Just got back from the Nashville conference and wanted to share my thoughts while they're fresh. This was my first AAUBA annual meeting and I was blown away by the quality of presentations. The Chugach Electric rate analysis workshop was particularly relevant for us Alaska folks. Met some amazing professionals and learned techniques that'll easily pay for the trip cost within the first month back home.
AAUBA Annual Conference 2023 - Nashville Recap
Great to meet you in person Darren! Your presentation on extreme weather impact adjustments was fascinating. Those -40°F billing anomalies you deal with in Anchorage are definitely unique challenges. Glad the conference was valuable for you.
The vendor expo was incredible this year. Finally got hands-on time with that new interval data analysis software. PSO billing has some quirks that manual analysis misses, but this tool caught everything. Worth the $3K annual license just for the time savings.
Loved the round table discussions! The session on dealing with uncooperative utility representatives was pure gold. Those de-escalation techniques are going to save me so much stress. Plus I connected with three other Louisiana auditors I didn't even know existed.
The Duke Energy Ohio tariff update session was exactly what I needed. Their new Schedule DP demand provisions are confusing as hell, but the presenters broke it down perfectly. Already applied the knowledge to identify $67K in billing errors for a client.
Nashville was fantastic! The hospitality suite networking was where the real learning happened. Spent two hours with a group discussing Entergy's new time-of-use rollout. Got insights that probably saved me months of trial and error back in Arkansas.
First time attending and definitely not my last! The keynote on industry consolidation trends was eye-opening. Kentucky's regulatory environment is shifting and I need to stay ahead of these changes. Plus the BBQ at Prince's was legendary.
Even though I'm just getting started in this field, everyone was incredibly welcoming. The 'New Auditor Bootcamp' session was invaluable. Learned more in those three hours than my first six months on the job. Missouri's Ameren territory has some unique challenges I now feel equipped to handle.
The attendance was our highest ever - 347 registered members! Really proud of how the organization has grown. The feedback forms are overwhelmingly positive. Planning committee is already working on 2024 in Denver. Same high quality content with a focus on renewable energy rate structures.
Randy, please pass along kudos to the planning committee. The mobile app for scheduling was brilliant. No more carrying around that heavy program book. Made it so easy to customize my agenda and get notifications about session changes.
The continuing education credits were a huge bonus. Louisiana requires 40 hours annually and I knocked out 16 hours at the conference. High quality education that actually applies to real-world situations. Can't beat that value proposition.
Already blocked my calendar for Denver 2024! The networking alone is worth the trip cost. Made connections that led to two major client referrals within a week of getting home. This organization just keeps getting better.
Thanks everyone for the warm welcome! Already implementing lessons learned from Nashville. Found a $43K billing error for an Anchorage hospital using the demand factor analysis techniques from the conference. This community is incredible.
Love hearing these success stories! This is exactly why we do these events. When members can immediately apply what they learn and generate real savings for clients, that's when you know the conference delivered value. See everyone in Denver next year!