Purchasing & Materials Management Roundtables
For those in the procurement, storage, warehousing, and materials management areas of the energy industry
Expert Presentations | Relevant Topics | Industry Specific
Hear from other gas and electric utilities and purchasing managers at this unique forum that brings together utilities across the nation to discuss current challenges, successes, and trends in procurement, storage, warehousing, and materials management. MEA members drive the content from questions that come up in their professional lives focused on cost-effective methods, work process improvements, and procurement strategy enhancements. This conference provides attendees the platform to deliberate practices, ideas, and recommendations in a dedicated setting.
While we plan the 2023 event, check out the 2022 agenda!
2022 Agenda
| Tuesday, September 27, 2022 | |
| 3:00 PM – 4:30 PM | Optional activity – Chicago Architecture Boat Cruise |
| 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM | Networking Reception |
| Wednesday, September 28, 2022 | |
| 8:15 AM – 8:30 AM | Welcome |
| 8:30 AM – 9:30 AM | Supply Chain Challenges Speaker: Robert Hofto, demand planning engineer, Southern Company GasRobert will address the question of what caused the supply chain challenges so many are facing today, how far have we come on the path back to “normal” and what the future may hold for the supply chain industry. |
| 9:30 AM – 10:00 AM | Networking Break |
| 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM | Category Management Speaker: Jesse Martinez, category manager, EvergyJesse will provide an overview of Category Management, discuss the Category Planning process at Evergy and learn about SRM functions. |
| 11:00 AM – 12:30 PM | Networking Lunch |
| 12:30 PM – 1:30 PM | Supplier Relationships Speakers: Jana Darling, west region branch manager, GROEBNER Kristopher Murray, material availability manager, ComEdKristopher will discuss how ComEd and its sister utilities have changed their strategies with respect to managing key supplier relationships within the electric utility sector. From more frequent executive level meetings to weekly production reviews, now more than ever, Exelon Utility Supply teams have needed to be more hands on in managing communications both internally and externally to mitigate business and customer impact. Jana will discuss how GROEBNER is forecasting lead times, what challenges they face as they try to help their customers, and where their company is succeeding. |
| 1:30 PM – 2:00 PM | Networking Break |
| 2:00 PM – 3:30 PM | Supplier Diversity/Second Tier Spend Panelists: Danielle Bly, supplier diversity VP, WEC Energies Vernice Lewis, director for diverse business empowerment, Exelon Jennifer Morrison, AM water program director, supplier diversity and community outreach- Illinois, American Water Courtney Williams, supplier diversity manager, EvergyPanelists will each give their unique perspective on their company’s strategy and practices surrounding Supplier Diversity/Second Tier Spend. We will learn about American Water/IL American Water and their Supplier Diversity – Business Imperative, Tier II Spend Structure/Execution and Growth strategy. Attendees will also learn about the WEC Energy Group Supply Diversity Initiative, their Supplier Diversity Second Tier Spend and its Economic Impact. We will also hear from panelists from Evergy and Exelon on how they manage their respective programs. |
| 3:30 PM – 4:00 PM | Open Discussion |
| Thursday, September 29, 2022 | |
| 8:30 AM – 10:00 AM | An Overview of Washington Legislation for Energy Speaker: Jason Klindt, sr. director of government affairs and economic development, Evergy and Mark Skerjan, director of legislative policy and analysis, Southern Company GasJason will give an overview of the Inflation Reduction Act, describe what’s in the IIJA and tell us what else we can expect from Washington.Mark will continue to educate us with an overview of recent legislation impacting natural gas utilities. |
| 10:00 AM – 10:30 AM | Networking Break |
| 10:30 AM – 11:30 AM | GAINS Multi-enterprise Supply Chain Collaboration Network Speaker: Willis Wendell, GAINSystemsWillis will discuss enhancing supply chain performance by leveraging accelerated exchange of information, adaptive data analytics, business process automation, and cross-enterprise collaborative planning. |
| 11:30 AM | Adjourn |
2022 Rates
MEA Member Rate | $225 per person
Non-Member Rate | $425 per person
Committee
Focuses on supply chain management, warehousing and procurement procedures, performance metrics and surveys on industry trends in purchasing and materials management.
Committee FAQFor information, please contact Leslie Thomas at (651) 289-9600 x129.
