What’s On the Safety Forum Schedule?

The best value in safety education is the new Safety Forum at NECA 2012 Las Vegas. This special two-day workshop for inside and line contractors starts Saturday, Sept. 28 with a breakfast discussion about preventing arc flash hazards from Westex.

“Safety is as important as productivity and quality on a job site,” said Mike Johnston, NECA executive director, standards and safety. “The Safety Forum is a great way to learn about the practices and policies that can make a difference in a contractor’s operations.”

Following the discussion are separate breakout sessions for inside and line contractors. View the tracks and session descriptions online.

Line contractors who need to earn their ET&D OSHA 10 Course can also get their training in Friday, Sept. 28-Saturday, Sept. 29. This course is a separate registration fee from the Safety Forum.

The Safety Forum will wrap up with the Safety Roundtable, Sunday, Sept. 30 at 1 p.m. following the Opening General Session and lunch.

Register now!

Cooked: Meet Chef Jeff Henderson at 2012 Lifestyle Session

Lifestyle Session: Monday, October 1, 2012
10-11:30 a.m.
Mandalay Bay

Growing up poor with limited options, Jeff Henderson took the path too often followed by inner-city kids in southern California – dealing cocaine, until he was caught and convicted on federal drug trafficking charges at age 23. But just as his dreams for success had driven him to become a top drug dealers at a young age, his urge to succeed couldn’t be crushed in prison.

“I didn’t get arrested – I got rescued from the streets.” – Jeff Henderson

When dealing on the streets was replaced with one of the least desirable prison duties – washing dishes in the prison kitchen – Henderson found himself challenged anew by the ebb and flow of food preparation. Gradually he learned a new trade and he promised himself that when he was out of prison, he would become a chef.

With no formal education and a criminal background, Henderson struggled for years in the hospitality industry. But with persistence and determination, he was able to achieve his dreams, eventually becoming the executive chef of Café Bellagio in Las Vegas. His story was first told in the New York Times best-selling memoir, Cooked: My Journey from the Streets to the Stove. His follow-up book, The Power of Potential, comes out this fall.

Jeff shares that change and success do not come easily. Achieving them requires tenacity, positive reinforcement, and teamwork, but with the right tools, anyone can reach their full potential.

Today, Henderson is the Food Network personality behind The Chef Jeff Project, which takes at-risk young adults and commits to turning their lives around. On October 1 at the 2012 NECA Lifestyle Program, Chef Jeff will offer  effective and simple ways to implement strategies to navigate through the detours and roadblocks along the way. Chef Jeff will not only cook up some of his favorite recipes for attendees at the NECA 2012 Lifestyle Session; he’ll share of the stories that shaped his dreams and determination and how he found hope and redemption among in a sinkful of dirty dishes.

Want more Chef Jeff? Learn about his Foundation, The Chef Jeff Foundation, which is due to launch this fall, just in time for NECA 2012 Las Vegas! >> 

2011 Showstopper Award Winners!

ELECTRICAL CONTRACTOR magazine, www.ecmag.com, recognized 20 exhibitors with Showstopper Awards during the 2011 NECA Convention and Trade Show, Oct. 22-25, at the San Diego Convention Center. Judged by a panel of electrical contractors, the magazine’s annual Showstoppers awards program recognizes the most innovative items featured in this year’s exhibition among many new products and services submitted.

“We’re thrilled to honor these innovations selected by electrical contractors around the country,” said ELECTRICAL CONTRACTOR publisher John Maisel. “They represent the best in emerging technologies for our industry and add excitement throughout the show, and they will most likely become the new standard for electrical contractors’ product expectations.”

Displayed at the front of the show hall with blue ribbons and awarded commemorative plaques, this year’s Showstoppers represented diverse products, equipment and systems from a range of manufacturers and systems developers.

More information about the 2011 Showstopper products will be published in the January 2012 issue of ELECTRICAL CONTRACTOR.

 2011 SHOWSTOPPER AWARD WINNERS 

Published by the National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA), ELECTRICAL CONTRACTOR magazine is the electrical construction industry’s leading publication, with more than 86,000 subscribers. For more information, visit www.ecmag.com.

Rex Ferry: A Look at NECA’s President

The USS Midway, Board of Governors, Member Interviews and More on Today’s Video Recap

2011 Fellows Inducted into Academy of Electrical Contracting

While General McChrystal encouraged NECA members to look forward and never give up at yesterday’s Opening General Session, the Academy of Electrical Contracting honored nine new Fellows for their decades of service to the association.

• Gregory Davis (Bob Davis Electric, Shreveport, Louisiana)
• Thomas Driscoll (E.S. Boulos Company, Westbrook, Maine)
• Charles Ewton (Lawson Electric, Chattanooga, Tennessee)
• John S. Frantz (Sidney Electrical, Sidney, Ohio)
• Bradley S. Giles (Giles Electric, South Daytona, Florida)
• Thomas Ispas (Daniel’s Electrical Construction, Fontana, California)
• Thomas G. Moore, Jr. (J P Rainey & Co., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)
• Alex Owen (Brooks-Berry-Haynie & Associates, Mableton, Georgia)
• Daniel Palmer (Tri-City Electric, Davenport, Iowa)

The Academy of Electrical Contracting honors outstanding leaders in the electrical contracting field in order to preserve the wealth of experience and ability these leaders have developed through their years of dedicated effort, to the benefit of the entire construction industry. Their service is continued through membership in the Academy as the voice of experience for NECA and ELECTRI International. Congratulations to the 2011 Class of Fellows!

Inviting All Industry Women to Join the NECA Women’s Peer Group Roundtable, Mon., Oct. 24 at 3 p.m.

The NECA Women’s Peer Group will be holding a roundtable discussion at NECA 2011 San Diego on Monday, Oct. 24, 3-4:30 p.m. with special guests panelists Kristen McDonough, Director, Legislative Affairs, NECA; Rebecca Clark, Government Contracts Specialist, U.S. Dept. of Labor; and Alexandra Harrison, Executive Vice President – Marketing and Strategic Accounts, Ontility. (We’ve also invited Kathy Mazzarella, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Graybar who inspired so many women at the 2010 NWPG Roundtable to join us for this year’s program.)

The NWPG Roundtable will be a wide-ranging discussion, covering the how NECA women can get involved in legislative action, Davis-Bacon enforcement, and strategies for moving into executive management. NWPG’s Roundtable strives to cover both issues affecting our businesses and the challenges NECA women face in the industry. Each panelist will share her unique expertise and insight, and women attending NECA 2011 San Diego are encouraged to offer their perspectives as well.

NWPG’s Roundtable is an opportunity to meet your fellow women working in the industry and discuss the issues and challenges we all face. If you’re a woman involved with the electrical contracting industry, the NWPG Roundtable wants you to join us for this once-a-year event! Following the NWPG Roundtable, participants are invited to join the Future Leader’s Reception already in progress.

The NECA Women’s Peer Group (NWPG) was established in 2009 and is currently led by the Women’s Peer Group Task Force.  Participation in the peer group is open to all women affiliated with NECA member companies, NECA Chapters and National office, and LMCCs.

The mission of NECA Women’s Peer Group (NWPG) is to offer a forum for women working in all aspects of the electrical contracting industry to discuss the issues they face and facilitate mentoring relationships between emerging and established industry leaders.  The NWPG also works to recruit new talent and demonstrate opportunities available to women in electrical contracting.  NWPG members come together to discuss the issues they face as professional women working in a traditionally male-led industry and association.

Please join the NECA Women’s Peer Group on Facebook or LinkedIn, or stop by the NECA booth #941 on the Show floor and let us know how we can help you be your best in our industry! And make your plans to join us for the 2011 NWPG Roundtable, Monday, Oct. 24 at 3 p.m. at the San Diego Convention Center. Room assignment will be noted in the on-site program.

New at the Closing Celebration: Outdoor Venue and After-Dinner Snack Boxes!

By Beth Ellis, NECA Executive Director, Convention/Exposition

Can you believe that we are now just a month away from the NECA Convention? We have some amazing events and education that we are offering in San Diego, and we’re working hard to make sure every aspect of our convention and trade show offers the best experience for NECA members.

That’s why I want to make sure everyone understands that we are having our Closing Celebration outside the Convention Center by the San Diego Bay, starting at 8 p.m., just as the sun sets. I know the weather will be perfect, the music by Al Jardine and the Endless Summer Band will be fantastic, and the setting will be a ton of fun! We will have an area where you can spread out and dance, or sit on the grassy area on blankets or chairs we’ll have set up. There will be cash bars and cocktails tables for your convenience to have a cold beverage or glass of wine.

To add to the beverage selections this year, we are offering a unique snack box that will have a selection of cheeses, flatbread, fruit and chocolates. The only thing is, I need your orders for snack boxes by Oct. 14! Please download the PDF order form below and fax it to 301-215-4553to order your snack boxes for the Closing Celebration. Boxes are only $9 each and make the perfect  after-dinner snack while enjoying the concert!

Thanks, and l look forward to seeing you in San Diego! If you have any questions about ordering snack boxes for the Closing Celebration, feel free to email katie@necanet.org.

Click here to order your snack boxes for the Closing Celebration!>>

Help! I’ve already registered, but now I want to add a pre-convention event to my registration!

First of all, congratulations to you for taking advantage of NECA’s 2011 San Diego pre-convention workshops and all new Energy Forum. Pre-convention workshops run Friday, Oct. 21-Saturday, Oct. 22.

Second, you can add pre-convention workshops and tours to your existing registration online or call Katie at 301-215-4506 for help.

If you want to make the changes to your registration online, follow these steps:

1. Visit the 2011 San Diego registration page: https://www2.cmrreg.com/neca_c2/  (Click on Attendee Registration button at the top right of the NECA Convention website, then click again on the Register Now button.)

2. Scroll down to “Already Registered?” You will be prompted to enter the confirmation number and email address included in your registration confirmation you should have received by email.

3. Click “Review or Change Your Registration.” Your registration contact information will be displayed.

4. Click through the pages until you reach “Pre-Conference Workshops.” Select any workshops you would like to add to your registration.

5. Click through the pages to see if you need to update any other information. The cart at the top of the page will display any items you have added.

6. Click “Update Registration” once you’re finishing reviewing. You will receive an email confirmation of your additional registration items.

That’s it!

Joan Embery Wins San Diego Zoo’s Highest Honor

Renowned animal and environmental advocate Joan Embery and headliner of the Lifestyle Program at NECA 2011 San Diego recently added another accolade to her already bulging portfolio. Embery and her husband Duane Pillsbury received the Conservation Medal, the top honor from San Diego Zoo Global, on August 11.

To celebrate her latest achievement and to share her love of “walking on the wide side” with Lifestyle Program-goers, five special volunteers will be selected to help Joan on stage during the program. The actual assignments will remain secret until the big day, but rest assured, Joan wouldn’t ask you to do anything she didn’t have Johnny Carson do when she was a frequent guest on The Tonight Show.  For her grand finale, the lucky winners will get to have their photo made with Joan and one of her special no-footed friends. (Got a guess for what animal it could be? Leave it in the comments below!)

To get your once-in-a-lifetime chance to help a real zookeeper and wildlife champion, simply look for a “Walk on the Wild Side” flyer on-site in San Diego, fill it out, and drop in the drum as you enter the Lifestyle Program room.

And in case you’re still worried about how wild things could get at the Lifestyle Program, know that Joan is a Trustee of the Morris Animal Foundation, a professional Fellow of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, and a member of the Advisory Board of the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine’s Wildlife Health Center, and founder of the American Association of Zoo Keepers. She has been a goodwill ambassador to the San Diego Zoo‘s Zoological Society of San Diego for 32 years. You’ll be in excellent company and care when you take a Walk on the Wide Side at the NECA 2011 San Diego Lifestyle Program with Joan Embery!