North Dakota Association of Rural Electric Cooperatives

Publications and Graphic Arts Services:PUBLICATIONS- Published 12 monthly North Dakota Living magazines, including 1,392 unique local pages for 16 electric cooperatives to communicate with their members. - Welcomed a publications intern, Kennedy DeLap.- Increased 2024 advertising sales revenue over 2023, generating approximately $668,000.- In the most competitive year of the Spotlight on Excellence Awards, which drew more than 800 entries, North Dakota Living took home the top award in two at-large categories, Best News Story and Best Feature Story.- Designed numerous brochures, reports, logos, signs, graphics and other projects for member-cooperatives and statewide service areas.- Provided professional photography services for the magazine, co-op meetings, events and members, including headshots and studio photography.- Procured contracts to sell advertising placements and produce special publications, which reduce the cost of delivering North Dakota Living to electric co-op members. New this year was the Bottineau-Lake Metigoshe Area Guide, plus the NDAREC/BAND Member Directory, N.D. Travel Guide, N.D. Hunting and Fishing Guide, Big Iron Guide and the Bismarck-Mandan Convention and Visitors Bureau Guide.- Provided education and information through print and online media, including the e-magazine and ndliving.com, covering a variety of state, local, national and industry issues, safety and cooperative topics important to membership.- Represented electric co-ops at trade shows.NORTH DAKOTA LIVING STUDY COMMITTEE- Accomplished the top objective under Goal 1 of the NDAREC Board Strategic Plan to convene a task force to evaluate the magazine.- Completed and disseminated final report on the North Dakota Living Study Committee.- Presented recommendations and findings to the NDAREC board of directors and membership at the annual meeting.READERSHIP SURVEY- Conducted a readership survey of North Dakota Living, which revealed about 85% of members read the magazine. Members recall receiving news and information from and about their electric co-op most often through North Dakota Living, and the magazine is their preferred method for co-op communications.

Safety Training Services:APPRENTICESHIP- Administered apprenticeship and instructional programs to develop the workforce in the trades of lineworker, meter technician and substation technician.- Received approval from the U.S. Department of Labor to add a substation technician and relay technician apprenticeship program. These programs will support the growth and complexity of maintaining a skilled workforce.- Administered scholarship dollars to eligible apprentices and supported veterans in receiving GI Bill benefits.TRAINING- Provided safety meetings for North Dakota and Montana members at 296 locations, reaching 3,053 employees.- Coordinated the 60th annual Apprenticeship, Training and Safety Conference, which attracted 297 attendees. Awards from six categories were presented to cooperatives and individuals.- Provided specialized training in hotline work, tree trimming and grounding/bonding to 468 participants.- Conducted dielectric truck testing on 150 trucks at 29 locations for members in North Dakota and Montana.- Obtained certification to host digger derrick and crane operator certification at central (Mandan) and western (Williston) locations.- Delivered NDAREC's first underground school.SAFETY/LOSS CONTROL- Monitored restoration efforts of electric cooperatives impacted by North Dakota wildfires and Hurricanes Helene and Milton.- Facilitated a disaster preparedness discussion with cooperative staff in core service areas, including general managers, finance managers, member services representatives and line superintendents.- Influenced a cooperative culture of safety through the Rural Electric Safety Achievement Program (RESAP). All North Dakota distribution cooperatives and Minnkota Power Cooperative participate in the RESAP program.- Conducted RESAP on-site observations for six cooperatives.- Represented North Dakota's electric cooperatives on the Certified Loss Control Professional Commission.- Engaged in the redesign of the leadership commitment portion of RESAP. Several North Dakota cooperatives are represented in the CEO self-reflection and orientation videos.