Guest Post: Learning Through Connections at NECA

by John Chaney, President/Co-founder, Dexter+Chaney

Throughout the year, I meet and speak with numerous folks around the country, ranging from clients and prospective clients to industry analysts. With each conversation, I learn more about the industry, get new ideas for our construction software, and understand new challenges facing contractors. However, I find I learn the most during trade shows like the NECA Show because there are so many diverse companies and individuals congregated in one place at one time.

From my experience, I’m not the only one who uses events like NECA to discover new trends, technologies, and industry news. At a trade show last year I spoke with a controller who had switched companies and was now looking at new construction management software for his current company. Even though he had been part of a software buying decision at his previous company, he commented how much had changed over the years, and how much he was learning about the latest technology.

The Importance of In-Person Connections

The number of ways to exchange and learn information has been growing dramatically in recent years – online seminars, electronic newsletters, LinkedIn groups, blogs, and so on. But they do not deliver what the trade show delivers – personal connection.

There’s no disputing that online media provides valuable tools, but I firmly believe that personal connections provide more and better information because those involved are engaged in the conversation. Responses are more than just a quick reply to a forum thread or a comment on a news article. People enter into dialogs with passion, feeling, and unscripted exchanges. And when it comes to understanding industry challenges, there can be quite a bit of feeling involved.

Spectrum software from Dexter + Chaney will be demo’ed at the 2013 NECA Show

Similarly, construction software providers and other vendors at trade shows are passionate about their products and services. Everyone wants to tell their story, and trade shows provide the perfect place to do so.

This is not to say that new technologies do not provide a good medium for sharing information. I think we can all agree that because of new technology, more connections are being made and more information is being shared. But to me, really engaging someone means establishing a personal connection, and that means meeting them, talking to them, listening to their stories, and understanding what a day in their life is like. These connections help me give feedback to our product management team, which helps with developing new products and setting the direction for our company’s software.

When I’m at a trade show or other live in-person event, I can do this with many folks in one place at one time. I can get immersed in their world, which helps me serve them better when I return to my desk. So I hope that you’ll take some time to visit the vendors at this year’s NECA Convention – tell us about your challenges and learn about the solutions available to help you.

>>Got something to share with John or his company? Feel free to use the comments below to ask questions or let him know what you’d like Dexter + Chaney to discuss at the NECA Show, Oct. 12-15 in Washington, D.C.

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John Chaney is the President and Co-Founder of Seattle-based construction software provider Dexter + Chaney. He can be reached at jchaney@dexterchaney.com, and more information on the company can be found at www.dexterchaney.com.  Dexter + Chaney will display its Spectrum® Construction Software at NECA Show 2013 (booth #555).

Technical Workshops are the Ticket

NECA Show-goers get to see the latest and greatest in products and services from nearly 300 exhibitors, as well as several special technical workshops from top industry insiders. NECA has partnered with our exhibitors to bring you 19 technical workshops covering topics like power quality, data center projects, improving productivity, alternative energy opportunities, new management tools, security and life safety.

Technical workshops are free with admission to the NECA Show (for a complementary industry pass, click here), and they offer some of the most timely and valuable information available at the event. Electrical product developers, manufacturers and distributors often boast some of the best research and development teams in the industry. By studying trends and innovations, they create new technology and processes that help electrical contractors work smarter.

For a full schedule, including session descriptions, go to Technical Workshops under At the NECA Show. Most sessions will be offered more than once during the trade show.

Boost Your Company’s Productivity and Explore New Markets at the Energy Forum

Energy Forum at NECA 2013 Washington DC
Saturday, Oct. 12
$145 member/$75 with Full Convention Registration/Included with Weekend Package registration

The July issue of ELECTRICAL CONTRACTOR is all about green construction, and there’s no better place to check out the trends covered in the magazine than the 2013 NECA Energy Forum. The fourth annual Energy Forum will focus on how electrical contractors are bringing renewable power and energy conservation to both new and retrofit projects. Learn from many of the people  directly shaping this new energy world, from policy makers to owners and project developers, plus best practices from electrical contractors growing their energy solutions operations.

You can attend the Energy Forum by registering for a Weekend Package, as an a la cart program, or with your full registration. >>

Get Smart: Attend the Safety Forum at NECA 2013 Washington DC

Second Annual Safety Forum at NECA 2013 Washington DC
Saturday, Oct. 12 – Sunday, Oct. 13
$250 member/$599 non-member/Included with Weekend Package registration

When it comes to electrical construction, safety is everyone’s job. However, it takes a real leader to make safety a company priority. If you manage a workplace or jobsite safety program, enforce or develop safety standards, supervise workers, oversee a facility, or simply strive for a safe work environment, you need to attend the second annual Safety Forum at NECA 2013 Washington DC.

Mike Johnston, NECA Executive Director, Standards and Safety, discussion arc flash protection.

Safety leadership requires people who are ready to motivate people around a common purpose. Safety leaders see benefits not just for their workers, but as a tool to grow their companies. Today, clients are demanding evidence of effective safety performance and the integration of safety and health management systems to job site safety. Safety and health has evolved from a regulatory drive activity to and business development tool.

The Safety Forum goes beyond the basics. It is your opportunity to network with your industry peers, share best practices, and hear directly from the leaders developing and enforcing U.S. safety practices.

Safety standards evolve rapidly in the electrical industry. You need the most up-to-date information and resources, and the Safety Forum will deliver them on the issues that affect us every day:

Supervisor’s Guide to Job Safety * NFPA 70E for Contractors * Arc-Flash Protection
Systems Approach to Electrical Safety * ARC-Flash Hazard/Incident Energy Analysis*
OSHA Compliance

You can attend the Safety Forum by registering for a Weekend Package, as an a la cart program, or with your full registration. >>

Penn State, Iowa State and University of Washington Earn Finalist Spots for 2013 Green Energy Challenge

Annual Student Design Competition Inspires Real Energy Solutions

The 2013 annual Green Energy Challenge student competition, sponsored by ELECTRI International – the Foundation for Electrical Construction – is down to three finalist Student Chapter teams: The Pennsylvania State University, Iowa State University, and the University of Washington.

The finalists were selected by an eight-member competition jury that included electrical contractors and industry allies. Fifteen student teams submitted proposals to conduct an energy audit of a parking structure on campus or in the neighboring community for the initial round of competition. In addition to the technical recommendations offered in each retrofit proposal, teams were judged on construction planning and project management.

2012 Green Energy Challenge poster session in Las Vegas

Finalist teams are responsible for further developing their proposal into presentations for the full jury at the 2013 annual convention of the National Electrical Contractors Association, Oct. 12-15, in Washington, D.C. NECA’s annual Energy Forum will also be held that day; the Energy Forum focusing on the work of electrical contractors in the energy solutions market of renewable power, energy storage and efficiency technology. ELECTRI International hosts the students’ travel to and participation at the event. A poster session of submissions from the participating student chapter teams is also part of the event.

Jurist Phillip Rose, Roman Electric Company, Milwaukee, WI, offered his analysis of the 2013 competition: “Since the beginning of the Green Energy Challenge, the bar has been raised each and every year. This year was the tightest competition we have seen to date. The level of knowledge and professionalism in the proposals were as good as we’ve ever seen. I was really impressed with our three 2013 finalists. After reading their proposals, I can’t wait to see the final three presentations.”

ELECTRI International President Russ Alessi said, “The student teams are bringing cutting-edge solutions to real-world problems that building owners and operators are coping with today. The Green Energy Challenge is an ideal way to explore what options could truly work, with guidance from electrical contractors who have hands-on experience.”

About ELECTRI: ELECTRI International – The Foundation for Electrical Construction, Inc. is the primary research arm of the electrical construction industry. Foundation research helps to improve the productivity, professionalism, and competitiveness of electrical contractors. ELECTRI International also represents the U.S. electrical construction industry internationally. For more information, visit www.electri.org.

For more information about ELECTRI International and the Green Energy Challenge, contact Sylvia Selwood, ELECTRI Director of Operations and University Relations, at 301-215-4539 or sselwood@necanet.org

The Impact of the Affordable Care Act on NECA Contractors at Labor Relations Special Session

For over 60 years, NECA contractors have provided quality healthcare coverage to 26 million electrical workers, retirees and their families. The Affordable Care Act (ACA) would dramatically change how these plans are offered and administered.

Not only would the ACA affect the healthcare plans provided by NECA contractors, but the law itself continues to haphazardly morph in large and small ways, like the Administration’s recent decision to delay the mandate for employer-provided health insurance until 2015. The Labor Relations Special Session at NECA 2013 Washington DC will focus on how the Affordable Care Act will affect the multiemployer healthcare plans using the most up-to-date information available.

“Impact of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) on NECA Contractors” will be presented on Monday, Oct. 14 at 10 a.m. by a panel of experts. They will cover the most crucial issues surrounding the ACA for multiemployer plans for those employees covered by collective bargaining agreements, as well as employees outside the bargaining unit.

Multiemployer healthcare plans have not been part of the contentious debate over the ACA; rather, their concerns have been drowned out by more vocal opponents. The Labor Relations Special Session at NECA 2013 Washington DC will be your opportunity to learn how the law could affect your plans and your employees. Make plans to be there in person by registering for NECA 2013 Washington DC.

FREE WEBINAR: Get a head start learning about how the ACA could affect your business by joining NECA for a free webinar on July 16 at 2 p.m., ” What Electrical Contractors Need to Know About the ACA.” This is the first of a series of webinars on health care reform and will feature Tiffany Downs, head of the Employee Benefits Practice Group for the Ford Harrison labor and employment attorneys. Register now!

Registration Going Strong – Still Time to Catch the Early Rates!

Beth Ellis reported that registrations for NECA 2013 Washington DC are coming in daily, putting this year’s convention and trade show on track for the same record-setting attendance that we enjoyed last year in Las Vegas. Beth has been making the rounds at all the NECA spring and summer meetings, getting the word out about this year’s great program in D.C. We caught up with her between travels to see what she thinks will make NECA 2013 Washington DC special.

Q: So what’s going to make NECA 2013 Washington great?

Beth Ellis: Well, this year will mark the first time NECA has been in Washington, DC since 2001 when we celebrated NECA’s 100^th anniversary. Of course, 9/11 was weighing heavy on all of us at that convention, too. I think this year will be a great time to examine how much the industry has changed in just 12 years. DC has changed, too. We’re going to be at the brand-new convention center, we have several new hotels we’ll be using for housing, and there’s a lot to look forward to.

Q: Like what?

Beth Ellis: We could only host a “Night at the Museum” opening reception at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History in DC! Outside of that movie, how many people ever get to see what the museum looks like after all the visitors are gone? And no one expects to outshine the Hope Diamond, but we’re going to glam things up, too. We’ll have a great dance band and several other entertainers, plus bars and the best hors d’oeuvers in the city – not to mention a few other surprises throughout the museum!

Our education programs are also incredibly strong this year. We kick everything off with pre-convention workshops (that are a great value for intensive training), and we’re hosting the Safety Forum and Energy Forum again. We’re offering 19 technical workshops throughout the NECA Show and an array of management seminars with full registration.

Q: So you’re expecting crowds similar to last year?

Beth Ellis: If registrations keep coming at the same rate, we’ll actually have more people this year than we did last year. The Washington Convention Center is a beautiful, spacious facility and we have plenty of rooms reserved for attendees.

And if you don’t have time to attend the full convention, our weekend packages are a great choice. You get the maximum education and networking opportunities for a minimal time commitment.

But everyone should get their plans and registrations made sooner rather than later – not just for the Early Registration savings, but to make sure they get their first-choice for hotel and travel. There’s so much to do in the city, and October is the perfect time of year to be here.

There you have it: NECA 2013 Washington DC is shaping up to be another blockbuster convention and trade show, with lots of special touches that can only be found in the nation’s capital city. Make your plans to be there today!

Attending NECA 2013 Makes Perfect Business Sense

Early registration is now open for NECA 2013 Washington, DC – the premier electrical construction event that brings together the best minds in the industry together to discuss the opportunities, issues and innovations affecting electrical contractors.

Education Programs

Nearly 50 different educational opportunities to learn from leading experts on the industry trends, business practices and technology shaping electrical contracting today. NECA 2013 Washington, D.C. includes pre-convention workshops, management seminars and technical workshops.

Trade Show

A three-day event featuring more than 300 exhibitors from the leading companies working with electrical construction professionals. NECA Trade Show includes the annual ELECTRICAL CONTRACTOR magazine Showstopper Awards of the best innovations in tools, equipment, products and software.

Special Activities

Customized training and networking sessions make NECA 2013 Washington the leading gathering of electrical professionals working in all aspects of the industry. Special sessions include the Third Annual NECA Energy Forum, the Second Annual Safety Forum, NECA’s Student Chapter Summit and 5th Green Energy Challenge, the Women In NECA Roundtable, and a meeting of NECA’s international chapters.

If you’re looking for the best way to get the most education value and networking opportunities for your electrical contracting business, NECA 2013 Washington, Oct. 12-15 is the place to be!

Register Now!

New to Washington DC?

Have you checked out our Getting There page, yet? This is the place to find everything you need to know before traveling to Washington DC. Find information on local airports, travel tips, local eats, hotels and much, much more!

Visit Getting There, at NECAConvention.org >

Registration Opens June 4

Early registration for the NECA 2013 Washington DC Convention and Trade Show will open June 4, 2013. Mark your calendars now, and be sure to save big by registering early.