COLUMBIA, SC
Date: 15-17 September, 2025
Location: The Conference Center at the University of South Carolina
Modern Utilities – Shaping the Future of Customer Experience
Municipal utilities across the U.S.—whether delivering electricity, water, gas, or all three—are undergoing a profound transformation. In today’s fast-changing world, customers expect more than reliable service. They want transparency, flexibility, digital convenience, and meaningful engagement. For public utilities, this means reimagining how essential services are delivered and how communities are supported.
From replacing aging water infrastructure and modernizing gas distribution networks to managing electric grid resilience and responding to climate pressures, the challenges facing municipal utilities are complex and interconnected. At the same time, new technologies—such as smart meters, customer portals, and integrated billing systems—are empowering utilities to streamline operations and improve service.
As stewards of critical community resources, municipal utilities must strike a balance between operational efficiency, environmental responsibility, regulatory compliance, and outstanding customer experience. The future lies in unified, customer-centric service models that address evolving expectations across all utility sectors.
Hansen Connect Live brings utility leaders together to explore how municipal utilities can shape this future—through innovation, collaboration, and smart technology. With expert panels, case studies, and hands-on solution demos, the event creates space to discuss real-world challenges and strategies under the theme:
“Modern Utilities – Shaping the Future of Customer Experience.”
What to Expect at Hansen Connect Live
OUR day program
Experts share their experiences, insights, and visions.
Latest updates about upcoming product changes.
Updates from Hansen’s leadership team.
Hansen product updates, roadmaps, and solutions.
Networking cocktails to further exchange ideas with other professionals from our industry.
Relaxed and entertaining dinner.
Agenda September 15th – 17th
Monday, September 15 – Graduate Hotel
| Time | Session | Details |
|---|---|---|
| 3:00 PM | Arrivals and Registration Opens | Graduate Hotel |
| 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM | Welcome Reception | Welcome Remarks – David Castree |
Tuesday, September 16 – City of Columbia
| Time | Session | Presenter |
|---|---|---|
| 9:00 AM – 9:05 AM | Welcome and Introduction | Bobby Slaton |
| 9:05 AM – 9:35 AM | Welcome by Host Utility | Columbia Water |
| 9:35 AM – 9:50 AM | Hansen Update | David Castree |
| 9:50 AM – 10:00 AM | Customer Acknowledgements | Bobby Slaton |
| 10:00 AM – 10:30 AM | Product Roadmap Review | Shiva Gowrinathan |
| 10:30 AM – 10:45 AM | Break | |
| 10:45 AM – 11:45 AM | The Future of Customer Experience: How AI Is (And Isn’t) Transforming CX | Brittney Hodak |
| 11:45 AM – 12:00 PM | The Power of Hansen AI Virtual Agent | Bobby Slaton / Grady Palfrey |
| 12:00 PM – 1:30 PM | Lunch (Partner Round-Up) Validos Aclarian SEW Plante Moran OUE TrekSoftware |
Partners Erin Croft Michael Fuentes Josh Wolf Reese Wiegle Karen Murphy David Paul |
| 12:00 PM – 3:30 PM | Solution Showcase | Hansen and Partners |
| 1:30 PM – 3:00 PM | Breakout Sessions |
Tuesday, September 16 – Breakout Sessions
(1:30 PM – 3:00 PM)
Functional Track
Optimizing the Hansen CIS Experience
| Time | Session | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1:30 PM – 2:00 PM | Getting the Most from the New Search Screen (Jermaine Britton and Meredith Neal) | A walkthrough of the latest search enhancements and how they improve efficiency. |
| 2:00 PM – 2:30 PM | Managing Quarterly updates with Confidence (Brent Shelly and Sam McClain) | Best practices and tips to streamline your update process and minimize disruption. |
| 2:30 PM – 3:00 PM | Customer Feedback in Focus: Areas of Improvement in Hansen Customer Sat (Bobby Slaton) |
Dive into survey insights and learn how customer feedback is shaping Hansen. |
Technical Track
Enhancing Integration, Usability & Performance in Hansen CIS
| Time | Session | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1:30 PM – 2:00 PM | Why HIF Is the Smartest Way to Integrate (Brent Shelly and Sam McClain) |
Explore how the Hansen Integration Framework (HIF) streamlines integration, reduces complexity, and improves system performance. |
| 2:00 PM – 2:30 PM | Customer input: The new Hansen Charge Engine (Greg Pigate) |
Get an overview of the new charge engine that’s currently in development and provide input in this modules roadmap. |
| 2:30 PM – 3:00 PM | Configuring the UI for Better User Experience (Tracy and Brent Shelly) |
A practical look at UI configuration options to drive usability, efficiency, and user adoption. |
Tuesday, September 16
(3:00 PM – 9:00 PM)
| Time | Session | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 3:00 PM – 3:30 PM | COFFEE BREAK | |
| 3:30 PM – 4:00 PM | Hansen’s Internal AI Strategy | Michael Cofer |
| 4:00 PM – 4:30 PM | Transitioning from On-Prem to Cloud | Ranjan Banerji (AWS) |
| 4:30 PM – 5:00 PM | Day 1 wrap-up | Bobby Slaton |
| 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM | Offsite activity and dinner | Riverbanks Zoo & Garden’s Ndoki Lodge |
Wednesday, September 17 – City of Columbia
| Time | Session | Presenter |
|---|---|---|
| 9:00 AM – 9:15 AM | Recap / Highlights of Day 1 | Bobby Slaton |
| 9:15 AM – 9:45 AM | Hansen’s use of AI for data analytics | Guy Tennant |
| 9:45 AM – 10:15 AM | Customer Case Study | TBD |
| 10:15 AM – 10:45 AM | Break | |
| 10:45 AM – 11:45 AM | Panel Discussions: Why is it time for Smart Water? Hansen CIS SaaS Operations / Support The Role of AI in Utilities |
Guy Tennant Rodney Wilson and Sam McClain Bobby Slaton, Grady Palfrey, and Floyd Bailey |
| 11:45 AM – 12:00 PM | Closing Remarks | Bobby Slaton |
| 12:00 PM – 1:30 PM | Lunch / Meeting Adjourn |