The Chicago Building Congress Merit Awards Committee invites CBC members and non-members to submit entries for CBC's 2023 Merit Awards competition. This program recognizes the most outstanding construction projects from the past three years in the Chicagoland area and surrounding counties.

ENTRY GUIDELINES:

• Projects must be completed by December 31, 2022.



• If you have entered a project in the past, you are welcome to enter it again (As long as it is within 3 years of 2022).

Please do not enter the same project in more than one category.

NECA, MCAA, and SMACNA have partnered together to host the 2023 MEP Innovation Conference in Austin, TX on January 11-13, 2023. This three-day event will include innovative presentations, collaborative roundtable discussions, and hands-on exhibitor demonstrations highlighting the recent technologies that can improve MEP contractors' productivity and profitability. With over 30 breakout sessions, 5 demos, 4 general sessions, 3 facility tours, and plenty of networking opportunities, this is a pivotal event to learn from the industry's best & brightest!

Sessions Include:

• Bringing Lean Concepts to Fabrication Workstations

• How Taking Your Jobsite Virtual Can Help You Improve Process, Culture, and Strategy

• Running a Business that Intersects Service and Construction Work

• Process Driven Profitability

• Mapping Your Tech Stack: A Practical Guide

The Federal Aviation Administration will host a virtual outreach and matchmaking event on Wednesday, December 14, 2022 from 11:00 AM through 3:00 PM EST.

This event is targeted to small businesses interested in FAA contracting and subcontracting opportunities supported by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) with a focus on, but not limited to, the following NAICS: 23-Construction; 54-Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services.  All firms should be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM) database.

Suppliers will be matched with Buyer participants (i.e. Prime Contractors, Contracting Officials and Program Office staff) based upon their current or future needs, identified by NAICS. Registering firms may not receive a matched one-on-one meeting. Registration is required to request and be eligible to schedule a meeting, as well as to participate in the opening remarks and networking room. Matchmaking sessions will utilize the My Business Matches (MBM) platform, the third party vendor that will facilitate the event on behalf of the FAA. Registration opens Nov 3, 2022 and closes December 9, 2022.

Please click on the link for the IMSCA November 17^th Legislative Update. This report includes a review of Week 2 of the 2022 Fall Veto Session. 

If you have any questions, please contact Jessica Newbold Hoselton, Executive Director, Illinois Mechanical & Specialty Contractors Association (IMSCA) at: (217) 523-4361.

IT’S ALL FOR YOU – The January ELECTRI Council meeting is January 17 - 19, 2023 and is designed entirely for you – the Council members. Each session will focus on issues and ideas you have told us are important to your work. For example, the Scottsdale meeting will include: 

 -Ted Style Talks – Electrical contractors will share their thoughts on growth, complacency and more;

- Breakout sessions -- on the top ten trends transforming electrical contracting from coast to coast;

-Panel discussion with ABB, Schneider, and Siemens -- on why their companies are making the move to digital gear and what it means for ECs; and

- Educational keynote sessions -- from expert speakers who know and understand this industry.

Remember – The hotel room block CLOSES on December 16^th. Reserve your room and register for the full meeting here. If you plan to play golf on Wednesday, January 18^th, you have to register for the meeting first and ELECTRI will then send you the golfing details.

HAVE ANOTHER COFFEE – On December 14^th at 11 AM Eastern join ELECTRI for IT & Coffee – Part 2 with Matt Lamb, Rosendin’s Chief Information Officer. Matt will continue to lead this casual interactive conversation so you and your IT staff can get more comfortable with the IT issues and opportunities that come across your desk every day.  Zoom invitation is to follow, soon.  

END 2022 ON A HIGH NOTE – ELECTRI’s Council Room series has been one of our 2022 program highlights. Join us for our final 2022 Council Room on December 6 @ 3:00 PM Eastern. Jonathan Marsh of Steel Toe Consulting will offer valuable insights into Project Lifecycle. Get your team together for this important event. Contact [email protected] for a Zoom e-vite.

KEEPING HIS WORD - In our recent Think Like A Leader interview, Scott Bringmann explains how he relies upon advice he received early in his career – “Your word and your reputation are key.” Scott has led Alcan Electric and Engineering, based in Alaska, and has now prepared the next generation of leaders to continue the firm’s 50+ years of service. Click here for the ELECTRI interview and learn how Scott focuses on keeping his word as an essential part of leading by example.

WHAT DO YOU PREFER? – Many of our contractors work closely with our ELECTRI partners - Border States, Graybar, Mayer, Sonepar and Wesco. Now, we can help them. Distributors want to be sure they have the right options in place to meet your business needs. They want to know how you reach out to your distributors to order a part, get a spec sheet, or check ship dates. ELECTRI and NECA are working closely with the National Association of Electrical Distributors on a special project: Contractors: Purchasing and Inquiry Preferences. Working together, we can make progress on the critical matter of supply challenges impacting all electrical contractors and your industry partners.

Let us know your preferences by completing this five-minute survey. Click here for the link. Feel free to forward the survey link to others in your company who should take part as well. For any questions, please contact Erika TenEyck at NAED. Thank you for your participation!

10 IS THE NUMBER – Our thanks to ELECTRI’s Program Review Committee, guided by Kellie Holland, for its outstanding work to select the research proposals to present to Council for your discussion and vote at our January meeting. Written proposals and videos will be sent out in advance for your review. Please make sure to register now for our Scottsdale meeting. Here’s the link. Your recommendations and your perspective will be essential to a good research portfolio for 2023. 

PLAY IT AGAIN – Many people have commented on the good take-away advice from our November programs. We hope you will share these sessions with your own teams.

Materials Management Best Practices Outside of the Gate – November Council Room

Here’s the link. 

Best Practices for Internships Here’s the link.

Con Tech & Coffee Here’s the link.

ELECTRI MONITORS IT ALL – In addition to delivering all of ELECTRI’s outstanding initiatives, the Foundation also takes close care with its finances. Each fiscal year, ELECTRI goes through a comprehensive audit of its assets and expenditures. Click here to review this year’s Report to Stakeholders.

TWO DOWN AND ONE TO GO –Click here for the (11/14/22) outstanding Council Room on Materials Management Best Practices Outside of the Gate. 

ALWAYS THINKING - Karen Bazela, Siemens Regional Sales Director, is enthusiastic about the opportunities and challenges of being a company leader. Her favorite advice? “A leader knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way.”  Click here for our Think Like A Leader conversation with Karen Bazela.

ELECTRI International Quick Links

ELECTRI Meetings    ELECTRI Research    Council Room Sessions    Think Like A Leader

Please click the link for a recent update from NECA Government Affairs. If you have any questions regarding the update, please reach out to NECA Government Affairs to: Hadlea Bender, Specialist at:  (713) 870-8619 / Jared Karbowsky, Director, Government Affairs, National Electrical Contractors Association at: 443-975-2932