Report on the 2010 NECA Board of Governors Meeting

Members of NECA’s Executive Committee and Board of Governors convened Oct. 2 to review two proposed bylaw amendments, one ordinary proposal and reports from the organization’s staff officers, committees, and task forces. NECA President Rex Ferry chaired the meeting.

Neither the amendment to increase NECA member dues or the amendment to NECA’s bylaw regarding the Council for Industrial Relations (CIR) passed by the required majority. An ordinary proposal to update NECA’s standing policy on government affairs was approved by voice vote.

The Board of Governors voted unanimously to approve the nominations of district vice presidents Greg Stewart (District 2), George Adams (District 6) and Gary Tucci (District 10). David Hardt (District 4) and Ray Friend (District 8 ) were elected to their second two-year term. The officers will begin their two-year terms on January 1, 2011. Current District 2 Vice President Dennis Quebe was unanimously voted as NECA President-elect, a one-year term that will begin January 1, 2011. Quebe will then serve a three-year term as NECA President, beginning in 2012.

The Board of Governors also recognized Milwaukee Electric Tool as NECA’s 2010 Industry Partner award winner.

Milwaukee Electric Wins 2010 Industry Partner Award

The Board of Governors recognized Milwaukee Electric Tool Corp. as NECA’s 2010 Industry Partner award winner. Steven Richman, president of Milwaukee Electric, accredited the award on behalf of the company.

“We don’t take this honor lightly,” Richman remarked to the Governors. “We know we have to earn your trust by producing great products and integrated learning.

Milwaukee has generously supported NECA’s educational initiatives for many years, as an exhibitor at the NECA Show, a supporter and platinum level training partner for the National Joint Apprenticeship Training Committee and as a new member of ELECTRI International’s Partner’s for Progress program. Milwaukee will lead a technical workshop at NECA 2010 Boston’s trade show on “Power Tool Safety and Productivity,” Oct. 3. The company became a NECA Premier Partner in 2008.

NECA’s Industry Partner Award recognizes those organizations or individuals who, though not members of NECA, contribute to the electrical contracting industry’s success through their decisions, actions, or cooperation with NECA. Previous winners of the Industry Partner Award include the National Fire Protection Agency (1996), Graybar Electric Co. (2004), and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (2008).

“We are extremely proud to receive this exclusive award and consider it an honor to partner with NECA to demonstrate our shared commitment to the electrical trades,” Richman said. “Milwaukee remains committed to disruptive innovation and delivering solutions for electricians that increase productivity and enhance ease-of-use.”



Nerves, Nerves, NERVES

The three finalist teams from the University of Washington, Milwaukee School of Engineering and Youngstown State University are making their presentations for the final round of judging in the Green Energy Challenge at this very moment. The winner will be announced tomorrow at the NECA Student Chapter Summit. No word yet if last year’s winner University of Washington will be making a sweep, or if one of the two upstart teams will win this year.

Where’s the NECA Store? On the Show Floor!

For the first time, the NECA Convention Store with its special NECA 2010 Boston gear and the COMPLETE library of NECA publications, plus this year’s commemorative gift, will be located on the NECA Show floor, right next to NECA’s main booth. We’re excited to be bringing so much good stuff to Boston, and we hope the new centralizing location will make it easier for you to get all your NECA information and materials.

Prizes, Prizes, PRIZES!

In addition to the usual fun stuff you find at the NECA Show, we’ve got some great speaking drawings and raffles this year. We’ll still have the daily drawings and grand prize drawing for the event, but there are some great chances to take some an awesome souvenir from the 2010 NECA Show!

ELECTRI International’s Talent Initiative for the flat-screen TVs in the fabulous Construction Zone networking lounge. You could be enjoying your next Red Sox game from the comfort of your living room on a brand-new television, plus your raffle ticket purchase will directly help NECA’s student chapter initiatives!

ECPAC will bring its popular regional meeting prize-raffle-with-your-contribution to NECA’s national convention for the first time. This year’s daily prize will be a new iPad, the hottest tech device going these days. Take advantage of BCEC’s wi-fi on your brand new iPad!

And there will be special games and prizes for making the rounds to all of NECA’s special Energy Solutions exhibitors. Just get your card stamped by these featured “green building” exhibitors to take advantage of these new opportunities – and you’ll probably see some of the coolest smart building products on the market.

The real prize hook-up will be the technical workshops, however. Panduit will also be giving away a raffle prize for attendees at their technical workshop, too. A brand new iPod Touch could be yours just for taking advantage of the great training offered at their session, Sunday, Oct. 3 at 3:30 p.m. on Next Generation GBPS Network.

Osram Sylvania will be raffling off a  32 inch Sylvania flat screen TV at their technical workshop, Energy Saving Fluorescent Lighting Systems Technology Update, on Monday, Oct. 4, at 1 p.m.

And finally, we just learned that High Voltage will be giving away an Amazon Kindle Electronic Book Reader with Wi-Fi & 3G connectivity, that will be given away during the following Technical Workshop, Very Low Frequency (VLF) AC Cable Testing, on Monday, Oct. 4 at 3 p.m.

Prizes plus education … a winning combination at the 2010 NECA Show!



Guest Post: BlueVolt’s Tips on Getting the Most from Online Training

by Lisa Bordeaux, BlueVolt

The 2010 NECA Convention and Trade Show features opportunities to discover new products and services, learn about best practices, network with your peers, boost your company’s productivity, explore new markets, and enjoy the best of Boston.

One of the best ways to boost productivity is through online training. Before you attend this year’s conference and after you’ve returned home from Boston – and for those of you who can’t make it this year – be sure to check out BlueVolt online, www.bluevolt.com. This is a great way to keep up with the latest training courses available in your industry. NECA’s Management Education Institute, the NJATC and many NECA exhibitors use BlueVolt as their vehicle to get training out to NECA contractors. This is our seventh year exhibiting at the NECA Show, and we’re excited to hear connect with our users face-to-face!

The term “online training” can conjure up images of complicated technology or installing confusing software programs. The truth is, contractors don’t need extensive experience with technology to start training online. BlueVolt hosts NJATC and NECA authored courses which you can take in the comfort of your own home. Now you can earn your state-approved CEUs in your slippers!

Here are some tips from BlueVolt on how to get the most out of online training:

• Set a goal for yourself. What do you hope to accomplish by taking this course? You may wish to add a marketable skill, like green building, or improve safety on the job.
• Understand your learning style. Put what you’re learning into real-world situations. Most importantly, go at your own pace. If it takes you longer to retain information, take the time to think about what you’re seeing. There is no race to the finish line when it comes to online learning!
• Eliminate distractions around you. Aim to complete your online course in a quiet room with minimal distractions. Close other programs on your computer so you can focus on the course. The sooner you complete, the sooner you can go back to emailing or browsing funny videos on YouTube.

NECA and NJATC Universities’ online courses are powered by BlueVolt. We strive to make online learning so easy, that all a contractor needs to update his CE/CEUs, or learn about a new product online, is a computer and an internet connection.

This fall, BlueVolt is offering several courses for NECA members, including LEED certification, Grounding and Bonding, green building and an introduction to using NECA’s Manual of Labor Units. I hope you will come by our booth at the convention to learn how you benefit from online training.

And with the 2011 National Electrical Code changes just around the corner, it is the perfect time to start learning online. BlueVolt is teaming up with NECA and the NJATC to offer online courses on Significant Changes to the NEC.

With technology continuing to advance, contractors cannot afford to fall behind. Major changes in the 2011 NEC are expected to incorporate green technologies and alternative energy. For many in the electrical business, the NEC changes can ignite panic, confusion and, at best, annoyance. But this doesn’t have to be the case.

About BlueVolt

Portland, Oregon-based BlueVolt connects and advances participants in industries through its leading online Learning + Marketing Platform, its comprehensive, quality learning catalog, and its talented professional services team. Platform participants include manufacturers, associations, distributors, contractors, and skilled professionals in the electrical, plumbing, flooring, welding, and HVAC industries. The Platform enables online training and learning experiences including social/collaborative, blended, on-demand and live multi-camera webcast with enterprise-level functionality and performance. BlueVolt’s unique approach to training encourages learning with its proven reward program that is valuable to both content consumers and content sponsors. As of August 2010, BlueVolt delivered over 734,000 courses to over 95,000 registered users.

About NECA Management Education Institute

NECA’s Management Education Institute (MEI) is the best education resource for all stages of an electrical contractor’s career – from estimator, to project manager, to executive with corporate responsibilities. MEI’s programs are developed with leading industry researchers and skilled instructors. NECA chapters work with NECA’s national office to deliver programs locally to their members.

103rd Electricians Pipe & Drum Band to Open 2010 NECA Show

Want proof that real men wear kilts? The 103^rd Electricians Pipe & Drum Band will open the 2010 NECA Show, Sunday, Oct. 3.  NECA Convention and Show attendees will be led from the Opening General Session by a single bagpiper down the hall, where they will be met and serenaded by fellow members of Local 103, Boston,  Pipe & Drum Band members!

>>Check out photos of the 103rd Pipe & Drum band and become a fan on their Facebook page!

>> See pictures from the 2009 NECA Show opening ceremony featuring the Northwest Naval Band sponsored by Helmets to Hardhats.

Guest Post: Kristen McDonough Offers Some Insider’s Tips to Her Hometown

by  Kristen McDonough, NECA Director, Legislative Affairs

I want to be the first from NECA to welcome you to Boston, just as you have welcomed me to NECA! As the newest member of NECA’s  government affairs team, I am so excited that my very first NECA convention and trade show will be in my hometown of Boston.

Over the past few months, I have been learning about all the incredible activities, workshops and exhibits that will be available for you. The endless opportunities at this year’s convention are bigger, better and more edifying than ever before — Lake Coulson has assured me of that!

(Lake has also had me busy helping him put together two new management workshops, based on your requests for updates on two vital legislative issues affecting our industry: FASB & the Multi-employer Pension Plan Liability Disclosure, on Sunday, Oct. 3 at 8 a.m., and our Government Affairs Update on Fall Elections, Tuesday, Oct. 5 at 8 a.m.)

In particular, I am looking forward to the First-Timer Orientation and the Grand-Slam party at Jillian’s (the real  Red Sox hot spot for Bostonians), with the President’s Reception for our ECPAC contributors and PLC members. And take it from me, you DO NOT want to try to drive or taxi to Jillian’s on a game night! Plan now to take advantage of NECA’s police-escorted shuttle bus service from the seaport hotels for those events!

Oh, and one last thing … I am sure you already know about the historic Red Sox/Yankees rivalry, but the last series of the regular season between these two adversaries is the weekend of our NECA convention, so there’s also a chance to make it to the game on Friday night. Now is the time to request some tickets. (Don’t tell anyone, but Beth Ellis has THE connection for tickets.) I know I will be there on Friday, sporting my Red Sox gear from head-to-toe. Don’t worry, I have plenty of extra Red Sox attire for anyone who wants to root for the winning team!

I can’t wait to show you the great things about my hometown and what NECA and the PLC are doing for our members! See you in Boston!

Just Announced! Labor Relations General Session Will Focus on Market Recovery Initiatives

There are many changes coming this year for labor relations. The IBEW has embarked on a nationwide campaign to recover the work that the unionized electrical construction industry is currently not doing. Monday’s general session program at NECA 2010 Boston is about illuminating those changes to make you, the NECA/IBEW contractor, more competitive in today’s marketplace.

The program will open with a roundtable discussion including NECA President Rex Ferry, NECA CEO John M. Grau and IBEW President Ed Hill on the competitive issues and changes that are taking place in our industry. The discussion will be followed by a presentation featuring four NECA members from around the country who have successfully put these new “market recovery” programs to work. Don’t miss it!

Guest Post: Green Energy Challenge Finalists Offer a Glimpse of the Future

by Russ Alessi, President, ELECTRI International

Competition is a great way to learn and focus student careers on electrical construction.  So it was a real a nail-biter when we convened the first round of judging for the Green Energy Challenge last month to select the three finalists teams that will present their designs at NECA 2010 Boston.

Last year, University of Washington took first place. UW will be returning as a finalist this year, but they will be joined by two teams new to the competition — Milwaukee School of Engineering and Youngstown State University.  We had 13 teams enter the competition this year — nearly double the number of teams that entered the 2009 Green Energy Challenge!

Teams were asked to conduct an energy audit of a local a manufacturing facility. They had to do provide information for everything from a PV analysis to a financing plan.

It’s so great to see the kind of work and attention to detail that the students put into their reports. I am fortunate to get to see first hand what kind of talent we have entering the industry.

Now that we know who the three finalists will be, I can hardly wait to hear what they have to share about their projects in Boston. The suspense and enthusiasm is great for the industry. I hope you’ll make plans to hear what these talented young people are planning for their future in it!

2010 Green Energy Challenge Finalists’ Presentations
Saturday, October 2
2 p.m.
Room 52A and B, BCEC