What do you get when you mix pirates, a racing legend and a few too many dad jokes with a storytelling conference?

Meet StoryConnect, a quirky and fun way to partner with electric and broadband peers. Marketing “pirates” from across the country converged on St. Augustine, Florida, in March for Pioneer’s unique story-swapping experience. The need for connections—both with the community and with peers—was a consistent theme this spring.

Each morning began on the beach. Armed with coffee, folks watched the sun rise and brainstormed ways to tackle shared challenges.

Featured speakers included Tracie Snow, president of the Florida School for the Deaf & the Blind, and the Jacksonville Jaguars’ Director of Digital and Social Media Nick Birdsong, who manages an entire team of people to produce Jaguars’ social media content.

“I really liked how Nick segmented his content type—on field vs off field, etc.—and had an overall assigned tone and strategy,” says Pioneer’s VP of Member Experience Becky Mashburn. “I can see that translated easily to utilities, so people aren’t struggling to find the right tone for a rate increase announcement versus a celebratory donation post.”

Tracie led the group in signing “Nice to Meet You,” and gave Utility Pioneers an accessibility checklist for personal, web, social, phone and chat interactions with members of the deaf, blind and deafblind community. Her speaker page includes national resources and quick links to find local deaf, blind and deafblind community members, too.

“I enjoyed Tracie,” wrote one attendee in an evaluation. “That’s a topic that needs awareness not only at our utility, but in each of our personal lives.”

Miss the magic? Here are a few highlights.

1. Dare to Market with Humor

WOOOOOOOOO! Racin’ Legend Chip Thunder put Co-Mo Connect’s ultra-fast internet speed in his race car engine, then went so fast he accidentally time-traveled to prehistoric times and was chased by a dinosaur. Can he use Co-Mo Connect to get back to the present? Will he ever race again? What’s the dinosaur’s name? How’d Chip become friends with Santa Claus? WE HAVE SO MANY QUESTIONS!

Chip Thunder advertising content has been viewed more than half a million times across social media platforms. The creative team behind Thundermania, Co-Mo Connect’s Manager of Marketing Gene McCoy and Manager of Communications Patrick Wood, explored how humor became part of their brand, long before Chip raced into the community.

“Every ad won’t be a Chip Thunder,” Patrick says. “Remember, Chip is our most successful character in a whimsical collection of crazy.”

He and Gene start brainstorming with “what if” to see where their ideas would take them. Not every ad is funny, but they use humor strategically to break through and reach potential subscribers and build brand awareness.

“You are not just in the marketing business,” Gene reminded attendees. “You’re in the entertainment business. You are fighting a war for attention. Safe is boring. Safe is death in the doomscroll world we live in. Stand out!”

As the highest-rated session this year—4.95 out of 5, a StoryConnect record—folks were definitely entertained and inspired, too.

2. Peer Ideas = Buried Treasure

Nine Utility Pioneers took the stage in the rapid-fire idea exchange, one of StoryConnect’s most popular features. Each person got three minutes to share a storytelling tactic, from teacher minigrants and Food Truck Fridays to paperless billing campaigns and a free-to-customize children’s book, CatandDuck.org.

Did you miss it? We asked CLtel Marketing & Sales Manager Vernon Johnson for permission to share his idea on how CLtel taps infographics to create bite-size stories. Read the case study!

3. Sail Internal Seas with a Solid Story Strategy

Do you ever feel like staff storytelling is a sinking ship? Jackson EMC Director of Public Relations and Communication Wendy Jones took the stage to share how she’s breaking down silos with internal communications.

“Too often, teams feel like they’re sailing into the unknown,” Wendy says. “Unclear leadership messages, ignored feedback and misaligned goals can leave employees feeling lost at sea. Just like a well-run ship, a well-communicated workplace needs clear direction, strong teamwork and a captain who listens to the crew.”

“Wendy’s presentation was inspiring,” Cloverland Electric Cooperative Communications Specialist Abby Moran said. “We are already brainstorming ways to implement the internal comms ideas she shared!”

Wendy posted highlights from her nautical-themed session to her LinkedIn page. Sail over there for handy tips from the crow’s nest!

4. Stories Build Connections

How many people in our industry know YOUR story?

StoryConnect began with networking adventures—attendees teamed up to climb a lighthouse, sail with dolphins, explore a distillery or discover ghosts in downtown St. Augustine. Then the first conference session, Stories Connect Us, used a mix of advertising examples and roundtable sessions to underscore the power of story in both communications and peer networking.

“Spending a week by the ocean at StoryConnect, immersed in the power of storytelling in marketing, was truly incredible,” CTC Marketing Specialist Leana Nelson says. “One of the biggest takeaways? Simple, relatable stories drive action. We connect through stories—not just in advertising or branding, but in everyday moments. One speaker posed a question that stuck with me: ‘How do our stories connect?’ It was a reminder that the most impactful stories aren’t the most polished or elaborate; they’re the ones that feel real.”

Prepare for More StoryConnect-ions in 2026!

StoryConnect moves to the Puget Sound in Tacoma, Washington, April 13-15, 2026. We’re using attendee feedback to plan sessions, including your request for strategies to reach policy makers with your story and how to pitch your story to the media. What else do YOU want to learn about next year? Send your ideas to hello@pioneer.coop.

Spots go fast, and we cap attendance at 100 people. Save the dates on your calendar and learn more at StoryConnect.com!