for improved sunset hearings. At that hearing, the
for the council over the summer and quality of life, economic growth, council’s direc on and progress was ENERGY
fall was to clarify the mission, the greater public health and hile recognized and the recommenda on COUNCIL goals, and to establish a framework for developing energy distribuƟon and was made to approve the council’s how the council would conduct and its infrastructure that is stable, con nua on for another four years. All organize its work to progress. resilient and secure for membership appointments were Several dra s were made, and Tennessee”. extended, though I have not yet mee ngs were held to discuss and to Maintain a strong and informed received any official no fica on finalize that Whitepaper. I’ve a ached understanding of the current regarding my appointment. As of now, that final whitepaper to this report, but energy a ributes in the state, the my term is set to expire on June 30, to summarize its key points: unique aspects of energy 2020.
Tennessee is one of only eight produc on and delivery in Also, at our last mee ng in December, Submi states without a formalized energy Tennessee which include the a few working subcommi ees were & Sue Kristjansson Kristjansson & Sue
plan. strengths and challenges of those established in order to focus work ed by: Mike Ellis Ellis Mike ed by: The legisla ve mandate for the aspects. going forward. I was asked to chair a council requires that the council Develop a set of criteria to be used commi ee to work on alternate‐fuel review energy related issues, when considering the design, (non‐electric) vehicle transporta on. I make recommenda ons to the implementa on and evalua on of will be reaching out to the TGA board governor and legislature, develop state energy policy. for assistance as this work progresses.
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Preven Underground The UUDPEB met on Wednesday, individuals have been through TGA presented the proposal for November 20, 2019. Chairman the training program, the use of funds ($25,000) Kevin Tubberville began the represen ng 253 organiza ons. collected from excavator mee ng with the roll call and the There are currently 60 u li es penal es to pursue updated and review and adop on of the which have not yet joined TN811. expanded adver sing in August 28, 2019 mee ng Data analysis is underway by conjunc on with the minutes. Kenneth King, TN811 regarding program requirement of Public Awareness represen ng the municipal compliance, DIRT, and one‐call Communica ons in August, 2019. on electric u li es for the Board has ckets. This will be an agenda item for
resigned. The seat has been the January board mee ng. The Board Mr. Turner then discussed the filled by Doug Burgess of fund balance was reported as legisla ve proposal for 2020. A Columbia Power and Water approximately $33,000. TPUC cap on bill may be u lized if the U Systems. Advisor Ryan McGehee is to details of the proposed determine the State CPO’s The TPUC staff counsel, Aaron legisla on are not finalized. requirements to u lize the funds. lity Conklin, provided a program The PHMSA audit of the TPUC update. There were three Board mee ng dates for 2020 program resulted in the
contested cita ons and 15 open were discussed and tenta vely
determina on of “Adequate.” Damage show‐cause cases. scheduled for January 29, May Stephanie Howell
Further discussion is to take 13, August 12, and November 4. Submi The Commission Invoice for Q4 place regarding the (FY19) was approved for the The floor was open for public Memorandums of Understanding amount of $58,870.07. comment. The Execu ve (MOUs) between the ed by: Commi ee held their regular Bill Turner of Tennessee 811 Enforcement Board and TPUC monthly mee ng immediately provided an update. Overall, 335 and TN811, respec vely.
following the Board mee ng.
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from the SCHOLARSHIP FOUNDATION PRESIDENT Daniel C. Hicks
Thank you for your It is time for all to be I would also like to continued interest and support gathering items for the encourage you to remember of the Foundation and its Silent Auction to be held the Foundation as you activities carried out by the Wednesday evening consider ways to honor or Scholarship Committee. June 19, 2020 at the memorialize an individual One of the Foundation’s Association’s Annual throughout the year. Since my most important functions is Meeting at the Chattanooga last letter, gifts have been now under way. Scholarship Westin Hotel. This event is received in memory of: John applications for 2020 awards popular and provides a H. Hicks; and Thelma have been made available to significant portion of the funds Newberry. We have also the TGA membership by email used for scholarships. received donations in honor of: and the website. Applications Success is very dependent James E. Hodges; Michael must be postmarked by March upon having a large number of Bailey, Samuel Swafford, 31 to be considered. quality items that will draw David Haynes, John Johnson, Recipients will be selected in spirited bidding. Committee Fred Hoover, Leslie B. Enoch, April. Selected recipients and Chair Becky Thompson will be II, John Knowles, Steve Stone; those not chosen will be soliciting your support to make and Daniel C. Hicks. A large notified in early May. this the biggest and best Silent donation was received from Auction yet. the MTNG Project Hometown The Scholarship It is also time to be Help. We appreciate, and Committee has organized a continue to encourage these th thinking about supporting the fishing tournament April 20 , meaningful gifts. the day before the D & O Annual Scholarship Benefit Conference starts. This will be Golf Tournament. The date See the list that follows and please thank these donors held once again on Kentucky and place are not firm at this for their generous support in Lake. This event has grown in time, but it will be in the Fall. providing increased recent years and supports our Bill Turner is in charge of the educational opportunities for scholarship effort. Thanks to 2020 tournament and will be the children of TGA Member Jerry Deal and Tommy Lynch looking for sponsors later this Employees. with Piedmont for all the work year. they do make this event successful and fun.
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The Tennessee Gas AssociaƟon Scholarship FoundaƟon extends sincerest appreciaƟon to the following donors: January 1, 2019 through December 31, 2019 Tennessee Gas Association Middle Tennessee Gas Distributors Association East Tennessee Group Municipal Energy Acquisition Corporation Natural Gas Distributors Association of East Tennessee Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz Middle Tennessee Natural Gas Project Hometown Help
In Memory of Jeremy Snodgrass Jerry & Diane Snodgrass Dan & Fran Hicks
In Honor of Dan Hicks James & Carolyn Sager Mike & Regenia Ellis Family Fund Jimmy & Linda Daniel
In Memory of James C (Jim) Hawk Jean M. Meyers Dan & Fran Hicks Jim & Carol Hodges
In Honor of TGA Member Systems Employees Dwight & Brenda Work In Memory of Thelma Newberry Dennis L. Newberry
In Honor of James E. Hodges & Jean M Meyers Employees of Middle TN Natural Gas Utility District John Knowles
In Memory of John H. Hicks Dan & Fran Hicks
In Honor of: Michael Bailey; Samuel Swafford; Jim & Carol Hodges David Haynes; John Johnson; Fred Hoover; Les Enoch; John Knowles; and Steve Stone
Since 1997, the Tennessee Gas Association has proudly sponsored a Scholarship Program for the children of TGA members. Funding for these scholarships is collected throughout the year from golf and fishing tournaments, silent auctions as well as dona- tions from individuals, foundations and business partners. The Tennessee Gas Association Scholarship Foundation has been granted 501(c)3 status under the Internal Revenue Code, effective October 24, 2011, therefore, your gift/donation is tax deductible within the limits established by the code.
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2019 Business, Accoun ng & Professional Development Conference The 2019 Business, Accoun ng, and Professional Development Conference was held in conjunc on with the Fall Management Conference at Dollywood’s DreamMore Resort in Pigeon Forge, TN on November 5th & 6th. The conference had 47 a endees represen ng 20 different gas systems. Accoun ng and business professionals earned valuable CPE hours during this day and a half conference. The mee ng kicked off with a CEO’s Perspec ve presenta on from now re red Middle Tennessee Natural Gas CEO, Jim Hodges. Later important GASB, health care financing, and technology do’s and don’ts were shared by knowledgeable presenters. A special thank you to Frazier & Deeter, LLC and commi ee for pu ng together a great conference. This Conference will again be in conjunc on with the Fall Management Conference in 2020. The Business, Accoun ng, & Professional Development Conference will be held on October 7‐8 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Knoxville, TN. It will begin at 8:00 a.m. on Wednesday with a joint 1/2 day session with Fall Management un l noon, then carry on to finish out the day. The conference will conclude at noon on Thursday.
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The TGA Fall Management Conference was held November 7th & 8th at Dollywood’s DreamMore Resort in Pigeon Forge, TN following the Business, Accounting & Personal Development Conference held earlier that week. The day and a half conference had over 120 in attendance representing 37 TN gas systems. Attendees received valuable updates on TGA’s legislative efforts, TN 811, APGA and TPUC. Members also learned about the importance of having Work Healthy Programs in their organizations, How to Increase Employee Engagement, Codes & the Important Role Management Plays and How to Bridge the Top 5 Leadership Gaps. Thank you, thank you, thank you! The Together Giving to Another collection totaled $1,236 and was donated to the Sevier County Food Ministries. Several Business Partners sponsored dinner and entertainment at the Mellow Mushroom where everyone had a great evening of networking and fellowship. We thank the Education Steering Committee for developing a great conference agenda and our exhibitors and Business Partners for their involvement. The 2020 FMC will be held October 6-7 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Knoxville, TN. The conference will be all day October 6th and will have a joint session with Business, Accounting, &
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Mellow Mushroom Sponsors
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HELLO Take a moment to familiarize yourself with these new New bers members. em TGA encourages members to do M business with fellow Business Partners when possible.
CANNON & CANNON, INC. 8550 Kingston Pike Knoxville, TN 37919 865‐770‐4037 / www.cannon‐cannon.com Established: 1996 Employees: 50 Designated Representa ve: Seth Fischer, Director of U li es, sfischer@cannon‐cannon.com Associate Members: Will Li lejohn, Project Manager, wli lejohn@cannon‐cannon.com Eric Gamble, Project Manager, egamble@cannon‐cannon.com Services: Consultants, Engineering, Mapping Services
ELECTRICOM 1660 W. Hospital Road / P.O. Box 319 Paoli, IN 47454 812‐723‐2626 / www.electricominc.com Established: 1960 Employees: 700+ Designated Representa ve: Tony Pasquarello, Director Gas Division, [email protected] Services: U lity Construc on: Gas, telecom, power, wireless, Right of Way
FINANCIAL IMAGING 3810 Fi h Court North Birmingham, AL 35222 205‐595‐4945 / www.financialimaging.com Established: 1964 Employees: 25 Designated Representa ve: Ricky Miskelley, Owner, rmiskelley@financialimaging.com Services: Prepare printed and online bills for u li es.
MIDDLE TN INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION 2108 Westwood Avenue Nashville, TN 37212 615‐269‐5233 / www.m da.org Established: 1962 Employees: 4 Designated Representa ve: Robert T. Bibb, Execu ve Director, rtbibb@m da.org Associate Member: Kendrick Cur s, Assistant Director, kcur s@m da.org Services: Economic Development for Natural Gas and Electric Power Systems of Middle Tennessee
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MIDSTATE COMMUNICATIONS 504 Hillsboro Boulevard Manchester, TN 37355 931‐393‐6700 / www.mscanswer.com Established: 1922 Employees: 45 Designated Representa ve: Heath Waters ‐ Director, Business Development [email protected] Services: Answering Service / Call Center
PERCHERON, LLC 5550 77 Center Drive, Suite 270 Charlo e, NC 28217 980‐335‐0257 / www.percheronllc.com Established: 2012 Employees: 800 Designated Representa ve: John Hohn ‐ Regional Director, Southeast, [email protected] Associate Member: Stuart Stafford ‐ Sr. Right‐of‐Way Agent, stuart.staff[email protected] Services: Right‐of‐Way Acquisi on, Title, Encroachment Removal, Construc on Support, Field Survey, UAV Survey, Environmental Studies
SIMPSON INDUSTRIAL SERVICES, LLC. 1002 Industrial Park Road New Johnsonville, TN 37134 931‐535‐9176 / www.simpsonind.com Established: 2006 Employees: Designated Representa ve: Rodney Simpson, simpsonblas [email protected]
VF WORKWEAR 545 Marrio Drive / P.O. Box 140995 Nashville, TN 37214‐0995 615‐565‐5000 / www.vfworkwear.com Established: 1923 Employees: 70,000+ Designated Representa ve: Suzanne Kazo, Territory Sales Manager, [email protected] Services: Workwear Apparel & Uniforms
WK DICKSON & COMPANY, INC. 2035 Lakeside Centre Way, Suite 180 Knoxville, TN 37922‐0200 865‐270‐3310 / www.wkdickson.com Established: 1929 Employees: 175 Designated Representa ve: M. Cain Reed, PE, Project Manager, [email protected] Associate Member: Ryan Blake, Vice President, [email protected] Services: Consul ng Engineers
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TGA MEMBER West TN Spotlight Member
have been going strong for four The largest downtown revitaliza on genera ons. project at present is the building of new mul purpose theater. It is being built Can you provide us with a few interes ng facts about your community? th City of Bells Gas & Water Bells, TN. is the 9,279 largest city in 12984 Hwy 79 America. The town was first called
Bells, TN 38006 Harrisbury and was the first town in 731‐663‐2305 West Tennessee. It was incorporated in www.cityo ellstn.com 1821 and was located 3.5 miles from where the City of Bells is today. The How many customers does your u lity town got its name from two young men provide service to? who stopped there looking for good We serve a popula on of approximately land. Their names were John and 2,737. We have 626 gas customers, William Bell. They purchased 1,000 1,020 water customers, and 1,018 acres from Daniel Cherry and then the on the same ground as the old Ray Sewer customers. Town of Bells was born. Theater that was built for $20,000 and In addi on to gas service, does your could hold 300 patrons. Who is your u lity director and how system provide other services? long have they been in place? What value do you get from your Yes, water and sewer. The u lity is managed by Mayor Joe membership in TGA? What year was your system Williams along with 5 aldermen. Junior TGA is crucial for small towns like ours. established and how many employees Jordan is the Superintendent of the They provide us informa on on do you have? U lity and he has been there since regulatory updates and educa onal The u lity was established in 1956, We 1986. opportuni es for our employees. It is have 10 full me employees between reassuring to know that TGA is there to Can you tell us about how your system all three departments. Our largest gas support our needs. The networking at par cipates in community ac vi es? customer is a family business called the many conferences is invaluable as The u lity par cipates in Fall Fest, the PictSweet Farms. They are in the frozen well. They are a resource and we don’t Christmas Parade, and the ligh ng of vegetable business and they ship frozen know what we would do without them. the Christmas tree where we hand out a food all over the world. The business lot of our Public Awareness material. employees over 400 people and they
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TGA MEMBER Middle TN Spotlight Member
“Clean, Efficient Natural Gas!” honored tradi ons is our annual Easter Egg Hunt. In 2010, the Gas Department Can you provide us with a few took over as organizer and sponsor of interes ng facts about your the hunt. We also par cipate in Wilson community? Lebanon, the county seat Bank & Trust’s Southern Home & of Wilson County, is a “community of Garden Expo each year. Other ac vi es opportunity” that remains accessible, City of Lebanon Gas Dept. we par cipate in vary from local rodeos affordable and primed for growth. Its 215 Maddox Simpson Pkwy to tree giveaways and toy drives. We central loca on is within one day Lebanon, TN 37087 strive to use each event to educate the trucking distance to 75% of the United 615‐443‐2835 community on how to use natural gas States markets. It sits at the heart of the www.lebanontn.org/gas safely and effec vely. Nashville Tennessee transporta on service area. The City is also served by What value do you get from your How many customers does your u lity Amtrak and its own thriving execu ve membership in TGA? The training and provide service to? The City of Lebanon airport. Lebanon’s popula on has networking opportuni es provided by Gas Department has grown to serve con nued to grow at an unprecedented TGA are an invaluable aspect of our TGA over 9000 customers, and we have rate with its current popula on at membership. The network of natural increased our customer base by 39% about 40,000. gas professionals we have met, become over the last 10 years. At year end friends with, and o en call on for 2019, we had approximately 7341 What are some of the challenges facing guidance with any natural gas ques on ac ve residen al services and 1747 your community and your u lity? from customers to cash flow have all ac ve commercial and industrial Because we install all our gas mains and helped us to grow and become more services. services, our main challenges today produc ve within the natural gas include rapid growth of the gas system In addi on to gas service, does your industry. and our re ring workforce. Replacing system provide other services? The any of our team members with 30 years City of Lebanon owns and operates the of experience takes a lot of me and gas distribu on system, water financial resources. distribu on system and sewer 1960’s department. Each department Who is your u lity operates independently of each other. director and how long Our water and sewer departments have have they been in over 12,000 customers. place? Jerry Snodgrass is the City of Lebanon What year was your system Gas Manager. He established and how many employees started with the City in do you have? Our City’s natural gas 1999 and moved to the system was established in 1952. Gas Department in Currently we have 22 full‐ me 2002. By May of 2005, department employees with 2 service Jerry was named as crews opera ng and maintaining our manager of the system, administra ve staff, and GIS department. mapping personnel. Our marke ng message way back in 1960 was “Help Can you tell us about Keep Our City Clean, Use Natural Gas.” how your system This ad line was painted on all our par cipates in trucks back then and a similar message community ac vi es? One of Lebanon’s me‐ is s ll used today, 60 years later ‐ 31
TGA MEMBER East TN Spotlight Member
area. The City of Rockwood is s ll a local charity, Rockwood beau ful area to live, work and raise Ministerial. Customers may qualify for families. The service area of the u lity assistance due to income, disability, includes many lakefront developments etc. Our staff has par cipated in special
that have a racted many homeowners events for the City of Rockwood and
to the area, either full or part me. provides support to sports programs for local schools. Our Public Awareness Can you provide us with a few program provides banners, handouts General Manager interes ng facts about your u lity? All and other informa on at many local Kim Ramsey our employees are cross‐trained to events. respond in any of the three service Rockwood Water, areas. Our employees have a desire for What value do you get from your Sewer & Gas excellence and safety for our employees membership with TGA? TGA is cri cal 110 N Chamberlain Ave. and customers. The u lity is focusing to providing regulatory updates and Rockwood, TN 37854 on building resiliency for the future by educa onal opportuni es to our 865‐354‐4221 www.rwsg.org encouraging cer fica on/training/ staff. We have had many situa ons that educa on for all levels. RWSG is we have relied on TGA to provide How many customers does your u lity currently working on a building project informa on or assistance in various provide service to? We serve a to provide a dedicated payment/ scenarios. It is reassuring to know that popula on of approximately 11,732‐ administra ve office and a new we have the support of TGA to assist in this is divided into ac ve customer Opera ons Center. our compliance and regulatory requirements. The connec on and connec ons for gas of 2,758; water Who is your u lity direc on and how networking opportuni es have connec ons of 3,775; sewer long have they been in place? RWSG is provided much support when we have connec ons of 1,850. managed by a Board consis ng of City an new issue to resolve. With a small Council appointees. Darryl Meadows In addi on to gas service, does your staff covering three service areas, TGA has been chairman since 2011. Kim system provide other services? Yes, is an Ramsey has been General Manager water and sewer. extremely since 2011. John Skidmore is valuable What year was your system Opera ons Director and has worked for resource. established and how many employees the u lity for 29 years. do you have? We were established in 1957. We have 29 full me employees Can you tell us about how your system between all three departments. par cipates in community ac vi es? RWSG collects funding for a Warm Can you provide us with a few Thoughts program which provides interes ng facts about your monies to be administered through our community? The City of Rockwood was established a er the Civil Way when iron was discovered on Walden Ridge. Mining and milling opera ons were started in 1868 and the City was established to support Roane Iron Company. The City was named a er this company’s first president, William O. Rockwood. The loca on of the railroad was cri cal in the early history of the City and is s ll ac ve in the 32
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The Annual Mee ng Commi ee conducted a site visit and planning mee ng November 18th & 19th at the Wes n in Cha anooga. We are
pu ng the final touches on a great agenda that I think will be beneficial to all employees. We are working on securing sponsorships so if your Griner Meeting company or you know of a company that would be interested in
sponsoring please reach out to me or a commi ee member. We have an exci ng mo va onal speaker for the President’s Dinner by the name of Annual Randall Johnny “Joey” Jones. We will offer golf again this year as well as a new ac vity of axe throwing. Cha anooga has any number of outdoor ac vi es and great history to explore so make sure to bring the family. Check out the hotel details on the TGA website and look for the registra on informa on soon.
The Business Partner Council extends its thanks to a endees of the Fall Management Conference for joining us for the annual dinner made possible by suppor ng sponsors. On behalf of the council, I’d also like to
thank TGA staff for their assistance collec ng sponsorship funds in order
to streamline the financial logis cs of the social ou ng. Ingram
The Business Partners have not met since the last board mee ng, but will nd Business Partners meet on Wednesday, April 22 , during the D&O Conference. Craig
The Customer Service Commi ee has held 2 mee ngs to plan our 2020 customer service workshops. We have finalized our agendas, secured our speakers and
worked through most of the conference details. We will be hos ng two one‐day workshops in East and West Tennessee. The
th Kimery
workshops will be held on May 5 and May 19th at Jackson Energy Authority and Sevier County U lity District, respec vely. The agenda includes a variety of informa on ranging from enhancing customer service skills and managing Customer Service Amanda diversity in the workplace, to 811 awareness and natural gas equipment and safety. We are hopeful that the wide range of content we are offering at this year’s conference will boost a endance and make this conference a huge success.
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The Distribu on & Opera ons Commi ee has developed the agenda for the upcoming 2020 conference. Again, this year’s agenda includes a combina on of presenta ons, workshops, panel discussion, and hands on demonstra ons. Emergency preparedness, leak management, dog safety, Excess Flow Valves (EFV), cathodic protec on, and Mega Rule are just a few of the topics for this
year’s conference. We are extremely excited to have increased par cipa on from TPUC. Bryce Kenner, Pipeline Safety Director, has
commi ed to deliver the TPUC update and has also commi ed his staff O
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to manning a booth for operator’s ques ons and answer session. Milton Henderson D Registra on, agenda and hotel informa on is available via the TGA website. Monthly commi ee mee ngs (via conference calls and Skype) have been established to con nue planning all aspects of the mee ng. A commi ee mee ng was held Monday 1/13/20 to discuss any outstanding items. Next monthly mee ng will be held on Monday (2/10/2020).
The Educa on Steering Commi ee has con nued to be quite busy in the on‐going effort to offer the educa onal opportuni es needed by our members. The ESC has compiled a great training calendar for the TGA membership which can be found in its en rety in this newsle er. The Fall
Management and Business, Accoun ng, & Professional Development Conferences will be held in Knoxville at the Crowne Plaza Hotel October 6‐7 & Swoape th ff 7‐8 respec vely with a joint ½ day morning session on the 7 . As most of you
Cli Education Steering know, I have transi oned into Human Resources for MTNG and will be stepping back from some of my associa on work. Jocelyn McInturff with KUB will step in as ESC Chair in June and will con nue leading the great commi ee. So, my role has changed, but my passion and commitment will never do so. I appreciate everyone who has helped make Tennessee the home of the premier natural gas industry in the na on.
The Legisla ve Commi ee weekly telephone calls with TGA Lobbyist, Jim Spears, and the Commi ee members began on January 23rd. Legisla ve conference calls are being held each Thursday at 2:00 CST. Members are welcome to par cipate in the phone call.
Conference Call Phone Number: 800-220-9875 Participant Code: 57320821 Senator Art Swann and Representa ve Clark Boyd have agreed to serve as Corley primary sponsors of the TGA All Fuels Bill. The bill has not yet received its formal designa on numbers. Other important lobbying groups have joined Mike the TGA ini a ve to pass this important legisla on. Legislative The Legisla ve Commi ee will prepare a list of bills in the coming days as the General Assembly gets in full swing. This informa on will be circulated once it is compiled. The bill filing deadline has not yet passed.
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rd th On Tuesday, December 3 ,2019 and on Monday, January 6 , 2020 the Marke ng Commi ee held conference calls to gage our progress on different goals that we have set. We have iden fied 3 small gas systems that will be highlighted in the next newsle er. They are The City of Rockwood in East Tennessee, The City of Lebanon in Middle Tennessee,
and the City of Bells in West Tennessee. “Public Awareness Best Prac ces” of a variety of u li es have been sent to Kelley to add to the Riley
website. Madison Endres, Marke ng Director for the West Tennessee Public U lity District submi ed an ar cle about how they are using a lot of Pat Marketing social media in their marke ng efforts at their u lity along with some other informa on. An informa on banner is being worked on by several within the commi ee. The goal is to have it completed for the Legisla ve Breakfast and will be used in future TGA events as well. Binh Chau, Kelli Tidmore, and I met to begin work on wri ng a white paper on Climate Change to be ready by Annual Mee ng 2020. We also worked on 30 climate change facts for a one page document. Lastly, we focused on a Power Point presenta on that u li es can use in making a presenta on in your community that will be on the website. We are s ll solici ng other presenta ons that members of TGA can use.
Your Membership Commi ee has con nued to work to expand the par cipa on and support for TGA and Brent Dillahunty (Commi ee Vice Chair) and I both greatly appreciate the efforts of the Commi ee
and TGA Staff in the efforts we are undertaking. Our core focus is developing a path for greater membership growth going forward to
support the Mission of TGA under the Board’s leadership. Forman
We currently have 213 Members with reasonable expecta ons for more to come soon. We expect to present 2 new poten al members at Jerry Membership this Board Mee ng and now that the registra on for the D&O Conference is open, history suggests we will see an addi onal 5‐7 new Membership Applica ons soon.
I want to start off by thanking the Board of Directors for their dedica on to safety. Allowing the Safety Summit Commi ee to put together the
Annual Safety Summit proves that safety needs to be at the forefront of
our industry. Currently, the commi ee is working hard to put together an agenda that is geared towards current industry trends and provide
a endees valuable informa on that can be taken back to their company Summit and used daily. Since your last update, we have finalized the date and loca on of the 2020 Conference: August 3‐5 at Montgomery Bell State
Thomas McCutcheon Safety Park. The Safety Commi ee held a workshop on 12/5/19 in Nashville at Piedmont, where we started diving into the agenda. This mee ng was extremely produc ve, and those that a ended provided great feedback/ discussion on proposed topics. Going forward, we will be holding bi‐weekly conference calls (first one tenta vely set for 1/22/2020) throughout the first quarter of 2020 in hopes of having the agenda and speakers finalized by the end of the Q1 2020. Thank you again for your con nued support, and the Commi ee is looking forward to helping promote safety in the state of Tennessee.
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Cordell Hull State Office Building 425 5th Avenue Room 8D, Nashville 8:00 am—9:30 am Central Time TGA Members arrive 7:45 TGA Members Register at www.tngas.org Legislators RSVP via email to [email protected] Senators Representa ves 1 Steve Southerland [email protected] 1 John Crawford [email protected] 2 Art Swann [email protected] 2 Bud Hulsey [email protected] 3 Rusty Crowe [email protected] 3 Timothy Hill [email protected] 4 Jon Lundberg [email protected] 4 John B. Holsclaw, Jr. [email protected] 6 Becky Duncan Massey [email protected] 5 David Hawk [email protected] 7 Richard Briggs [email protected] 6 James Van Huss [email protected] 7 Matthew Hill [email protected] 8 Frank Niceley [email protected] 8 Jerome Moon [email protected] 9 Mike Bell [email protected] 9 Gary Hicks [email protected] 10 Todd Gardenhire [email protected] 10 Rick Eldridge [email protected] 11 Bo Watson [email protected] 11 Jeremy Faison [email protected] 12 Ken Yager [email protected] 12 Dale Carr [email protected] 13 Dawn White [email protected] 13 Gloria Johnson [email protected] 14 Shane Reeves [email protected] 14 Jason Zachary [email protected] 15 Paul Bailey [email protected] 15 Rick Staples [email protected] 16 Janice Bowling [email protected] 16 Bill Dunn [email protected] 17 Mark Pody [email protected] 17 Andrew Farmer [email protected] 18 Ferrell Haile [email protected] 18 Martin Daniel [email protected] 19 Brenda Gilmore [email protected] 19 Dave Wright [email protected] 20 Steven Dickerson [email protected] 20 Bob Ramsey [email protected] 21 Jeff Yarbro [email protected] 21 Lowell Russell [email protected] 22 Bill Powers [email protected] 22 Dan Howell [email protected] 23 Jack Johnson [email protected] 23 Mark Cochran [email protected] 24 Mark Hall [email protected] 24 John Stevens [email protected] 26 Robin Smith [email protected] 25 Kerry Roberts [email protected] 27 Patsy Hazelwood [email protected] 25 Cameron Sexton [email protected] 28 Yusuf Hakeem [email protected] 26 Dolores Gresham [email protected] 29 Mike Carter [email protected] 27 Ed Jackson [email protected] 30 Esther Helton [email protected] 28 Joey Hensley [email protected] 31 Ron Travis [email protected] 29 Raumesh Akbari [email protected] 32 Kent Calfee [email protected] 30 Sara Kyle [email protected] 33 John Ragan [email protected] 31 Brian Kelsey [email protected] 34 Tim Rudd [email protected] 32 Paul Rose [email protected] 35 Jerry Sexton [email protected] 33 Katrina Robinson [email protected] 36 Dennis Powers [email protected]
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Representa ves Representa ves 37 Charlie Baum [email protected] 76 Andy H. Holt [email protected] 38 Kelly Keisling [email protected] 77 Rusty Grills [email protected] 39 Iris Rudder [email protected] 78 Mary Littleton [email protected] 40 Terri Lynn Weaver [email protected] 79 Curtis Halford [email protected] 41 John Mark Windle [email protected] 80 Johnny Shaw [email protected] 42 Ryan Williams [email protected] 81 Debra Moody [email protected] 43 Paul Sherrell [email protected] 82 Chris Hurt [email protected] 44 William Lamberth [email protected] 83 Mark White [email protected] 45 Johnny Garrett [email protected] 84 Joe Towns, Jr. [email protected] 46 Clark Boyd [email protected] 85 Jesse Chism [email protected] 47 Rush Bricken [email protected] 86 Barbara Cooper [email protected] 48 Bryan Terry [email protected] 87 Karen D. Camper [email protected] 49 Mike Sparks [email protected] 88 Larry J. Miller [email protected] 50 Bo Mitchell [email protected] 89 Justin Lafferty [email protected] 51 Bill Beck [email protected] 90 John J. DeBerry. Jr. [email protected] 52 Mike Stewart [email protected] 91 London Lamar [email protected] 53 Jason Powell [email protected] 92 Rick Tillis [email protected] 54 Vincent Dixie [email protected] 93 G. A. Hardaway [email protected] 55 John Ray Clemmons [email protected] 94 Ron Gant [email protected] 56 Bob Freeman [email protected] 95 Kevin Vaughan [email protected] 57 Susan Lynn [email protected] 96 Dwayne Thompson [email protected] 58 Harold M. Love, Jr. [email protected] 97 Jim Coley [email protected] 59 Jason Potts [email protected] 98 Antonio Parkinson [email protected] 60 Darren Jernigan [email protected] 99 Tom Leatherwood [email protected] 61 Brandon Ogles [email protected] Others Invited 62 Pat Marsh [email protected] Justin Wilson [email protected] 63 Glen Casada [email protected] Randy McNally [email protected] 64 Scott Cepicky [email protected] Tre Hargett [email protected] 65 Sam Whitson [email protected] Jason Mumpower [email protected] 66 Sabi Kumar [email protected] Carol McDonald [email protected] 67 Jason Hodges [email protected] David Lillard [email protected] 68 Curtis G. Johnson [email protected] 69 Michael G. Curcio [email protected] 70 Clay Doggett [email protected] 71 David Byrd [email protected] 72 Kirk Haston [email protected] 73 Chris Todd [email protected] 74 Jay D. Reedy [email protected] 75 Bruce Griffey [email protected]
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MONDAY, APRIL 20 B. Emergency Management / ICS Noon EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETING C. Cathodic Protection 3:00 - 5:00 PM TGA BOARD OF DIRECTORS MTG 5:00 -10:00 EXHIBITORS SET UP WEDNESDAY, APRIL 22 (continued) 11:45 - 1:00PM GROUP BUFFET LUNCHEON TUESDAY, APRIL 21 1:00 - 2:00 BREAKOUT SESSIONS 7:00-9:30 AM EXHIBITORS SET UP BY 9:30 AM SELECT ONE TOPIC ) D, E, or F) 8:30 BUSINESS PARTNER COUNCIL MTG D. Commercial and Industrial Meter 10:00 EXHIBITS OPEN FOR VIEWING Selection Sizing PRE-CONFERENCE E. Middle TN Electric Display about 9:00 AM-Noon Natural Gas 101 Hazards of Electricity Mike Chitwood, Ed Young Sales Co F. Leak Management Roundtable Basic Properties of Natural Gas 2:15 - 3:15 BREAKOUT SESSIONS Piping and Components SELECT ONE TOPIC (G, H, or I) G. Troubleshooting - Regulators and Valves Maintenance Overpressure Protection Devices 12:00-1:00 PM BUFFET LUNCH & REGISTRATION H. Excess Flow Valves Sizing and 1:00 - 1:10 GENERAL SESSION BEGINS Installation 1:10 - 4:15 TGA WELCOME & UPDATE I. Middle TN Electric Display about TPUC UPDATE Bryce Kenner, TPUC Hazards of Electricity TN811 UPDATE Bill Turner, TN811 3:30 - 4:00 BREAK APGA UPDATE Erin Kurilla, APGA 4:00 - 5:00 BREAKOUT SESSIONS\ 4:30 - 5:30 BUSINESS PARTNER RECEPTION SELECT ONE TOPIC (J, K, or L) J. Cathodic Protection WEDNESDAY, APRIL 22 K. Excess Flow Valves Sizing and 7:00 - 8:00 AM CONTINENTAL BREAKFAST Installation 8:00 GENERAL SESSION BEGINS L. D&O Jeopardy 8:00 - 9:00 PIPELINE SAFETY UPDATE 5:00 ADJOURNMENT Erin Kurilla, APGA 9:00 - 10:00 EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS THURSDAY, APRIL 23 9:00 BUSINESS PARTNER COUNCILL MTG 7:00 - 8:00 AM CONTINENTAL BREAKFAST 10 - 10:15 NEW BUSINESS PARTNER 8:00 GENERAL SESSION BEGINS PRESENTATIONS & DOOR PRIZES 8:00 - 9:00 TRENCH EXCAVATION SAFETY 10:15 - 10:45 BREAK 9:00 - 9:15 BREAK 10:45 - 11:45 BREAKOUT SESSIONS 9:15 - 10:15 TOSHA UPDATE SELECT ONE TOPIC (A, B, or C) 10:15 - 10:30 BREAK A. Leak Management Roundtable 10:30 - 11:30 BULLI RAY DEMO
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2020 Customer Service Workshop 2020 Customer Service Workshop May 5, 2020 May 19, 2020 Jackson Energy Authority Sevier County Utility District 320 Highway 45 By-Pass 420 Robert Henderson Rd Jackson, TN 38301 Sevierville, TN 37862 Time Zone: CST Time Zone: EST
8:30 – 9:00 a.m. Registration
9:00 – 9:05 a.m. Welcome and Opening Remarks Amanda Kimery, Manager of Customer Care, Jackson Energy Authority 2020 Customer Service Committee Chair
9:05 – 9:10 a.m. TGA Update Kelley Zamboni, TGA Executive Director
9:15 – 10:00 a.m. Telephone Skills for Great Customer Service Alice Waters, CEO, Mid-State Communications
10:00 – 10:15 a.m. Break & Door Prizes
10:15-11:00 a.m. 811 Public Awareness Kathy Quartermaine, TN811 Marketing & Education Mgr Jason Fyer, TN811 Damage Prevention Liaison
11:00-11:45 a.m. Roundtable Discussion
11:45 – 12:30 p.m. Lunch & Networking
12:30 – 1:30 p.m. SPUD’s, PIG’s, & Alphabet Soup Cliff Swoape, Manager, Safety & Training, Middle TN Natural Gas
1:30 - 1:45 p.m. Break & Door Prizes
1:45 – 3:15 p.m. Where There’s a Will, There’s a Way Out How to unlock success in your diverse team and customer base. Jessica Stollings, President, Re-Generations
3:15 – 3:30 p.m. Door Prizes and Closing Remarks Melissa Hensley, Dispatcher/Customer Service, Hawkins County Gas 2020 Customer Service Committee Vice Chair
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Annual Meeting President’s Dinner Motivational Speaker
Staff Sergeant (Ret.) Johnny 'Joey' Jones, U.S. Marine
Johnny "Joey” Jones is a retired United States Marine and Fox News Contributor. Jones grew up in the industrial textile town of Dalton in Northwest Georgia where he was a standout high football player, honors student and worked for his father, a brick mason. Jones’ is the product of a large extended family of very modest means, and attributes his grandfather and two paternal uncles as father figures.
Enduring two combat deployments (Iraq and Afghanistan) and eight years of active service in the Marine Corps; Staff Sergeant Jones suffered a life-changing injury while deployed to Afghanistan as an Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD/Bomb) Technician. The 2010 IED-related incident resulted in the loss of both of his legs above the knee and severe damage to his right forearm and both wrists. Since his recovery, Jones has dedicated his work towards improving the lives of all veterans and their families.
In 2012, President Barack Obama invited Jones to the White House to discuss challenges facing active duty and retired service members. He has also held discussions on the topic with former President George W. Bush, Former Marine Corps Commandant James Amos, cabinet officials and congressional leaders.
Along with his career, Jones has the unique experiences of working in NASCAR, Politics and the Film Industry. Jones has a speaking role in the academy award winning film “Lincoln”, helped produce the record setting independent veteran film “Range 15” and served as a technical advisor on the award winning independent film “Bad Hurt.” Jones has campaigned
Hotel reservation deadline is May 23, 2020 Sunday, June 14 however we encourage you to make your room Executive Committee, TGA Board of Directors reservations as soon as possible. Reservations can & Scholarship Foundation Board Meeting be made by calling the Westin at 866-912-1083. Monday, June 15 Please ask for the TGA Annual Meeting room rate Opening Ceremonies of $179 per night. Please use this schedule when Evening Welcome Event making your hotel reservations. Agenda and Wednesday, June 17 registration fees will be available soon. Adjourn following President's Dinner 45
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