Mark your calendar for NACWA's
2006 Winter Conference
Improving Knowledge Management in Today’s Utility
January 31 - February 3, 2006
J.W. Marriott Palm Desert
Palm Desert, California

Dear Clean Water Colleague:

I look forward to seeing you in Palm Desert as we gather to examine the optimal ways for today’s clean water utilities to create, capture, share and leverage the knowledge they need to excel. Mark your calendar, and make your plans to attend the 2006 Winter Conference, Improving Knowledge Management in Today’s Utility, January 31 - February 3, 2006.

Lynn Lancaster & David Stillman — Back By Popular Demand!
Lynn Lancaster and David Stillman will be on-hand to provide the 2006 Winter Conference Keynote Address, Finders Keepers: How the Rules of the Knowledge Game Have Changed, on Wednesday, February 1. Based upon the premise that the key to knowledge management is not how much you know, but how much you share, their energetic presentation will enlighten and entertain as they explore how critical knowledge is shared across generational gaps.

Presentations to Provide Insight on Knowledge Management
The conference agenda will also feature other addresses and panels that will fully examine knowledge from a number of critical perspectives. Presentations topics will include:

• The important role of knowledge management and strategies utilities can employ to retain critical institutional knowledge.

• Important ‘keys’ to ensure the continuity of service required of clean water utilities including asset management and mutual aid agreements.
  How to create and maintain a sustainable utility.

• Examples of utility-wide knowledge management efforts including vignettes of topic-specific knowledge management successes.

• A special panel on a collaborative project to develop and present an area-wide damage assessment and associated rehabilitation and replacement costs.

Research Priorities Workshop to Precede Winter Conference
Interested NACWA members and representatives from the Water Environment Research Foundation’s (WERF) Research Council will meet in a half-day session to discuss WERF’s new program-directed research process and help refine the list of research challenges. This meeting will provide NACWA members with a unique opportunity to influence the direction of WERF’s research agenda for the coming year and learn how to keep your agency engaged in ongoing research efforts.

NACWA’s Committees to Discuss a Wide Range of Issues
Also, make plans to attend NACWA’s standing committee meetings. NACWA’s committees keep attendees abreast of and involved in, current and emerging legislative, legal, regulatory and management issues. I strongly encourage you to participate in these meetings.

I look forward to seeing you at NACWA’s 2006 Winter Conference in Palm Desert!

Sincerely,

Donnie R. Wheeler, NACWA President
General Manager, Hampton Roads Sanitation District, VA

Online conference registration is now available. You may also use this fax/mail-back form (PDF) to register. Watch your mail and visit this website, for the most up-to-date information on the 2006 Winter Conference.