NEW FOR 2023: NORA TECHNICAL EDUCATION TRACK
2023 Southern New England Energy Conference Schedule
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Thursday, Sep 28, 2023
9:00 am - 10:00 am Breakfast - sponsored by HOP Energy 10:00 am - 11:00 am Concurrent Breakout Sessions 11:00 am - 12:30 pm NORA Board Meeting 11:30 am - 12:30 pm General Session for all Attendees 12:30 pm - 2:00 pm Awards Luncheon - sponsored by HJ SIms Keynote Address - Stephen Comstock, API 2:15 pm - 3:15 pm Concurrent Breakout Sessions 3:30 pm - 4:30 pm Concurrent Breakout Sessions 5:00 pm - 6:00 pm Reception - sponsored by Inland Fuel Terminals and Webster Bank Then dinner on own in Newport Friday, Sep 29, 2023 9:00 am - 10:00 am Breakfast - sponsored by Destwin 10:00 am - 11:00 am Concurrent Breakout Sessions 11:15 am - 12:15 pm Concurrent Breakout Sessions 12:15 pm - 1:30 pm Luncheon with Industry Keynotes - sponsored by Buckeye Energy Services Schedule subject to change |
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2023 Education Sessions - Celebrating Industry Advisors!
Advisors to our industry are integral to the success of your business. Whether they are equipment salespersons, your wholesale suppliers, or banking, insurance, credit card processing, or software consultants, each in their own way support you. Associations such as those co-sponsoring this event provide you with regulatory support, and NORA leads the way in technical and technology support, education and training. This year's event celebrates and welcomes all those who support our industry!
General Session
What We See That You May Not
Industry consultants are a vital part of our industry (just see the list of them presenting at industry conferences including this one). They have the unique advantage of seeing the operations of dozens and dozens of fuel companies. This perspective gives them unusual insight into the good, the bad and the ugly. They can often see red flags where you have blind spots, and opportunities you might not have fully appreciated.
Today’s panel includes a half dozen of the industry’s leading experts in their fields, including, Mark Bloom, Angus Energy; Steve Abbate, Cetane Associates; Marty Kirshner, Gray, Gray & Gray, Rich Carrione, Warm Thoughts Communications and Bob Williamson, Cetane Associates (formerly of Moyer Indoor Outdoor). We’ve asked each of them to identify trends, behaviors or opportunities they believe deserve your awareness or perhaps a wakeup call. Be prepared for a lively, interactive discussion! SALON III/IV
What We See That You May Not
Industry consultants are a vital part of our industry (just see the list of them presenting at industry conferences including this one). They have the unique advantage of seeing the operations of dozens and dozens of fuel companies. This perspective gives them unusual insight into the good, the bad and the ugly. They can often see red flags where you have blind spots, and opportunities you might not have fully appreciated.
Today’s panel includes a half dozen of the industry’s leading experts in their fields, including, Mark Bloom, Angus Energy; Steve Abbate, Cetane Associates; Marty Kirshner, Gray, Gray & Gray, Rich Carrione, Warm Thoughts Communications and Bob Williamson, Cetane Associates (formerly of Moyer Indoor Outdoor). We’ve asked each of them to identify trends, behaviors or opportunities they believe deserve your awareness or perhaps a wakeup call. Be prepared for a lively, interactive discussion! SALON III/IV
Thursday Keynote
State of the Industry - Stephen Comstock, Vice President American Petroleum Institute
Stephen Comstock,Vice President and Senior Counselor for Policy, Economics and Regulatory Affairs at the American Petroleum Institute, will give an overview of the state of the American economy and of the petroleum industry at our luncheon on Thursday, Sep. 28. This will be a "big picture" look at the industry, from the top leadership at API which represents refiners in our industry. Comstock has over 30 years in the industry and has been with API for over 18 years in a number of roles. Prior to API, Comstock was a tax attorney with ExxonMobil in their Tax Department and provided planning advice for various projects in their Upstream, Downstream and Chemical operations. He has also been an adjunct professor at Georgetown Law School and was formerly chair of the Energy and Environmental Taxes Committee of the American Bar Association’s Tax Section. He received a BA from the University of Texas and a JD from George Washington University. Founded in 1919, API has 600 members representing the oil and gas industry in America. SALON III/IV
State of the Industry - Stephen Comstock, Vice President American Petroleum Institute
Stephen Comstock,Vice President and Senior Counselor for Policy, Economics and Regulatory Affairs at the American Petroleum Institute, will give an overview of the state of the American economy and of the petroleum industry at our luncheon on Thursday, Sep. 28. This will be a "big picture" look at the industry, from the top leadership at API which represents refiners in our industry. Comstock has over 30 years in the industry and has been with API for over 18 years in a number of roles. Prior to API, Comstock was a tax attorney with ExxonMobil in their Tax Department and provided planning advice for various projects in their Upstream, Downstream and Chemical operations. He has also been an adjunct professor at Georgetown Law School and was formerly chair of the Energy and Environmental Taxes Committee of the American Bar Association’s Tax Section. He received a BA from the University of Texas and a JD from George Washington University. Founded in 1919, API has 600 members representing the oil and gas industry in America. SALON III/IV
Session Schedule Highlights
Thursday, September 28
10:00 am - 11:00 am
Risky Business – Focus on Driving. How Risky Behavior by Drivers Cost You Money – Patrick Donohue, Federated Insurance
Truck accidents continue to be a large exposure for our industry. Vehicle crashes, fatalities, and distracted driving are a serious problem. This costs you money, and more importantly the health and safety of your drivers. This session will introduce you to strategies and technology tools to aid in restricting mobile phone use in vehicles and safe driving behavior. COLUMBIA ROOM
Build a Better Relationship with Your Banker - Marty Kirshner, Gray, Gray & Gray; Fred Lord, Cetane Associates; Dan Quesnel, Liberty Bank
This session will cover: How to communicate more effectively with your banker; What your banker needs to know about your business, and why; Why you need to educate your banker about the energy business (seasonality, price volatility, and gross margin vs. gross profit); How to convince your banker to increase your credit line; How do higher interest rates impact your banking relationship? and more. FREEDOM ROOM
NORA Education- Moving to a low carbon industry - Bob O’Brien, NORA
As the industry evolves, the NORA education program is evolving with it. This presentation will offer insights into this evolution. NORA’s educational efforts have been primarily focused on technicians and will continue to be as we move to renewable fuels, keeping technicians informed of changes before they occur is vital. NORA is widening the scope of its educational efforts to the efficiency arena as well; work is underway to offer Building Performance Institute (BPI) training. BPI certification/accreditation is required for participation in most state energy programs and many Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) rebate programs. WEATHERLY ROOM
11:00 am - 12:30 PM
NORA Board Meeting
11:30 am - 12:30 pm
General Session: What We See That You May Not (see above)
12:30 pm - 2:00 pm
Luncheon
1:00 pm - 1:30 pm
CEMA Annual Meeting / Awards
1:30 pm - 2:00 pm
Keynote: State of the Industry (see above)
2:15 pm - 3:15 pm
WTF?...What’s the Future (for Energy Futures)? - Elaine Levin, Powerhouse
You have just lived through a period of unprecedented volatility in petroleum prices. Are we out of the woods, or are more big price movements in the cards? What risks and opportunities should marketers be focusing on for the upcoming winter? Elaine Levin, President of Powerhouse, a price risk management firm, will share ideas to grow your business and protect profit margins in an uncertain world. FREEDOM ROOM
R.W. Beckett's Revolutionary B100 Burner - Jeff Rozga, R.W. Beckett
With many states in the region moving to higher blends of biofuels, our primary defense to being regulated out of existence and replaced by heat pumps is still B100 biofuels, so we can get as close to net-zero emissions as possible. A revolutionary step forward was taken by R.W. Beckett this last summer with their release of the first B100 burner. Hear for the first time at an industry conference how this technology works. WEATHERLY ROOM
NORA - High blends Infrastructure workshops and the CSR Bootcamps – Mike Devine, NORA
NORA President Michael Devine will provide a detailed recap coming out of the two XBX High blends Infrastructure Workshops and the CSR Bootcamps, which were recently held this summer. The High blend Infrastructure workshop included industry supply chain participants, some of which include distillate fuel terminal wholesalers, biodiesel producers/marketers, retail fuel dealers, equipment manufacturers, rail industries and interested parties. The CSR Bootcamp was designed to provide a stronger level of comfort in communicating the benefits of the liquid heating industry consumer. COLUMBIA ROOM
3:30 pm - 4:30 pm
Diversifying Services beyond the traditional – Bob Williamson, Cetane Associates
This session will cover the benefits and obstacles of adding on non-traditional service offerings for your customers. This includes Pest Control, Lawn Care, Swimming Pool, Home Security and Plumbing. Common misperceptions and mistakes made by companies that attempt and fail to be successful in adding on services will be addressed. Also discussed will be associated cost and a time line to get this done, cross-selling, branding and management structure. WEATHERLY ROOM
The Employer-Employee Relationship: Thinking Outside the Box to Save Money - Mike Stanley, Lisa Buffington, Marsh McLennan
If you're a large company like Amazon with hundreds of thousands of employees, you get economies of scale and buying power, which reduces your costs and improves profitability. If you have just a few hundred employees, or just a few employees, you have limited, or even zero buying power. Many companies have solved this problem by thinking outside the box, and pooling their employees with others. This is not new concept, and has been widely practiced for decades. Learn about this practice and see if it makes any sense to you. COLUMBIA ROOM
NORA Technology Update - Tom Butcher, NORA
This session will provide an update on NORA’s R&D efforts and plans for the coming heating season. NORA’s work is focused on addressing the technical questions related to the transition of heating to zero carbon emissions. Part of this relates to fuel performance and NORA has been making important advances in understanding the cleanliness of fuels and filtration – an area where we have strong potential for improvements now. Understanding the storage and combustion performance of biofuels both in the lab and in the field remains another important area and NORA is making plans to expand field testing. Integration with renewables in different ways can also be a part of the future of heating and opportunities and work in this area are also discussed. FREEDOM ROOM
Thursday, September 28
10:00 am - 11:00 am
Risky Business – Focus on Driving. How Risky Behavior by Drivers Cost You Money – Patrick Donohue, Federated Insurance
Truck accidents continue to be a large exposure for our industry. Vehicle crashes, fatalities, and distracted driving are a serious problem. This costs you money, and more importantly the health and safety of your drivers. This session will introduce you to strategies and technology tools to aid in restricting mobile phone use in vehicles and safe driving behavior. COLUMBIA ROOM
Build a Better Relationship with Your Banker - Marty Kirshner, Gray, Gray & Gray; Fred Lord, Cetane Associates; Dan Quesnel, Liberty Bank
This session will cover: How to communicate more effectively with your banker; What your banker needs to know about your business, and why; Why you need to educate your banker about the energy business (seasonality, price volatility, and gross margin vs. gross profit); How to convince your banker to increase your credit line; How do higher interest rates impact your banking relationship? and more. FREEDOM ROOM
NORA Education- Moving to a low carbon industry - Bob O’Brien, NORA
As the industry evolves, the NORA education program is evolving with it. This presentation will offer insights into this evolution. NORA’s educational efforts have been primarily focused on technicians and will continue to be as we move to renewable fuels, keeping technicians informed of changes before they occur is vital. NORA is widening the scope of its educational efforts to the efficiency arena as well; work is underway to offer Building Performance Institute (BPI) training. BPI certification/accreditation is required for participation in most state energy programs and many Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) rebate programs. WEATHERLY ROOM
11:00 am - 12:30 PM
NORA Board Meeting
11:30 am - 12:30 pm
General Session: What We See That You May Not (see above)
12:30 pm - 2:00 pm
Luncheon
1:00 pm - 1:30 pm
CEMA Annual Meeting / Awards
1:30 pm - 2:00 pm
Keynote: State of the Industry (see above)
2:15 pm - 3:15 pm
WTF?...What’s the Future (for Energy Futures)? - Elaine Levin, Powerhouse
You have just lived through a period of unprecedented volatility in petroleum prices. Are we out of the woods, or are more big price movements in the cards? What risks and opportunities should marketers be focusing on for the upcoming winter? Elaine Levin, President of Powerhouse, a price risk management firm, will share ideas to grow your business and protect profit margins in an uncertain world. FREEDOM ROOM
R.W. Beckett's Revolutionary B100 Burner - Jeff Rozga, R.W. Beckett
With many states in the region moving to higher blends of biofuels, our primary defense to being regulated out of existence and replaced by heat pumps is still B100 biofuels, so we can get as close to net-zero emissions as possible. A revolutionary step forward was taken by R.W. Beckett this last summer with their release of the first B100 burner. Hear for the first time at an industry conference how this technology works. WEATHERLY ROOM
NORA - High blends Infrastructure workshops and the CSR Bootcamps – Mike Devine, NORA
NORA President Michael Devine will provide a detailed recap coming out of the two XBX High blends Infrastructure Workshops and the CSR Bootcamps, which were recently held this summer. The High blend Infrastructure workshop included industry supply chain participants, some of which include distillate fuel terminal wholesalers, biodiesel producers/marketers, retail fuel dealers, equipment manufacturers, rail industries and interested parties. The CSR Bootcamp was designed to provide a stronger level of comfort in communicating the benefits of the liquid heating industry consumer. COLUMBIA ROOM
3:30 pm - 4:30 pm
Diversifying Services beyond the traditional – Bob Williamson, Cetane Associates
This session will cover the benefits and obstacles of adding on non-traditional service offerings for your customers. This includes Pest Control, Lawn Care, Swimming Pool, Home Security and Plumbing. Common misperceptions and mistakes made by companies that attempt and fail to be successful in adding on services will be addressed. Also discussed will be associated cost and a time line to get this done, cross-selling, branding and management structure. WEATHERLY ROOM
The Employer-Employee Relationship: Thinking Outside the Box to Save Money - Mike Stanley, Lisa Buffington, Marsh McLennan
If you're a large company like Amazon with hundreds of thousands of employees, you get economies of scale and buying power, which reduces your costs and improves profitability. If you have just a few hundred employees, or just a few employees, you have limited, or even zero buying power. Many companies have solved this problem by thinking outside the box, and pooling their employees with others. This is not new concept, and has been widely practiced for decades. Learn about this practice and see if it makes any sense to you. COLUMBIA ROOM
NORA Technology Update - Tom Butcher, NORA
This session will provide an update on NORA’s R&D efforts and plans for the coming heating season. NORA’s work is focused on addressing the technical questions related to the transition of heating to zero carbon emissions. Part of this relates to fuel performance and NORA has been making important advances in understanding the cleanliness of fuels and filtration – an area where we have strong potential for improvements now. Understanding the storage and combustion performance of biofuels both in the lab and in the field remains another important area and NORA is making plans to expand field testing. Integration with renewables in different ways can also be a part of the future of heating and opportunities and work in this area are also discussed. FREEDOM ROOM
Friday, September 29
10:00 am - 11:00 am
What Happens in Massachusetts Won’t Stay in Massachusetts – The Clean Heat Standard - Michael Ferrante, MEMA; Joe Uglietto, Diversified Energy Specialists, Steve Dodge, Clean Fuels Alliance; Brian Davidson, Distilled Communications
The advertising meme "What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas" does not apply to government regulators and legislators. We've seen evidence of their copying one another's strategies and regulations. The Clean Heat Standard is one of these. It arose in Vermont and Massachusetts, and is likely to come to your state in some form. It's essentially a way to convert all space heating to heat pumps, by making oilheat (and biofuels) and propane uneconomical for the homeowner. Learn from this panel the details of what's happening in Massachusetts, how the program is developing, and what your options are as marketers. WEATHERLY ROOM
The Secrets to Reducing Payment Processing Fees - Jon Gilbert, Qualpay
Saving money is always top concern for energy marketers, especially during a year that has been filled with supply chain issues, increases in product prices, and staffing shortages. In this presentation we will demystify the pricing elements for credit card & ACH/eCheck processing and provide information on how to lower your operating expenses from a payments perspective, regardless of the software you use to run your business. This may sound like a dry topic, but the key to success, to use a baseball analogy, often results from better execution by getting on base, bunting, stealing and driving in runs with singles, rather than trying to hit home runs and striking out a lot. COLUMBIA ROOM
Making Dollars and Sense of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA): Updated - Jim Collura, NEFI; David Heiser, PriMedia
This is an update of recent NEFI and PriMedia discussions, with new developments that have occurred over the past month. Most company owners, salespeople and service reps don’t know the difference between an Inflation Reduction Act tax credit or federal rebate, how much money customers might be eligible for, or how to turn Inflation Reduction Act incentives into business assets. This session explains what new federal tax credits and rebates are available for your heating fuel customers as well as the threat from higher heat pump subsidies. FREEDOM ROOM
11:15 am - 12:15 pm
Succeeding among the Turbulence: Increasing Sales and Retaining Customers in an Unstable Market - Rich Carrione, Warm Thoughts Communications
For customers and for many of our businesses, disruption has been the only constant for the past three years. COVID has changed how consumers think, act and behave. Federal and state policies are disrupting how our industry is operating. Recent price spikes and supply concerns have further disrupted the market. In this session, Rich Carrione of Warm Thoughts Communications will provide insights into the changing behaviors of our customer base and provide a roadmap for how fuel companies can leverage both new and traditional methods of marketing and communication to be successful. You'll learn: How today’s customer acts, behaves and thinks about purchase decisions and what keeps them “sticky” or turns them into “free agents.” Strategies for building and executing a consistent marketing plan, a strong cross-promotional plan and a powerful customer retention program. A look at the marketing and communications channels that lead to the greatest ROI for fuel companies. WEATHERLY ROOM
So You Want to Get Into Propane? Here's How. - Leslie Anderson, PGANE; Jerry Schimmel, P3; Chris Kowalski, FW Webb
When fuel dealers see the margins propane dealers make, they think that's a business they need to get into. But the grass isn't always greener on the other side. This practical session will look at how to get into the propane business: finding suppliers (you just don't go down to a rack), buying steel tanks (more upfront capital costs), buying delivery trucks, small volume customers (pool heating/cooking as opposed to space heating), specialized training; and much more. FREEDOM ROOM
An Inside Look at Performance and Benefits of Low Carbon Liquid Fuels - Leo Verruso, Advanced Fuel Solutions
Low carbon fuels are becoming more abundant in response to a diversity of mandates, incentives, and greenhouse gas reduction programs. These changes will lead to an increase in the amount of biodiesel and renewable diesel found in both on-road fuels and home heating oil. In this session you will learn about the properties of biodiesel and renewable diesel as compared to conventional, ultra-low sulfur diesel (ULSD). In many cases, the fuel additives that are currently used in conventional ULSD can also be used in biodiesel or renewable diesel to meet specifications or enhance performance. We'll also look at new developments of additives specifically designed for the biofuel component of biofuel blends. COLUMBIA ROOM
10:00 am - 11:00 am
What Happens in Massachusetts Won’t Stay in Massachusetts – The Clean Heat Standard - Michael Ferrante, MEMA; Joe Uglietto, Diversified Energy Specialists, Steve Dodge, Clean Fuels Alliance; Brian Davidson, Distilled Communications
The advertising meme "What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas" does not apply to government regulators and legislators. We've seen evidence of their copying one another's strategies and regulations. The Clean Heat Standard is one of these. It arose in Vermont and Massachusetts, and is likely to come to your state in some form. It's essentially a way to convert all space heating to heat pumps, by making oilheat (and biofuels) and propane uneconomical for the homeowner. Learn from this panel the details of what's happening in Massachusetts, how the program is developing, and what your options are as marketers. WEATHERLY ROOM
The Secrets to Reducing Payment Processing Fees - Jon Gilbert, Qualpay
Saving money is always top concern for energy marketers, especially during a year that has been filled with supply chain issues, increases in product prices, and staffing shortages. In this presentation we will demystify the pricing elements for credit card & ACH/eCheck processing and provide information on how to lower your operating expenses from a payments perspective, regardless of the software you use to run your business. This may sound like a dry topic, but the key to success, to use a baseball analogy, often results from better execution by getting on base, bunting, stealing and driving in runs with singles, rather than trying to hit home runs and striking out a lot. COLUMBIA ROOM
Making Dollars and Sense of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA): Updated - Jim Collura, NEFI; David Heiser, PriMedia
This is an update of recent NEFI and PriMedia discussions, with new developments that have occurred over the past month. Most company owners, salespeople and service reps don’t know the difference between an Inflation Reduction Act tax credit or federal rebate, how much money customers might be eligible for, or how to turn Inflation Reduction Act incentives into business assets. This session explains what new federal tax credits and rebates are available for your heating fuel customers as well as the threat from higher heat pump subsidies. FREEDOM ROOM
11:15 am - 12:15 pm
Succeeding among the Turbulence: Increasing Sales and Retaining Customers in an Unstable Market - Rich Carrione, Warm Thoughts Communications
For customers and for many of our businesses, disruption has been the only constant for the past three years. COVID has changed how consumers think, act and behave. Federal and state policies are disrupting how our industry is operating. Recent price spikes and supply concerns have further disrupted the market. In this session, Rich Carrione of Warm Thoughts Communications will provide insights into the changing behaviors of our customer base and provide a roadmap for how fuel companies can leverage both new and traditional methods of marketing and communication to be successful. You'll learn: How today’s customer acts, behaves and thinks about purchase decisions and what keeps them “sticky” or turns them into “free agents.” Strategies for building and executing a consistent marketing plan, a strong cross-promotional plan and a powerful customer retention program. A look at the marketing and communications channels that lead to the greatest ROI for fuel companies. WEATHERLY ROOM
So You Want to Get Into Propane? Here's How. - Leslie Anderson, PGANE; Jerry Schimmel, P3; Chris Kowalski, FW Webb
When fuel dealers see the margins propane dealers make, they think that's a business they need to get into. But the grass isn't always greener on the other side. This practical session will look at how to get into the propane business: finding suppliers (you just don't go down to a rack), buying steel tanks (more upfront capital costs), buying delivery trucks, small volume customers (pool heating/cooking as opposed to space heating), specialized training; and much more. FREEDOM ROOM
An Inside Look at Performance and Benefits of Low Carbon Liquid Fuels - Leo Verruso, Advanced Fuel Solutions
Low carbon fuels are becoming more abundant in response to a diversity of mandates, incentives, and greenhouse gas reduction programs. These changes will lead to an increase in the amount of biodiesel and renewable diesel found in both on-road fuels and home heating oil. In this session you will learn about the properties of biodiesel and renewable diesel as compared to conventional, ultra-low sulfur diesel (ULSD). In many cases, the fuel additives that are currently used in conventional ULSD can also be used in biodiesel or renewable diesel to meet specifications or enhance performance. We'll also look at new developments of additives specifically designed for the biofuel component of biofuel blends. COLUMBIA ROOM
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12:30 pm - 1:30 pm
Luncheon Washington Update - Jim Collura, NEFI Despite the divided Congress and looming government shutdown, critical policy developments are occurring in Washington that affect heating fuel dealers and consumer choice. NEFI Vice President Jim Collura will discuss the potential implications of a shutdown and provide an outlook for the 2023 Farm Bill with biofuel policies and NORA reauthorization at stake. He will also provide an insider look at the Biden Administration’s aggressive regulatory actions targeting furnaces and boilers and coalition efforts to push back. In this "Washington Update," Collura will discuss the turbulent political landscape and what industry should watch for in the months ahead. SALON III/IV Winter Weather Outlook - Mark Searles, Chief Meteorologist, WJAR 10 Providence Mark Searles is the chief meterologist for the NBC television network in Providence. He'll address our industry's perennial interest in the outlook for winter weather, including degree days, precipitation, and the effect of the changeover from a La Nina to an El Nino weather pattern. SALON III/IV |
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