September 24, 2026 - This year’s electric cooperative "Member Service Retreat "drew its largest ever crowd to Mount Pleasant as 153 attendees from 16 cooperatives brushed up on skills and networked with their peers.

Broad River Electric and Newberry Electric cooperatives jointly hosted the conference with help from The Electric Cooperatives of South Carolina’s Education and Events team.

Kristen Halverson, Berkeley Electric Cooperative's director of organizational development, opened the conference with a session exploring conflict resolution strategies.

Group activities led by Strategic People Operations founder Jennifer Hart illustrated how connection, collaboration and communication add up to a better member experience.

ECSC Vice President of Education and Events Caroline Robinson then put teams of MSRs to the test with a challenge that showed how much member service has changed over the past decade. Teams wrapped up the session by "building their own course," mapping out the topics and skills they want to study next.

Entertainer Patrick Henry closed the day with stories and songs that drove home the value of intentional service and personal connections with members.

"The sessions were absolutely engaging, informative, and provided practical tools that can be applied in the workplace," one attendee said. "I loved the interactions. I loved the opportunity to participate, share ideas, and connect the content to the real world."