Press Release – National Information Solutions Cooperative (NISC)

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NISC Honors President and CEO Vern Dosch

Mandan, N.D., Oct. 18, 2019 – National Information Solutions Cooperative (NISC), a leading provider of software and solutions to utility and telecommunication companies, has named its Mandan campus the Vern Dosch National Campus after their retiring president and CEO. In honor of his upcoming retirement, NISC created the Vern and Lynne Dosch Scholarship to honor the tremendous impact the Doschs have had on not only the Bismarck and Mandan communities, but the rural electric and telecom industries as well as the NISC family. Bismarck State College, Light of Christ Catholic Schools and the University of Mary have been named as recipients of the NISC endowment to begin the scholarship programs. "Vern has been a mentor to me for close to three decades," said Tracy Porter, NISC chief financial officer and vice president of Corporate Services. "I have always appreciated his incredible business acumen and vision for the future, but through it all, he has led with his heart. It is phenomenal what he has accomplished, and we wanted to honor him for his servant leadership to NISC and the community as a whole." Dosch has been president and CEO of NISC since 2002. Prior to his appointment, Dosch served as chief operating officer from 2000-2002, and general manager/CEO of North Central Data Cooperative (NCDC), Mandan, N.D., from 1993-2000. NISC is the resulting organization created by the July 1, 2000, consolidation between Central Area Data Processing (CADP) and NCDC. In August, Dosch announced his retirement. Dan Wilbanks, NISC chief operating officer has been named his successor. "I have had the good fortune to be the spokesperson for this company, standing on the shoulders of all of the talented NISC employees, and it has been a complete [...]

By Mary Miller| October 18th, 2019|Press Release|Comments Off

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NISC Board Approves New Partnerships in October Meeting

Lake Saint Louis, Mo., Oct. 15, 2019 – NISC is rooted in a commitment to maintain strong and transparent relationships with its Members, and strives to uphold the highest standard in Member service. Maintaining that standard requires strong and deliberate Membership growth. The NISC Board of Directors approved the addition of several new Members and Associate Members during its Oct. 10 meeting, bringing NISC’s Membership total to 845. “The continued growth of our Membership enhances NISC’s economies of scale, allowing for continued significant investment in research and development and steady Membership rates,” said Susan Imm, NISC vice president of Member and Industry. “We’re grateful for the strong and collaborative partnerships with our Members that fosters continuous innovation, which is so critical to improving the quality of life for the more than 20 million consumers who rely on services provided by our Membership.” The following utility and telecommunication companies were welcomed to the NISC family. Utilities FEM Electric Association, headquartered in Ipswich, S.D.Alexandria Light & Power, headquartered in Alexandria, Minn.Lewes Board of Public Works, headquartered in Lewes, Del.North Little Rock Electric, headquartered in North Little Rock, Ark. Telecoms Foursight Communications, LLC, headquartered in Cookeville, Tenn. “We appreciate the trust these new Members have placed in NISC to improve efficiencies and enhance their ability to be competitive and relevant in a rapidly-changing market,” Imm said. About NISC National Information Solutions Cooperative (NISC) is an information technology organization that develops, implements and supports software and hardware solutions for our Members. We deliver advanced solutions, services and support to 845 independent telephone companies, electric cooperatives and other public power entities. NISC is an industry leader providing information technology solutions including billing, accounting, operations, automated mailroom services, third-party integration as [...]

By Mary Miller| October 15th, 2019|Press Release|Comments Off

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Roberts Promoted to NISC Vice President of Research, Development & Quality

Lake Saint Louis, Mo., Oct. 7, 2019 – National Information Solutions Cooperative (NISC), a leading provider of software solutions to utility and telecommunication companies, has named Brent Roberts vice president of Research, Development & Quality (RDQ). Roberts has helped lead the development of several enterprise-wide solutions for NISC Members for 30 years, the last 20 years as a manager in the RDQ department. "The selection of Brent as vice president of RDQ continues an important tradition of promoting from within and providing career opportunities for our employees," said Dan Wilbanks, NISC chief operating officer and incoming president and CEO. "Brent has played a role in architecting and leading development for many NISC solutions. He has been a key technical advisor, encouraging us to embrace the latest and best technologies, to adopt secure practices, and to research and explore solutions before they become an immediate need of our Members. Brent is a strategist, and his technical understanding will bring a critical perspective to our executive team." NISC dedicates $50 million annually to research and development. NISC’s RDQ department is responsible for researching the latest in software and technology, and understanding how to develop that software into usable tools that improve how Members do business.

By Mary Miller| October 7th, 2019|News, Press Release|Comments Off

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NISC Joins Broadband Forum Membership

Lake Saint Louis, Mo., Sept. 30, 2019 – National Information Solutions Cooperative (NISC), a leading provider of software and solutions to utility and telecommunication companies, announces it is now a principal member of Broadband Forum. Broadband Forum is the communications industry's leading organization focused on accelerating broadband innovation, standards and ecosystem development. The membership is yet another step NISC is taking to work cooperatively with the Forum's members in driving the initiatives and standards that are shaping the broadband and connected home world today - and into the future. Working in tandem, NISC can ensure the NISC User Services System is in alignment with existing standards, and that NISC has a voice in influencing and shaping global standards as technology and industry best practices continue to evolve. The relationship with Broadband Forum will help with further development of these broadband critical solutions, increasing NISC Membership efficiency and their end-user satisfaction. "This relationship affirms NISC's commitment to building solutions based on industry standards wherever possible, which has been critical to delivering contemporary functionality at an affordable price to our mid-market Members," said David Bonnett, NISC vice president of Product Management. "With regards to NISC's User Services System, Broadband Forum standards enable carriers to deliver consistent and higher levels of managed services into the home due to the interoperability across the leading Consumer Premise Equipment (CPE) manufacturers." The NISC User Services System (USS), an Auto Configuration Server (ACS) based management solution, is a powerful, hardware-independent, cloud-based tool built to enhance customers' internet experience and reduce truck rolls and overall operating costs. USS offers modules to assist in a variety of critical broadband service areas, including Customer Self-Care functionality, powerful CAF-II reporting tools and Customer Premise Equipment management. USS leverages the latest [...]

By Mary Miller| September 30th, 2019|Press Release|Comments Off

NISC Wraps Up a MIC to Remember

St. Louis, Mo., Sept. 26, 2019 – A record 2,600-plus attendees enjoyed three full days of learning along with a series of memorable moments at National Information Solutions Cooperative's (NISC) 2019 Member Information Conference (MIC), held Sept. 23-26 at the America's Center in St. Louis. Members, partners and employees enjoyed more than 180 sessions on the latest enhancements to NISC solutions, updates on the technology roadmap and discussions of issues facing the utility and telecom industries. This year, a record number of 69 NISC Members led sessions at the MIC, sharing best practices with fellow attendees. In addition, more than 40 exhibiting partners and vendors showcased a variety of solutions and services valuable to Member organizations in the Partner Pavilion, the MIC event hub. Also on hand were NISC subject matter experts at NISC's Consulting Booth and Innovations Lab. "At the heart of the MIC is learning, and each year is incredibly special as it offers us the opportunity to meet face-to-face and collaborate with the NISC Membership," said Vern Dosch, NISC president and CEO. "For me, the best memories are the relationships that have formed and how they've grown over the years. NISC's focus is on preserving those relationships and serving the needs of others. If you visit one of our facilities, you'll see pictures of our Members—linemen, billing clerks, accountants—the people we serve. We do that so our employees never forget who it is that we serve." Several activities and happenings detailed below also served as highlights of the 2019 MIC: NISC unveiled its refreshed brand to Members and partners. The updated logo, designed by NISC employees, reflects the cooperative's history, future and valued relationships.After 17 years at the helm of NISC, Dosch shared [...]

By Mary Miller| September 26th, 2019|News, Press Release|Comments Off

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iVUE Connect Module for Human Resources, Payroll Employees Launched at NISC MIC

St. Louis, Mo., Sept. 26, 2019 – National Information Solutions Cooperative (NISC) announced the launch of its Human Resources (HR) and Payroll-focused module of the iVUE Connect® enterprise system during the 2019 Member Information Conference (MIC), held Sept. 23-26 in St. Louis. iVUE Connect - Financials, the second of NISC's iVUE Connect modules to be released, takes iVUE's Accounting and Business solutions into the Cooperative Cloud to help Members' accounting, payroll and human resources staff complete daily tasks more quickly. Using a new, intuitive interface, employees can quickly and easily complete tasks such as time-entry and review their benefits, deductions and compensation information, while supervisors are able to approve timesheets, time-off requests and more—all with just a web browser. iVUE Connect's persona-based design is set up to closely match roles within NISC Member organizations, presenting the most important information for that role up front to provide quick answers and faster solutions to daily challenges. "The iVUE Connect - Financials HR module is about employee empowerment, to enable them to make their own changes using the software," said John Weber, NISC product line manager. "They're able to manage their own direct deposit information, control things like 401(k) or HSA contributions and change their federal W-4 withholdings." iVUE Connect - Financials has been rigorously tested by a unique set of beta partners—NISC employees—along with several NISC Member sites. iVUE Connect - Service for customer service employees was the first Connect module released, and iVUE Connect - Operations is currently in development. For more information about iVUE Connect and its modules, visit www.nisc.coop/ivueconnect.

By Mary Miller| September 26th, 2019|Press Release|Comments Off

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NISC Announces New SmartHub Enhancements

St. Louis, Mo., Sept. 25, 2019 – National Information Solutions Cooperative (NISC) presented new enhancements to SmartHub, a web and mobile app that puts the power of data into the hands of NISC Members' telecom and utility customers, at the cooperative's 2019 Member Information Conference (MIC), being held Sept. 23-26 in St. Louis, Mo. The SmartHub app and web portal allows customers to pay their bill, view their usage and communicate with their provider anytime, anywhere. This fall, NISC will release a new mobile app user interface that provides a fresh look and a more intuitive, user-friendly experience. Customers will be able to see their usage analysis up front or can contact their organization with the click of a button right from the home screen. Outage and billing alerts will also be displayed on the home screen, making it easy for telecoms and utilities to communicate important information to their customers. Billing, payment and other features that users expect from SmartHub will be more readily available in a new condensed menu. At the 2019 MIC, NISC also launched SmartHub Connect, which allows Members to boost the rollout of new services, like broadband, by making signup easy and enhancing marketing capabilities. "Customer engagement has been a longtime priority for NISC," said David Bonnett, vice president of Product Management for NISC. "SmartHub Connect is another great step in that direction, combining the powerful customer engagement capabilities of our SmartHub tool with the marketing and communications functionality that will help increase the efficiency of rolling out new services." SmartHub Connect allows customers to sign up for new service and receive notifications for additional offerings, all through SmartHub. That information can then be used to help organizations decide the most [...]

By Mary Miller| September 25th, 2019|News, Press Release|Comments Off

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2019 MIC Kickoff: Reflecting on the Past, Anticipating What’s Next

Saint Louis, Mo., Sept. 24, 2019 – The tone ranged from wistful reminiscence to excitement for what’s to come at National Information Solution Cooperative's (NISC) Opening General Session of the 2019 Member Information Conference (MIC) Sept. 23 in St. Louis, Mo. This year's MIC, themed "next," is showcasing what's next in emerging technologies and how NISC will continue to help Members overcome industry challenges through innovative solutions and superior support. Vern Dosch, NISC president and CEO, kicked off the annual learning event, NISC's largest to date. Dosch recapped NISC’s history, and shared what’s next for NISC and the electric utility and telecommunications industries during his keynote presentation. "NISC has economies of scale like no other vendor in the industry, and that's really important for us to be able to deliver products to you at a reasonable price," Dosch said. "But it's not just about the products we deliver–it's how we do that. That's why culture is so important to NISC. It’s about virtue, and it's about trust." Dosch gave a nod to the hundreds of Members who provided input and direction for the cooperative earlier in the day as part of the Member Advisory Committees. He also spoke about the continued rollout of role-based iVUE Connect-Multiservice, which helps Members access the information they need quickly, leading to faster resolutions and more efficient daily operations. iVUE Connect – Service and iVUE Connect – Financials are currently available. NISC Unveils New BrandOne year after celebrating NISC's 50th anniversary, Dosch also unveiled an updated brand to lead the cooperative and its Membership into the future. The new logo was designed by NISC employees, with the cooperative's history, future and valued relationships in mind. The red and dark gray [...]

By Mary Miller| September 24th, 2019|News, Press Release|Comments Off

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NISC Member Information Conference to host more than 2,600 in downtown St. Louis

National Information Solutions Cooperative (NISC), a leading provider of software and solutions to utility and telecommunication companies, will again host its annual learning event, the Member Information Conference (MIC), in downtown St. Louis from Sept. 23-26 at the America's Center. This year, a record-number of attendees are set to descend upon St. Louis, bringing together more than 2,600 NISC Member organization employees, NISC staff, invited guests and exhibitors for a four-day conference featuring more than 180 concurrent sessions and two inspirational general sessions. "Each year, we work hard to make the MIC even better than the previous one," said Susan Imm, NISC vice president of Member and Industry. "Our emphasis is always on learning and ensuring our Members are getting the most out of NISC solutions. We're excited to have several new learning opportunities available for Members this year, along with sessions tailored to a wide range of roles including accounting, cybersecurity, engineering, customer care and more." The theme for this year's MIC is 'next' – showcasing what's next in emerging technologies and how NISC will continue to help Members tackle industry challenges through innovative solutions and superior support. Highlights: SessionsFrom accounting and billing to engineering and all points in-between, the 2019 MIC will provide more than 180 sessions on the latest enhancements to NISC solutions, updates on the technology roadmap and discussions of issues facing the utility and telecom industries. This year, we're excited to have 68 NISC Members leading sessions and sharing best practices with fellow attendees, yet another record-breaking statistic. Partner PavilionAs the hub for the MIC's events, the Partner Pavilion is home to NISC's Consulting Booth and Innovations Lab, where attendees can meet with NISC subject matter experts, as well as [...]

By Mary Miller| September 19th, 2019|Press Release|Comments Off

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NISC Announces Free 2019 Cybersecurity Awareness Kit

Updated NISC CyberSense tool kit includes animations, digital content and updated marketing materials to spread cybersecurity awareness and safety Damage related to cybercrime is projected to hit $6 trillion annually by 2021. (Cybersecurity Ventures) The average global cost of cybercrime increased by over 27 percent in 2017. (Accenture) Lake Saint Louis, Mo., Sept. 16, 2019 – Staying safe online and protecting your valuable data and personal information is a struggle for both businesses and families alike. As cybersecurity efforts evolve, so do the tactics of cybercriminals. It is imperative to realize the range of threats go far beyond phishing emails. Apps containing malware, unsecure WiFi networks and hotpots and unlocked devices are increasingly common methods cybercriminals use to gain access to your information. The cornerstone of cybersecurity is education, and National Information Solutions Cooperative (NISC) wants to give you the tools to help your organization – and family – grow your awareness. October is National Cybersecurity Awareness Month, and the technology cooperative has added more elements to its CyberSense cybersecurity arsenal, a free educational toolkit available to organizations nationwide. Designed specifically for rural electric cooperatives, public power utilities and telecommunications companies, the kit includes short animated videos, downloadable bill inserts, social media content and retractable banners. "Our goal is to leverage our cybersecurity expertise to help our Members protect their critical data," says Jeff Nelson, NISC general counsel and vice president of Information Security and Risk Management. "Awareness and education are core to our cybersecurity philosophy." NISC's expertise in cybersecurity extends into its software, with a full suite of solutions designed to help Members protect their organizations from attacks, including training modules, detection and response solutions, endpoint protection, perimeter defense tools and vulnerability management solutions. [...]

By Mary Miller| September 18th, 2019|Press Release|Comments Off