2018 Spring Managers’ Conference – Adaptable to Change

It is time — it is time to gather — to catch our collective breath — to take inventory of our path — to celebrate ourselves, our friends, our industry and our Association. The year between last year’s Spring Conference and this year’s Spring Conference — well, it was full of opportunities — man made and nature made. There is a saying that says something like it will not be the survival of the fittest or the most intelligent that will survive. The survivors will be those that can/will adapt to their situations. Well, that definitely describes us. So, this year’s conference will focus and celebrate our ability and willingness to “Adapt to Change.”

As we prepare for the 2018 TSTCI Spring Managers’ Conference at the Pearl on South Padre Island, June 13-15, 2018, and while we’re in the spirit of adapting to change, wanted to give you a little heads up that in 2019 we are going to take this conference to a new venue.  Some of us are a little slower at the adapted part of change than others so for those we wanted to give you a year to adjust to going to Galveston for Spring Manager’s 2019! Now back to this year’s conference.

With the mere nature of the timing of this conference, we continue to make this a family-friendly conference. In addition to Business and Pleasure time with co-workers and industry associates, this is also a time when kids and grandkids are out of school and you have some down time to reconnect with them as well. We keep the environment casual, the program riveting, the socializing social and the education pertinent. 

In addition to looking at the great program that we are putting together for this conference, please also remember that we need your help in sponsoring. Our membership has been incredible in stepping up to help sponsor so that the quality of our meetings continue to outdo themselves. So, thank you in advance for your consideration of all of our sponsor opportunities. 

As we begin this new season of meetings, just a slight refresher course of sponsorship opportunities: “Premiere Sponsor Package” allows you and your company to take care of sponsoring at all the TSTCI conferences this year in one transaction. In addition to the enhanced acknowledgement you will receive before, during and after at each meeting, you also get four (4) registrations to TSTCI meetings that you can use as you choose. You can either use your 4 registrations at one single conference or you can use 1 registration per conference. You also get a foursome at the Golf Tournament at either the Spring Managers’ OR the Annual Meeting; you get a tee box sponsor at the Golf Tournament at both the Spring Managers’ and Annual Meeting; you get a Table Sponsor at the Annual Awards Banquet at the Annual Meeting; and, your get a Tabletop Display at the Annual Meeting with table location preference. We have been fortunate to have several members participate as Premiere Sponsors. In addition, we have added some benefits under the Platinum, Gold, Silver and Bronze Sponsorships as well. To help you refresh your memory on all the wonderful additions to the Sponsorship Opportunities, CLICK HERE to view the Sponsorship Menu so you can select the level that best suits your situation.

TSTCI Staff and the Program Planning Committee work to put together these conferences that include material that is relevant to the world we live in and the world our industry operates in today. We strive to include speakers and topics that will educate you, challenge you, move you, WOW you, and celebrate you.  Again, with your help from the evaluation forms of meetings past and the planning minds of your Planning Committee and the generous nature of our membership with speakers and sponsorships — We present the outstanding outline for this year’s TSTCI Spring Manager’s Conference. REGISTER NOW BY CLICKING HERE

The Pre-Agenda outline is included for your review even though we are still working on confirming some of the invited speakers.  This pre-Agenda will give you a glimpse at the power of the program.  As is now also part of tradition, on Tuesday, before the conference officially kicks off, Texas Expo will once again host the Fishing Tournament. They are still finalizing some details and will get more information out to you and to us — For now, SAVE THE DATE of Tuesday, June 12th for the Expo Annual Fishing Tournament. 

In the spirit of tradition, the Vendor Reception will also happen again on the Tuesday evening before the official kick-off. This, too, has become a tradition and is a great primer for the conference. To date, the vendor hosts of this special event include: ADB Companies, Alamon, ElectriCom, MACC, MapCom and MPNexlevel. The reception is planned for Pelican’s Station.

On Wednesday morning, June 13, we tee off the TSTCI Spring Managers’ Conference with the Wesley B. Roberts Memorial Golf Tournament at the South Padre Island Golf Club. The golf registration includes the cart rental, green fees, driving range balls, full breakfast buffet, beverages on the course, lunch buffet, chance for great door prizes, and opportunity for team prizes (and bragging rights).  We’d like to think you also get to enjoy the company of your friends and peers or you may just get to enjoy the game and the scenic location! Registration for golf and opportunities to assist with golf sponsorships are available on the online registration page.

After returning from golf, the Texas Lone Star Network (TLSN) will hold its Annual Membership Meeting beginning at 3:30 p.m. 

The Registration Table opens at 4:30 pm to officially begin welcoming participants to the conference. The Welcome Reception Wednesday evening begins at 5:30 p.m., this gives everyone a chance to enjoy the casual atmosphere, fantastic food and fellowship as we watch the day end with a beautiful sunset over South Padre.   

Thursday morning join us for a full breakfast buffet at 7:30 to get your mind and body ready for a powerful program. At 8:30 am, TSTCI President — Craig Cook and TSTCI CEO, Weldon Gray open the meeting. 

We are honored and thrilled to have Matthew Brady as our Opening Keynote Speaker. To give insight into the story and the lessons we’ll gain from this presentation, you might remember that in 2007, Navy SEAL Marcus Lutrell wrote a book called Lone Survivor, which recounted his experience during a 2005 mission in Northeastern Afghanistan that ultimately claimed the lives of 19 of his fellow soldiers. It was a bestseller, and in 2014, became a major motion picture starring Mark Wahlberg.

Matt Brady lived that mission. As a pilot in an elite Army helicopter unit called the Night Stalkers, he was tasked with delivering Luttrell and three other soldiers to the drop point and sticking around to make sure they found a good place to hide in the mountains. The next day, though, that team was attacked, and here, Brady tells the story of the last-minute decision that kept him from the subsequent, ill-fated rescue mission, the difficult decisions he had to make that day, and the leadership lessons that he took from the experience. Matt’s presentation, “Lone Survivor – The Other Side of the Story” is one you will not want to miss. P.S. — He may be joining us for the Golf Tournament and Welcome Reception! 

After the opening speaker, we will have first-hand, real life, community/family/industry-minded stories from some of our members on “Surviving Hurricane Harvey — Really!”  Gil Rasco — Btel; Kelly Allison-Colorado Valley Telephone Cooperative; Rodney Hackemack-Industry Telephone; and, Bill Rakowitz-YK Communications will share impactful moments of not only the structural damage and rebuilding but also the very personal, very human impacts of this storm and the moving aftermath and the power of people coming together to overcome tragedy.  You don’t want to miss this one.

After the stories of surviving the nature made storm, Jill Canfield, NTCA-The Broadband Association, will move us on to talk about the political storm that is always hovering. Jill will give us an Update from Washington and will touch on activities at the FCC, in Congress and any other relevant political actions on our industry. 

We will break for the PAC Luncheon (separate ticket required). We hope many of you will register and attend the PAC luncheon or you are welcome to lunch on your own. NOTE: We’d love for you to join us for the luncheon; however, in the past many of you have financially supported the PAC by buying lunch tickets but had other lunch plans. We are grateful for your support but if you want to support the PAC but really aren’t interested in attending the luncheon, we’ll have PAC donation forms available for your use. It will save us the cost of your lunch at the PAC luncheon.

As we return from lunch but before we introduce our first afternoon session, we will draw for a come back door prize.      

Cybersecurity is something that is on everyone’s radar these days.  Our opening afternoon speaker, Jason McGinnis-CEO, NeoNova, will conduct Cybersecurity 101: Protecting Your Company From Cybersecurity Threats.  Given the impact this topic has already had on many businesses in the news and some of our members have already been victims, this will be an interesting, scary, relevant and necessary presentation to see and hear. 

The finale session will again present members of our industry in a panel discussion on Wireless Opportunities — 5G, Small Cell, Large Cell, Whitespace or What?  We’ll get first-hand experience, knowledge learned and vision shared from Joey Anderson-Nortex, Steven Steele, Peoples Telephone Cooperative, and Kelly Allison-Colorado Valley Telephone Cooperative.    

Before adjourning for the day, we will do the Grand Prize Drawing sponsored by Texas Communications Expo (must be present to win) followed by the PAC Raffle prize drawing (at press time, we are accepting sponsors for the PAC Raffle).  

After adjournment, please join the Texas Lone Star Network for their Ice Cream Social. 

Friday morning, Members and Associate Members are invited to enjoy a continental breakfast and the morning General Session where the ever-popular employment attorney, Sheila Gladstone will address “Understanding, Preventing, and Responding to Sexual Harassment in the #MeToo Era.” 

After this General Session, the ILEC Member Meeting will convene after a short break. The Member Meeting is open to all ILEC Full Members and/or their designated representatives. This portion of the meeting will include a Legislative and Regulatory Update and any other items that need to be brought to the membership.

We look forward to spending these few days with you and the sharing of valuable time and information. Below are additional ways that you may participate in this important meeting and important additional information about registering.

Sponsorships

Inclusion in the sponsorship material requires that we receive your sponsorship and/or information about door prizes BY MAY 18, 2018. Sponsorship helps all of us and is very much appreciated. 

Hotel Information

We will be at the South Padre Pearl. For your convenience, we have a direct link to the hotel on the TSTCI Conference registration on the website. If calling the hotel direct (956-761-6551), please make sure they know you are with the TSTCI group so they include you in our room group. Room rates are $179.00 for single/ double; $219 for King Suite; $335.00 for 1 King/1 Double Bed Condo; $385.00 for 1 King/2 Double Bed Condo; and $400 for 2 Bed Ocean Front Condo. Be sure to make your reservations by the MAY 18, 2018 cut-off date. After that date, rooms will be on a space-available basis at the regular hotel rate. Check-in time is 3:00 p.m.; check-out time is Noon. Self-Parking is complimentary and Valet Parking at the hotel is approximately $12.00/day.

Early Registration!

General or Early Registration runs from now through May 18th at the normal registration fee. After May 18th, the “late registration fee” will apply. Now it really does pay to register early.

Looking forward to seeing you down by the sea!