The Lignite Energy Council is pleased to announce the 2017 Lignite Energy Council Annual Meeting to be held April 18 – 20 at the Bismarck Event Center.
The theme aims to promote the new tag line for the Lignite Energy Council: “Leading through Advocacy and Innovation.” Relationships with policy makers, regulators and members are important and need to be coupled with research & development to foster energy sustainment and growth. A subtheme throughout the year, beginning with the Annual Meeting, will be “License to Coal” to promote the North Dakota’s coal industry special license plate that will be available to the public around the time of the Annual Meeting.
This year brings with it many new and exciting things including new leadership at the state and national level, the first-ever offering of a North Dakota license plate that promotes coal and a new and improved look for the Lignite Energy Council as reflected by a new logo. This year also promises to build upon the lignite industry’s well-established history of investing in the future of our region’s abundant coal resources through research and development, which will be under the direction of a new, but familiar face – Mike Holmes, the new vice president of research and development for the Lignite Energy Council.
All of these will be centerpieces of the Annual Meeting agenda. Invited speakers include North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum, Chairman of the U.S. House Natural Resources Committee Rob Bishop, North Dakota Petroleum Council President & CEO Ron Ness and other industry leaders.
What’s new at the Annual Meeting
In keeping with a pattern of new and exciting, the Lignite Energy Council will once again implement new strategies and features to increase the return on your investment in the meetings and membership.
Newly expanded format
This year, the Annual Meeting will begin in the afternoon of Tuesday, April 18, with a member’s-only session that will feature Mine and Plant Updates and Company Sessions and Reception. This session will be free for registered member attendees or can be purchased as a standalone session for $50 for members not attending the remainder of the Annual Meeting. This change should focus more attention on doing business with a member. More information on the features of this session will be available as planning progresses.
Discounts for members
Another new offering for LEC members are discounts for attendees based on membership level and number of attendees.
Annual Meeting member attendee registration regular price is $250 per attendee before April 5. However, check out these discounts:
- New Member: $50 discount ($200/attendee)
- Associate and Investor Members: $25 discount ($225/attendee)
- Sustaining and Major Supplier Members: $50 discount ($200/attendee)
Associate, Investor, Sustaining and Major Supplier Members also qualify for additional discounted pricing when registering more than five attendees.
- The first five attendees would be registered at the membership-based rate.
- Beginning with the sixth registration, attendees would be discounted to $125/attendee
- For example: if you are an Associate Member and you register seven people, the charge would total $1,375 for seven people.
- $225 x 5 = $1,125
- $125 x 2 = $250
All employees of members registered with our system will receive an email containing a discount code to use at checkout in order to receive your discounted rate. Online registration will not automatically apply your discounts; you will need to use the codes you are provided. If you have any questions or would like to register by phone, please contact the Lignite Energy Council at 701-258-7117 and ask to speak with either Laney (for phone registrations) or Kay (for questions regarding registration rates).
Non-member pricing and offers
This year, portions of the Annual Meeting will be open to non-members to attend at a price point well above membership attendance rates. The Lignite Council has been considering non-member attendance for many years as a way to promote membership as well as increase revenue. Non-members may attend the sessions on April 19 and 20 for $400 and increasing to $500 for late registrations. Non-members will not be eligible to reserve an exhibitor booth or attend the Member’s Only Mine & Plant Updates or Social taking place the afternoon and evening of Tuesday, April 18.
The non-member pricing and limits will apply to any attendee registration whose company is not a direct member of the Lignite Energy Council – this includes product vendors not currently enrolled as a member.
Sponsors and Exhibitors
Sponsorships and exhibitor registrations were a success last year with the changes and improvements to those areas.
Sponsorships
Exhibitor booths
All exhibitors will receive at least one complimentary attendee registration (Meeting Partners and Exhibitor Sponsors receive 2).
Booths can be reserved for $600 (if you are also interested in becoming a sponsor, we have two sponsorship opportunities that include an exhibitor booth). This fee does include an attendee registration.