Best Benefit Ever: Peer Review for Utilities Pros

What’s the benefit? When it comes to sharing safety standards, the American Gas Association  (opens in a new tab) (AGA) didn’t want to assume members were sharing professional insights; they wanted to formalize those conversations, so they launched their member-exclusive peer-review program. Last year, it became the first such program in the natural gas utility space, and already it’s winning awards. On Monday AGA won the Power of A Gold Award  (opens in a new tab) from ASAE. Through the program, more than 200 companies can discuss best practices, troubleshoot problems, identify opportunities, and foster the lasting relationships that serve as the backbone of every professional organization. As AGA emphasizes on its website  (opens in a new tab): “Safety is a core value for America’s natural gas utilities,” and the peer-review program ensures that members keep abreast of cutting-edge practices to improve their services nationwide.

Why it works for members: “The Peer Review Program is an example of how the connections formed through association membership can be leveraged to enhance industry performance and benefit customers and communities,” AGA President and CEO Dave McCurdy said in a statement  (opens in a new tab). And that sums up what makes any association benefit work: a valuable connection or resource made possible only by the intersection of organization leadership and membership.

Other perks: Beyond the peer-review program, AGA brings members together to share their expertise in other ways, whether it’s through the Natural Gas Roundtable  (opens in a new tab), in Washington, DC, or with its extensive series of events  (opens in a new tab), ranging from forums and workshops on topics such as accounting, auditing, and resource management.

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