Agenda

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Tuesday September 9, 2025

Summit Fishing Trip | 6:30 AM

Zeke’s Marina

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Summit Golf Outing | 8:00 AM

Gulf Shores Golf Club

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Damage Investigation Workshop | 8:30 AM - 12:30 PM

Speaker: Roger Cox, ACTS

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Utility Locator Training Workshop | 8:30 AM - 4:30 PM

Speaker: Bob Nighswonger, Utility Training Academy

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Alabama 811 Reception | 5:00 PM - 6:30 PM

Located in the Exhibit area, with networking, food and drinks for all.

Wednesday September 10, 2025

Welcome & Opening Remarks | 7:50 AM - 8:00 AM

Winning The War for Talent | 8:00 AM - 8:50 AM

Speaker: Chris Czarnik, Career Research Group

Companies across America will struggle with recruiting and retaining talent within the next 5 years. Chris Czarnik has been helping companies across the nation change the way they recruit talent with a unique process that is proven to retain them. As one of the most accomplished career coaches in the country, Chris can teach you how to solve your talent issues once and for all. Let him teach you how to transform your workforce.

Alabama 811 Annual Operations Update | 9:00 AM - 10:20 AM

Speaker: Annette Bowman, Alabama 811

Alabama 811 reports annually on its operations for the past year and its vision for the future. There are many exciting programs on the horizon for both AL811 members and excavators and you can find out about them first here!

Achieving 50 in 5 - Common Ground Alliance and the Damage Prevention Institute | 10:30 AM - 11:20 AM

Speaker: Khrysanne Kerr, CGA

Common Ground Alliance (CGA) took a bold initiative a few years ago with a goal to achieve 50% reduction in utility damages in 5 years. Several areas were identified as key elements in working to achieve the goal. One of these is the work being conducted in partnership with the Damage Prevention Institute (DPI). Learn more about DPI, what it has to offer and how you can get involved.

Networking with Exhibitors | 11:30 AM - 11:50 AM

Lunch Buffet | 12:00 PM - 1:20 PM

Rethinking Trench Safety: Misinterpretations, Inaccuracies, and False Knowledge Clarified | 1:30 PM - 2:20 PM

Speaker: Bruce Magee, United Rentals

Working underground is extremely hazardous. Rules for such work are in place, and protective systems exist that should keep workers safe. So why are 30-45 people dying every year in trenches and excavation? It could be that many people think they know the rules, but really don’t. It has also been found that many people have been taught the wrong thing. Or they modify systems without proper approval from a registered professional engineer. This session will clarify misinterpretations, inaccuracies and false knowledge surrounding trench safety.

The 811 Experience From Start to Finish | 1:30 PM - 2:20 PM

Speaker: Damage Prevention Coordinators, Alabama 811

The 811 experience extends beyond the initial contact with the 811 Contact Center. Follow the path of damage prevention from the initial contact with Alabama 811 to the actual field work being conducted. What tips/tricks help make this process more efficient and pain-free.

Damage Prevention Perspective by Industry | 2:30 PM - 3:20 PM

Moderator: Bram Fuller, USIC

There are various takes on damage prevention and what company policies may be established by different industries. Are there caveats outside of direct damage prevention that impact these decisions? What are some of these, and the reasoning behind them? Are they having a positive, negative, or no impact on damage prevention?

Putting Damage Investigation Training in Action | 2:30 PM - 3:20 PM

Speaker: Steven Behana, Alabaster Water

Members of Alabaster Water attended a Damage Investigation class at a previous Summit. This inspired them to review their current process for improvements and use the information gained to create a better system, which has resulted in fewer damages.

Burning Legislative Questions | 3:30 PM - 4:20 PM

Moderator: Annette Bowman, Alabama 811

Discussion on drafted legislative changes and received feedback from various stakeholders. How do these suggestions impact moving forward in damage prevention? What other areas should be addressed in upcoming legislative sessions?

Summit Reception / Door Prizes | 4:30 PM - 6:00 PM

Join us in the Exhibit area for networking, food, drinks and door prizes you don’t want to miss!

Thursday September 11, 2025

Damage Prevention Is in the Details | 8:00 AM - 8:50 AM

Speaker: Joel Miller

The big picture is contact 811, wait the appropriate time, respect the marks and dig safely. But significant strides in damage prevention are made when we pay attention to the details. Things like “how to hand dig, verifying depth and understanding offsets” are just a few of the details this session will cover in this action-packed session.

The Reality of Late Response on Locate Requests by Industry Perspective | 9:00 AM - 9:50 AM

Moderators: Bram Fuller, USIC & Jeff Bice, AL 811

In this session, we’ll take a closer look at the impact of late locate completion and how that affects the overall process. A late locate can drive behavior on the parts of the excavator, the utility owner/operator, the 811 center and locator. We’ll explore common causes of late locates and best practices for keeping projects moving forward on time.

Enforcement is not Effective If…. | 10:00 AM - 10:50 AM

Speaker: Roger Cox, ACTS Now Inc.

…if you don’t have the trust of stakeholders it impacts; if you don’t use it; if you don’t consistently apply it, if you don’t handle complaints in a timely manner, if you don’t keep both sides informed, if you don’t follow through on penalties assessed. Attend this session to discuss gaining strong stakeholder support for and creating a focus on strategies to make any enforcement program more effective.

Battle of Demarcation Points | 10:00 AM - 10:50 AM

Speaker: Jacqueline McClinton, Riviera Utilities

Utility locates are not all the same. Locates may end at various points depending on ownership of the lines. How are excavators supposed to know what to expect when they get to an excavation site? Are these variances negatively impacting damage prevention efforts?

Topics from a Hat | 11:00 AM - 11:50 AM

Speaker: Annette Bowman, Alabama 811

Come join this fun and interactive session. During the week, we will collect various topics of interest and challenges being faced in real-world projects. This roundtable group discussion will allow for open discussion and problem-solving first hand.

Locate Rodeo | 1:30 PM - 5:00 PM

Site: TBD

Register to compete see Locate Rodeo page for signups.

Mandatory Rules meeting: 1:30pm

Competition starts: 2:00pm

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