TSTCI Member Central
2019 Legislative ConferenceDear TSTCI Members:The 2019 Legislature is about to begin and we are gearing up for our Legislative Conference that will be held on February 19th at the Sheraton Austin. As you know, our last Legislative Conference in 2017 was laser-focused on our USF issue. Our accomplishments in that successful legislative venue were due in large part to the excellent participation and efforts of our membership before during and after that reception. This year, while we don’t have a red-hot poker issue like our USF, we do have some areas that we’d like to get cleaned up (i.e. 811 responsibilities and liabilities). In addition, there are those networking opportunities that we always talk about – networking with each other and networking with our legislators. With all the changes in the make-up of both House and Senate and the installation of a new Speaker of the House, opportunities for “making new friends” but keeping the old abound. Don’t wait to register and get your hotel reservations. As we all remember, our hotel blocks go fast during this time in Austin. To make your attendance and participation easy, follow this link to our registration page CLICK HERE. AND REMEMBER TO MAKE YOUR HOTEL RESERVATIONS NOW too. Our early registration cut-off date is January 18, 2019! The 2019 Legislative Day in Austin will again be a joint TSTCI/TTA event scheduled for Tuesday, February 19, 2019, at the Sheraton Austin at the Capitol. As in the past, we will have kick-off sessions and then venture to the Capitol for face-to-face visits with legislators and their staff. We will also have additional invitations for you to hand out inviting them to our “Where the Stars are Big & Bright” (and the telecommunication’s service and customer service is grand) reception that evening. We are a strong and vibrant Association and the stories of service and customer-focus are stories worth telling. And each of you are your story’s-teller. Our industry is important – important to our businesses, our communities and the State of Texas. Rural Matters — and we are rural! As always, your participation in this legislative day matters too. While we encourage those that can and feel comfortable to visit your legislator(s) office and extend a personal invitation to the reception, Capitol visits are not mandatory. Your presence at this event and your attendance at the reception will also help show your commitment to our industry. It will also give you the opportunity to hear, see and participate in our efforts. The November election changed some of the legislators for our membership. As we have in the past, we are working to put individual company information together. For those attending, we will be making appointments for you to visit your legislator(s). If you schedule your own appointments or would NOT like to have an appointment made for you, please let us know. Individual invitations will be sent to all legislative offices inviting the legislator and staff to our reception. As we mentioned above, we will have some hand-out invitations for you to take with you during visits to the Capitol that day. Another tradition that we will continue, is the drawing for the $1,000 scholarship designations by those legislators that attend our reception. This event is successful and is made possible by the generosity of our membership in sponsoring the scholarship funds. In addition to the other sponsorship opportunities available for this conference, you will also note the scholarship sponsorship opportunity on the on-line registration form. We have secured a block of rooms for February 18 & 19, 2019. CLICK HERE to be taken to the hotel registration link. JANUARY 18th is the hotel cut-off date so we encourage you to make your reservations as soon as possible. Self-parking has been discounted to $12.00 per day and guest rooms receive complimentary internet access. TSTCI puts on four conferences a year — with the Legislative Conference and the Future’s Conference taking on alternating years. Our 2019 conference sponsorship opportunities begin now. For 2019, the Premier Sponsorship includes the benefits for this Legislative Conference, Spring Managers’ Conference, Accounting/Marketing & Customer Service Conference and our Annual Membership Meeting/Conference. The Premier Sponsorship covers your participation and support of all four conferences in one fell-swoop. The other sponsorship levels are also available and appreciated and are on a meeting-by-meeting basis. CLICK HERE to go to the sponsorship review page to see what each level includes for you. Our entire TSTCI membership is included in this event. We hope you will make plans to join us in Austin for this important February event. Any questions or for more information, please call Weldon at 903-658-0055. |