NARUC Summer Summit
Steve Mitnick is President of Lines Up, Inc., Editor-in-Chief of Public Utilities Fortnightly, and author of “Lines Down: How We Pay, Use, Value Grid Electricity Amid the Storm.”
NARUC's meetings are known for being communal, so of course the NARUC Summer Policy Summit was no different, with a Monday Summit Musical Social led by SongDivision at happy hour. Virtual attendees expecting simply music led by a talented threesome host of musicians, were wowed by much more, an interactive social happening.
Guests were invited by groups into networking rooms, where a much missed aspect of NARUC conferences took place, meeting people and saying hello to peeps. Ice-breakers were included, as subjects like, what was the first concert you attended, were given out.
Then there were contests galore, including name that tune, finish the song line in song, and draw Freddie Mercury, with ultimate champion decided by a dance off. Somehow the hosts managed to come up with one winner, NRRI's Jeff Loiter, seen headless onscreen during the dance off since he actually stood up and danced. His swag was a song written for him based on his life - and who knew math skills would fit in a song - written by the talented Angus Clark, guitarist for Trans-Siberian Orchestra. Not bad.
There is no forgetting Happy Birthday sung to NARUC President Brandon Presley, who celebrated for real the following day. No traditional tune for him, instead the musicians broke out, "Don't Be Cruel," in homage to his family tree.
