Organizational Transformation

Top 10 Cybersecurity Considerations For Community-owned Utilities

March 2, 2021

Utilities in the United States are prime targets for cyber attack. Criminals are hijacking utility information systems and demanding ransom for their release. Nation states and other bad actors are rehearsing ways to interrupt utility services and throw the nation into chaos. Community-owned utilities of all sizes and structures must shore up their cyber defenses. This article presents the top 10 cybersecurity considerations for community utilities and their city departments.

Focus Groups Facilitated By Hometown Connections Promote Customer Engagement

February 17, 2021

As reported on the website of the San Luis Valley Rural Electric Cooperative (SLVREC) of Monte Vista, CO, fifteen of SLVREC’s residential members recently took part in a stakeholder engagement process by attending three focus groups. Facilitated by Charise Swanson of Hometown Connections, all meetings were conducted virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The participants were representative of the entire SLVREC service area and included complainants from a 2019 PUC complaint.

Hometown Connections Helps Piqua OH Identify Cybersecurity Priorities, Budget Needs

January 13, 2021

The City of Piqua, Ohio, is dedicated to providing the highest level of service to its nearly 11,000 electric customers, applying regularly for the designation of Reliable Public Power Provider (RP₃) by the American Public Power Association. Being recognized by the RP₃ program demonstrates a utility’s commitment to excellence in reliability, safety, workforce development, and system improvement. To ensure best practice compliance within the cybersecurity portion of the RP₃ application submitted in September 2020, the Piqua Power System hired the team from Hometown Connections, Inc., to perform a cybersecurity assessment.

Gather Baseline Information Prior To Engaging Cybersecurity Consultant

December 29, 2020

Due to recent news coverage of a major cyber penetration of U.S. government agencies and corporations across the globe, cybersecurity is front and center for city governments and their municipal utility departments. Before reaching out to consultants prepared to help evaluate cyber vulnerabilities and design a protection program, each community-owned utility should gather a baseline of information about their cybersecurity status. This outline will help the utility and potential consultants focus more quickly on the issues to be addressed.

Take Fast-Track To Creating A Strategic Plan That Works

October 27, 2020

Like your public power peers, you must map out your utility’s future through a rocky terrain. But you don’t have much time or the budget to commit to an elaborate endeavor. That’s why Hometown Connections has perfected a simple technique for evaluating your operations and determining your priorities and goals for the next five years. Our facilitators will lead your team through a process to assist you in solidifying a clear and unified future direction for your utility.

Give Your Board or City Council Primer on Public Power Governance

September 24, 2020

To provide an easy-to-read manual for municipal utility governing officials and managers, the American Public Power Association published the Policymakers Handbook: A Nuts and Bolts Guide to Governance for Public Power. Written by Steve VanderMeer of Hometown Connections, Inc., this overview explains governance duties and responsibilities, strategies for effective oversight and planning, and the benefits of being a public power community.

Increase Productivity & Positivity in the Workplace

September 24, 2020

Engineering solutions beyond the power grid With continuous change in our industry, there’s a lot for everyone to do, and success depends on each member of the team working together like a well-oiled machine. Sometimes personality differences and interpersonal dynamics can derail projects and productivity. With Totally Responsible Person® (TRP®) training from Hometown Connections, Inc., each of your team members will learn to stay positive, productive, and effective, no matter the circumstances.

SAGE Development Authority Seeking Crowdfunding for New 235-Megawatt Wind Farm to Benefit the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe

September 14, 2020

SAGE Development Authority, the first public power authority owned by a single Native nation in the United States, announced the launch of a new crowdfunding initiative — www.anpetuwi.com — marking the next phase of development for its 235-megawatt wind farm named Anpetu Wi. The wind farm will be located on the Standing Rock Reservation, outside of Fort Yates, N.D., home to the Lakota & Dakota people of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe (SRST). The project represents a community development model to produce renewable energy that offers a path toward self-determination and sovereignty for Standing Rock and other Native nations. No tribally-owned public power project in the U.S. has achieved this level of development to date for a utility-scale wind farm.

Public Power 101 Webinar Series Covers Benefits and Challenges of Community-owned Utilities

August 24, 2020

Join this two-part series by the American Public Power Association to learn about the unique benefits and challenges facing the public power business model, and discuss strategies for the future. Learn what gives public power communities an edge and how we can continue to thrive and serve our communities well amid multiple disruptive trends. Led by Tim Blodgett, President & CEO of Hometown Connections, Inc.

Industry Veteran Marc Gerken Brings Expertise in Public Power Business Operations to Hometown Connections Staff

July 15, 2020

Following a distinguished career that saw him rise from a city engineer in Ohio to helm the nation’s largest public power joint action agency (JAA), Marc Gerken has joined the staff of Hometown Connections, Inc. He retired recently after serving for twenty years as president and chief executive officer of American Municipal Power, Inc. (AMP), one of the six joint action agencies that co-own Hometown Connections. Prior to his retirement from AMP, Mr. Gerken served as AMP’s representative on the Hometown Connections Board of Directors. His position on the Hometown staff is Executive Advisor/Strategy and JAA Relations.

Organizational Transformation

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