Colleagues,

I hope all of you are safe and sound as our country responds to the threat posed by the coronavirus.  It is at times like this that I am especially proud of the utility industry and my utility colleagues around the country, and the efforts we are all making to ensure our hospitals and first responders and factories have the electricity and gas they need to operate without interruption.

I am disappointed to announce that your USGO Board had to make the difficult decision to postpone the 2020 USGO annual meeting until the summer of 2021 due to the coronavirus. After serious discussion, we all agreed that postponement was the prudent move, especially given continued uncertainty around the virus and when USGO members may be allowed by their companies to return to work and travel.  The 2021 conference will be held at the same venue as the canceled 2020 conference, the historic Cavalier Hotel in Virginia Beach, Virginia. The dates will now be July 25-28, 2021. Please hold those dates on your calendar. If you have already paid for the 2020 conference or provided a sponsorship, those funds will carry over to the 2021 conference.  We will temporarily suspend taking registrations for the 2020 conference, but will reactivate the registration links for the 2021 conference at a later date. PLEASE REMEMBER TO CANCEL YOUR HOTEL RESERVATIONS for the 2020 conference, as the Hotel WILL NOT automatically cancel your reservations.

We do plan on leaving the www.us-go.org website active so companies can pay their annual Membership Dues of $500 per Company, per State, and to maintain Sponsorship options. We’re graciously accepting these funds to help offset the “Cancelation Fees” charged by the Hotel. Although we successfully negotiated the cancellation fees down substantially, it’s still adversely impacting our cash balance. So if you haven’t already paid your $500 Membership Fee, will you please consider doing so at your earliest opportunity? If paying by check, please mail to: USGO, Rae Rice – Sec/Treas., P O Box 321 MC 803, Oklahoma City, OK 73101-0321. Should you need our Tax ID # it is 31-0949179 – Thank You!

I look forward to seeing you all in 2021 and I’m sure I will chat with each of you before then.

Stay safe and stay proud of the service you and your companies are providing during these trying times.

Lisa Carter Moerner
2021 USGO President