June 13, 2001, WSU Cooperation Extension, via our Information Department and Energy Extension office, worked with the Northwest Food Processors Association and the Industrial Customers of Northwest Utilities to produce an all-day regional energy conference using Cooperative Extension’s statewide satellite system. The conference was titled “Energy Efficiency for Industrial/Manufacturing.”
This all started when Information Department Chair Scott Fedale received a phone call from Dave Klick, Executive Vice President of the Northwest Food Processors Association asking whether the Information Department would be interested in helping produce a regional satellite conference focused on energy conservation opportunities for major industries in the Northwest. The event had financial backing from the state energy offices in Washington, Idaho and Oregon, as well as from Bonneville Power Administration and the Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance. WSU Cooperative Extension also donated some in-kind production and satellite downlink site coordination services. In addition, this event was endorsed by the Idaho Association of Commerce and Industry, Associated Oregon Industries, and the Association of Washington Business.
The event was received in 11 downlink sites in Washington, Oregon and Idaho as well as being viewed on the Internet via a live videostream by participants as far away as Minnesota, New Jersey and Canada. It was viewed by some 175 conference participants from major industries in the Northwest, including food processing, aeronautics, pulp and paper, plastics, metals and forest products. The broadcast featured speakers from a variety of private industries and public agencies in the three states, including Boeing Corporation, the Oregon Office of Energy and our own Energy Extension office. The event targeted manufacturing plant managers, engineers, maintenance personnel, energy coordinators, and others on the plant energy conservation teams.
The event was a major success. Dave Klick said, “Way to go Cougs! Today’s energy conservation satellite teleconference was a winner! Those of us at the Vancouver site were very pleased with the production. The transitions were smooth and the overall effect was professional! The speakers all showed up, demonstrated their knowledge of their subject areas, and stayed on time. Thanks, Scott, for being the glue that held everything together. It was fun to work with each of you. Thank you for being so responsive. We partnered on Emergency Preparedness in 1998 and now Energy Conservation in 2001. Let’s not wait three years for the next one. Please pass along to others who assisted you our appreciation for a job well done.”
Mark Kendall, Oregon Office of Energy, added, “The event was very well received by those participating in Vancouver. The local discussion, in addition to the teleconference downlinks, was excellently facilitated, topically of interest to the industries represented there, and lively. I was extremely impressed with the seamless teleconferencing management by the Washington State University staff. We’ll have to use that service again!”
