All The Latest News from NECA
The 2013 NECA Show opened immediately after today’s Opening General Session with Gen. Michael Hayden. Fanfare was provided in classic D.C. drumline style by drummers, pom squad and color guard from the Robert R. Gray Elementary School Eagles. Check out some of the great exhibits and product demos from the first day at the 2013 NECA Show on our Flickr feed.
Rex Ferry, chairman of the Academy of Electrical Contracting, introduced 20 new Fellows of the Academy of Electrical Contracting at today’s Opening General Session. “Each of these new Fellows has performed exceptional service or made an outstanding contribution to our association,” Ferry said. As he called each new Fellow to the stage, he recognized some of their major accomplishments.
>> Read the report from the Academy’s 2013 spring meeting in Williamsburg online. A complete archive of papers authored by Academy Fellows is online as well.
Gina M Addeo
GMA Electrical Corporation
Staten Island, New York
Orvil Anthony
Fisk Electric
San Antonio, Texas
Eric Aschinger
Aschinger Electric Company
Fenton, Missouri
Ted H. Brady
Progressive Electric Inc
Charleston, West Virginia
Brad Butler
McInnis Electric
Brunswick, Georgia
Darrell Gossett
ERMCO Inc
Indianapolis, Indiana
Don W. Jhonson
Interior Electric
North Miami Beach, Florida
Lenny Lynch
Edward W Scott Electric
San Francisco, CA
Michael McPhee
McPhee Electric Ltd
Farmington, Connecticut
Marvin Nelson
Nelson Electric Inc
Seattle, Washington
Traci Pickus
NECA National
Bethesda, MD
B. David Roberts
Southern Region NECA
Covington, Louisiana
Clay Scharff
Sachs Electric Company
Fenton, MO
Frank Schetter
Schetter Electric Company
Sacramento, California
Jody Shea
Service Electric Company
Chattanooga, Tennessee
James Strange Jr
Advanced Electrical Systems Inc
Louisville, Kentucky
Michael D Toman
Mega Power Electrical Services
Gaithersburg, Maryland
Donald Turner
Turner Electric Co
Sylvania, Ohio
Bradley Weir
Kelso-Burnett Co
Rolling Meadows, Illinois
You don’t know what America’s top intelligence officer will be willing to share with you when you invite him to speak at NECA’s Opening General Session, but General Michael Hayden was extremely open and direct with his assessments of the U.S.’s changing place in the world today.
Hayden is a retired Air Force four-star general and former director of the National Security Agency and director of the Central Intelligence Agency. He has been the highest ranking military intelligence officer in the armed forces. He is currently a principal at the Chertoff Group and visiting professor at the George Mason University School of Public Policy.
He summed up his experience as the nation’s leading intelligence officer as a process of a fact-based, inductive, pessimistic analyst working with a vision-based, deductive, optimistic policy maker. “Basically, everything I was going to say was going to make that person’s day worse,” Hayden remarked.
Hayden is pragmatic about the world we live in. He discussed the threat Iran poses and international disappointment in how many “Arab Spring” democratic struggles have floundered since their start. “Those autocratic dictators were on the wrong side of history,” Hayden said. “They were going to fall. And we desperately wish the time since had been used to build up the necessary institutions of democracy.”
However, China’s rising dominance doesn’t rattle Hayden. “China is not a threat – they just are. China is a rising power, and America is a status quo power. We simply need to be smart in how we deal with each other.”
Whatever pessimism may be part of Hayden’s intelligence analyst nature, he offered optimism in America’s abilities to respond quickly and innovate our way through challenges. “Ours is a diverse country, which is an advantage when we’re dealing with a diverse world. There is great strength there.”
The 2013 winner of NECA’s Industry Partner award has a slightly unwieldy abbreviation, but it suits the National Coordinating Coalition of Multiemployer Plans (NCCMP). Since 1974, NCCMP has tackled the unwieldy and complex task of explaining multiemployer benefit plans to Congress. Since then, NCCMP has achieved unparalleled results for more than 40 multiemployer organizations, including NECA. NCCMP was recognized for its work supporting NECA at the Board of Governors meeting.
NCCMP made a tremendous contribution to the industry and association this year with publication of “Solutions Not Bailouts: A Comprehensive Plan from Business and Labor to Safeguard Multiemployer Retirement Security, Protect Taxpayers and Spur Economic Growth.” The report authored by NCCMP Executive Director Randy DeFrehn and Deputy Executive Director for Research and Education Josh Shapiro highlights the need for dramatic, permanent reform of multiemployer pension plans. It outlines a series of reforms to ensure that multiemployer pension plans are able to continue to provide cost-effective and reliable retirement benefits to millions of working class Americans while protecting taxpayers.
“NCCMP still has a lot of work to do, when it comes to making sure Congress and regulators understand multiemployer plans,” DeFrehn said , when he accepted the Industry Partner Award. “We have the Affordable Care Act that is affecting Coalition members, and ERISA needs to update its rules. We have great partner Coalitions like NECA, and we look forward to doing more good work together.”
The NECA Board of Governors held its annual meeting Saturday, Oct. 12 at the Grand Hyatt in Washington, D.C. The Governors reviewed several items of association business, including committee and officer reports, standing policies, ordinary proposals and bylaws amendments. Voting results were all bylaws amendments and ordinary proposals were approved. Complete information about the items voted on by the Board of Governors can be found on NECA’s website.
IBEW International President Ed Hill was invited to speak to the Governors. “We are at our best when we are working together, and we know bad times can strain even the best relationships,” Hill said. “But we’ve worked out many issues on the national level. Surely we can be capable of that on local level, too.”
NECA President Dennis Quebe reiterated the need for cooperation to assure the industry’s future. “We’ve seen what uncertainty can do to the economy. We want to promote an environment where growth is encouraged and supported. We won’t agree on everything, but we won’t let our positions harden to a point where compromise is impossible. Leaders communicate, and NECA is the industry leader.”
The rainy weather hasn’t dampened spirits so far at the Board of Governors meeting, Energy Forum and pre-convention workshops – and especially last night’s Opening Reception at the National Building Museum!
I’m Beth Margulies, NECA’s communications director, and I’ll be live-blogging all the great programs and events at NECA 2013 DC. My personal favorite so far has been the Green Energy Challenge student design competitions – the three finalists teams from Iowa State, Penn State and the University of Washington gave outstanding presentations yesterday an intimidating “Board of Directors” made up of NECA contractors and industry experts. Those jurors will evaluate the presentations and the winning team will be announced Sunday at the NECA Student Chapter Summit.
Student teams were charged with creating a bid package for lighting retrofits, EV charging station installations and a renewable power source for a parking facility in their campus communities – everything from the types of lighting controls to financing options. Pretty impressive stuff, and each student team thanked their sponsoring NECA chapter and local contractors for helping them create their comprehensive presentations.
Stay tuned to find out who won this year’s Green Energy Challenge, plus recaps from the general sessions and photos and videos direct from NECA 2013 DC! Leave a comment if you have any questions or thoughts about what you see and experience.
Proud Penn State Green Energy Challenge finalists + their green garage retrofit
Washington, D.C. is known as a walkable city, but it can be a relief to take the shuttle to your hotel after a long day on the NECA Show floor or cutting a rug at the Opening Reception. You can download a PDF of the full shuttle schedule and map for NECA 2013 DC , and quick summary of service is below.
Complimentary shuttle service is provided between the Washington Convention Center and the official hotels (except Renaissance Washington D.C. Hotel and the Embassy Suites Convention Center, which are considered walking hotels). The walking hotels will have service to the Opening Reception.
Saturday, October 12 – OPENING RECEPTION
7–10 p.m.
Service to/from all Hotels to the Museum of Natural History
Sunday, October 13
7-10:30 am Every 10-15 minutes
10:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Every 30 minutes
2:30-5:30 p.m. Every 10-15 minutes
Monday, October 14
7-10:30 am Every 10-15 minutes
10:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Every 30 minutes
2:30-4:30 p.m. Every 10-15 minutes
Tuesday, October 15
7-10:30 am Every 10-15 minutes
10:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Every 30 minutes
CLOSING CELEBRATION
7-8:30 p.m.
Service to Washington Convention Center.
9–10:15 p.m.
Return service from the Washington Convention Center
Schedule may vary due to traffic and weather conditions. Last bus leaves from hotels 30 minutes prior to end time with no return service.
NECA 2013 Washington DC, the electrical industry’s largest convention and trade show, will include displays from 300 exhibitors, insightful speakers and 19 free technical workshops on the Show floor, Oct. 12-15 at Walter E. Washington Convention Center.
However, the educational opportunities start before the opening festivities on Saturday, Oct. 12. Special pre-convention workshops starting Friday, Oct. 11 through Saturday, Oct. 12 offer an in-depth look at the trends and technology shaping the electrical construction industry. Each workshop is led by the leading experts in the areas covered, and training materials will be provided with course registration. Continuing education units (CEUs) can be earned for each pre-convention workshop.
Pre-convention workshops are generally run longer than convention management seminars and technical workshops. Price varies based on the program. Check the full listing on www.necaconvention.org for prices, dates and times. Instructions for adding a pre-convention workshop to your current registration can be found on blog.necaconvention.org. Popular programs this year include in-depth forums, can-do technology demonstrations, and safety training.
2013 NECA Energy Forum – As our nation strives for energy independence and consumer demand for renewable power and energy conservation continues to rise, electrical contractors are constantly updating their expertise in green energy trends and technology. The NECA 2013 Energy Forum will bring electrical contractors together with leading policy-makers and industry leaders shaping the energy solutions market today.
The speakers and panel discussions at the 2013 NECA Energy Forum are the best source for practical information about the trends, technology, and economic factors affecting the energy market today. Discover the latest advances in emerging technologies, energy efficiency, renewables, energy storage, combined heat and power, and the projected abundance of natural gas can mean for the electrical construction industry.
The Energy Forum will wrap up just in time for the finalists’ presentations for NECA Green Energy Challenge, the annual NECA Student Chapter design competition.
Saturday, Oct. 12, 12-4 p.m. (lunch included)
$145/$75 with full Convention registration/Included with Weekend Package registration
Safety Forum – 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.
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.
Saturday, Oct. 12, 8 a.m.-4 p.m.– Sunday, Oct. 13, 8-10 .m.
$250 member/$599 non-member/Included with Weekend Package registration
The Crazy World of LEDs and Controlling Them – Light Emitting Diodes are the current darling of lighting efficiency experts, but LED lighting controls can get complicated. This two-hour workshop explains troubleshooting dimmers, wireless controls and sensors, as well as their integration into larger systems. Lighting expert Jim Benya will demonstrate some of the latest products from manufacturers and how to keep up with LED innovations that seem to move at the speed of light.
Saturday, Oct. 12
10 a.m.-12 noon
$95
Leveraging BIM to Drive Scalable Prefabrication – Two industry buzzwords for productivity, “Building Information Modeling” and “prefabrication” will join forces in a two-hour course on how BIM can be integrated into an electrical contractor’s prefabrication operation. See how BIM allows contractors to use a virtual 3-D prototype of the project and map options for prefabricated components, then work with supplier to increase job site efficiency.
Friday, Oct. 11, 1-3 p.m.
$95
OSHA Train-the-Trainer 10-Hour Course – Registrants must have current OSHA 500 or 501 certification to participate in this course on becoming an OSHA 10 Hour trainer. The OSHA 10 Hour is the foundation of safety training for the high-voltage line industry, and the growth in line work nationwide means more trainers are needed to help get all workers safety-ready. This course is offered in cooperation with the OSHA ET&D Partnership.
Friday, Oct. 11, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.– Saturday, Oct. 12, 8 a.m.- 5 p.m.
$250
2014 National Electrical Code Significant Changes – NECA is an active participant in the NEC development process with representation on each of the 19 National Electrical Code (NEC) technical committees. This four-hour course is an extensive overview of significant changes to the National Electrical Code for the 2014 cycle. Learn what is new and revised, and how these changes may impact your business. Stay ahead of the game by catching a glimpse of some interesting and important NEC revisions in the next edition.
Friday, Oct. 11, 1-5 p.m.
$150
Additional pre-conference workshops are posted online. Instructions for registering adding a pre-convention workshop are posted on the NECA 2013 DC blog, blog.necaconvention.org.
All educational offerings above are fee-based. However, FREE admission to the Show is available. To receive FREE admission to the NECA trade show:
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 >
