MECA Communicators Group

The MECA Communicators Group is a community of communications, marketing and member service professionals from Michigan’s electric cooperatives. The group works to enhance its collective skill and knowledge through the sharing of ideas, tools, tactics, strategies and best practices.

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Membership & Governance

The Communicators Group is open to all MECA member co-op communications, marketing and member service professionals. A leadership committee provides ownership and governance over the content of meetings, programs and training offered for the benefit of the group, and acts as an advisory board to the MECA communications team.

Leadership Committee

The Communicators Group is governed by a leadership committee consisting of a chairperson, vice-chairperson, and MECA liaison. The vice-chair is nominated and elected by a vote of all group members at the annual fall conference. As the vice-chair’s 1-year term ends, he/she shall serve a successive 1-year term as chair, and a new vice-chair is elected by the group.

Chairperson:

  • Responsible for the group’s spring breakout session and fall conference agendas. A draft, including topics, speaker recommendations, etc., shall be presented in a timely manner (Approximately Jan. 1 for April meeting, Aug. 1 for Nov. meeting) to the full committee for consideration and input.
  • Assists MECA liaison to ensure meeting objectives are met.
  • Acts as an advisor to the MECA liaison on other communications items throughout the year.

Vice-Chairperson:

  • Takes minutes at the spring breakout session, fall conference, and any Leadership Committee meetings and/or conference calls. Provides a copy of such minutes to all group members.
  • Assists chairperson in developing the spring breakout session and fall conference agendas.

MECA Liaison:

  • The MECA director of communications and marketing serves as a staff liaison to the group.
  • Assists chairperson in developing the spring breakout session and fall conference agendas.
  • Facilitates the spring breakout session and fall conference to ensure the meetings are run on-time, objectives are met, and all attendees are able to fully participate.
  • Assist member communicators as needed with the responsibilities noted in this outline and future projects, including but not limited to securing meeting sites and accommodations, providing printed or other meeting materials, securing training and/or speakers and budgeting for the spring and fall meetings.

Networking & Professional Development Events

The Communicators Group meets twice annually – once at a breakout session held in conjunction with the Michigan Electric Cooperative Symposium event in April, and again at a fall communicators conference, typically held the first week in November. Additional meetings and/or conference calls may be called by the Leadership Committee, as needed.

MECA Communicators Conference
April 10-11, 2019: Lansing

Communicators Breakout
@ Michigan Electric Cooperative Symposium
October: Grand Rapids

Annual Dues

The Communicators Group does not collect annual dues. All costs are included in the MECA general budget.

Contact Information

Brittany Kielbasa, Chairperson
Communications Specialist
Wolverine Power Cooperative

Charly Markwart, Vice-Chairperson
Communications Specialist
HomeWorks Tri-County Electric Cooperative

Casey Clark, MECA Liaison
Director of Communications & Marketing
MECA