2018 Regional Conference Agenda

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REGIONS: SOUTHEAST REGION | JUL 15-17 SOUTHWEST & NORTHWEST | JUL 22-24 NORTH CENTRAL | AUG 5-7 CENTRAL & NORTHEAST | AUG 12-14

SUNDAY

MONDAY

TUESDAY

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Agenda*
*Times may vary by location. For the most up-to-date schedule, please refer to the NTCA Events App when on-site.

Sunday
1:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.	Preconference Workshop: A Director’s Guide to Cyber Risk Management Cybersecurity is not just an issue for technical staff. Board members plays a crucial role in setting policy, following good cyber practices, and ensuring that resources are sufficient to support cybersecurity operations. This session provides the information you need to be a cyber savvy director. *NTCA Course Code: B113*
2:45 p.m. – 4:15 p.m.	Preconference Workshop: Our Video Past, Present and Future Beginning with a brief history of where we have come with video, this session surveys the wide landscape of video offerings today and looks forward to the ever-changing future of video. This session is intended for directors looking for a clearer picture of the industry, as well as telco staff interested in a comprehensive view of all things video. *NTCA Course Code: T109*
4:30 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.	REGISTRATION
5:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.	SOCIAL HOUR Stop by to enjoy a drink and snacks while catching up with your peers. Attendees will receive a drink ticket at registration.

Monday
7:30 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.	REGISTRATION
7:45 a.m. – 8:15 a.m.	CONTINENTAL BREAKFAST + PRESENTATION Contractual Liability From The Insurance Perspective Most contracts incorporate hold harmless and indemnity clauses and insurance limit and coverage requirements which determine if and how insurance responds to cover you, or not, should there be a claim. Understanding how all of your agreements/contracts work from an insurance perspective is important prior to signing them. Come join Telcom Insurance Group for this discussion.
8:30 a.m. – 10:50 a.m.	OPENING GENERAL SESSION Chief Executive Officer Address Shirley Bloomfield, CEO, NTCA Addendum to North Central Regional program USDA Address Anne Hazlett, Assistant to the Secretary for Rural Development, USDA Pivot Point: Using Change Management to Drive Excellence Shawn Rhodes, Business Performance Expert, Shoshin Consulting Hear what top-performing teams around the world are doing to leverage change in some of the most challenging and stressful environments on the planet. Critical Considerations by AMAC: “Change is Inevitable. Change is Constant.” This discussion of solutions and strategies focuses on the crucial challenges involved with making impactful changes within a rural telco. Learn from real examples of making change happen from across the industry, and hear thoughts on creating a change roadmap for lasting success within your company. This session is brought to you by the NTCA Associate Member Advisory Council.
11:00 a.m. - 11:45 a.m.	Addendum to Southeast Regional program Making Change Happen David Nelems , Operations Manager, Elongator Tailgates Great ideas are a dime a dozen, but bringing those ideas to reality requires a capacity and willingness to cultivate, shape and manage the process from beginning to end. Whether inside your company or out in your community, where is the next great idea and how can you help bring it to life? Financing for Change Don Samonte, Vice President of Portfolio Management, RTFC When it comes time to turn plans into action, managing change can mean managing finances. Hear about the current landscape of financing products and timelines, and learn about how to make the most of the borrower/lender relationship to position your company for debt financing.
9:30 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.	THE COFFEE STOP
Noon – 1:30 p.m	LUNCH ON YOUR OWN
1:30 p.m. – 2:45 p.m.	SEMINARS Seminar 1: All About Advocacy There is an important role in advocating for effective policy for every member of the operations and governance team. Gain some insights into how advocacy efforts impact national, state and local policymaking and hear from industry professionals how you can get involved with grassroots efforts. *NTCA Course Code: P102* Seminar 2: Better Board Evaluations Corporate and cooperative boards alike are charged with directing the governance of a company. A component of good governance is regular and effective evaluation to ensure that policies, practices, expectations, and results are all in line. Learn about successful tools and models to introduce to your board room. *NTCA Course Code: G106* Seminar 3: The Lifecycle of a Business Plan As telcos pursue various revenue growth and diversification strategies, both inside and outside of their traditional service areas, it is essential to evaluate business opportunities through the development of a comprehensive business plan. Should that plan be accepted and you choose to move forward, how often do you measure actual performance to the plan and make adjustments as required? Learn the key questions to ask along the way as your business plan moves from development to realty. *NTCA Course Code: B109*
3:00 p.m. – 4:15 p.m.	SEMINARS (repeat)
4:30 p.m. – 5:15 p.m.	Making “Cents” of Benefits This session will take a broad look at medical and retirement program pricing and help companies better understand some of the administrative decisions behind the scenes with NTCA’s benefit plans. From retirement programs to medical plan options, join the Member Relations Team to learn how NTCA program benefits stack up in the marketplace. This session is brought to you by the NTCA Member Relations Managers
4:30 p.m. – 5:15 p.m.	Tech Talk: Business Models for IoT in Rural America Many companies are exploring various IoT options in their search for new revenue streams and network growth. Hear from peers and industry experts about the technical and business considerations you might face in planning for your company’s IoT future.
5:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.	NETWORKING RECEPTION Enjoy drinks and hors d’oeuvres while networking with your peers.

Tuesday
7:30 a.m. – Noon	REGISTRATION
8:00 a.m. – 9:15 a.m.	Regional Breakfast, Awards & Business Session Enjoy breakfast while honoring this year’s NTCA certificate awardees, along with those companies that have been members for 25 or 50 years.
9:15 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.	Planning for Change NTCA recently published a new resource titled “A Practical Guide to Charting One’s Own Course: Success, Failures and Lessons Learned in Rural Telecom.” This report of the NTCA Futures Task Force is a planning tool by members for members designed to highlight the challenges, issues and opportunities that should be on a company’s radar based on various industry-specific characteristics. Get an in-depth look at the report and learn how you can use it to enhance your strategic planning.
9:30 a.m. – Noon	THE COFFEE STOP
10:00 a.m. – 10:45 a.m.	Federal Update Hear the latest from Washington about telecom policies that affect rural America and smaller providers.
11:00 a.m. – Noon	FORUMS Executive Forum For Telco Executives and Senior Telco Staff Only This interactive roundtable opens the floor to discuss pressing industry and management issues facing telecommunications executives and senior staff. Share with peers about successful practices and timely matters of concerns. Directors Forum For Directors Only Directors from companies of all sizes engage in a lively discussion about challenges and successes for their telcos today. Bring the questions or bring the solutions, but come prepared to share.
Noon – 1:30 p.m.	LUNCH & CLOSING SPEAKER Making the Most of Difficult Situations: Changing Markets, Changing Times Garrison Wynn, CEO, Wynn Solutions This funny, insightful keynote combines relationship building with motivation and change management to deliver real solutions in uncertain times. Garrison examines the challenges we face and shows how we can laugh at our problems while using them as catalysts for success. This session covers no-cost, easily implemented, research-based solutions that your company can implement right away.
1:30 p.m.	MEETING ADJOURNS