Pictured above is Jared Christman,

ELECTRI Director of Construction Technology

Please join us for this unique two-day program!

Start Time: 8:00 am CT 

End Time: 5:00 pm CT 

Location: Loews Chicago O'Hare 5300 N River Rd, Rosemont, IL 60018

This class, designed specifically for NECA’s small and medium-sized contractors, will bring in experts to discuss the several of the essential elements that all contractors need to know.

Finance

This session will discuss the key financial processes, facts, and figures that you need to be constantly aware of to keep the company running smoothly. Following the class, you’ll have an understanding of the components of financial statements, cash flow, profit fade, work in process schedules, cycle time, and the concept of margin versus markup.

This session will be led by David O’Brien, CPA, Director of Construction Services at Mosley, Pfundt, Glick & O’Brien.

Legal

The legal issues that electrical contractors can face are diverse and this session will focus on three key areas. First, every company routinely signs contracts for products and services, but those contracts may not be in the best interest of your company. Recommended clauses and provisions, what they mean, which ones to avoid, and how to include the correct ones will be discussed. Next, important wage and hour changes will be reviewed to assist you with staying in compliance to avoid an audit or lawsuit. Finally, every business may face an incident or allegation that must be internally investigated. It is critical to conduct such an investigation or self-critical analysis in an effective manner, and this presentation will center on best practices in this area.

This session will be led by James Fagan, NECA’s General Counsel and Vice President of Risk Management

Insurance, Bonding & Risk Management

While you may have insurance policies in place, you may not be adequately covered. This session will discuss common coverage concerns and factors that affect business insurance premiums. Risk management culture, best practices for fleet/driving, as well as bonding, will also be discussed.

This session will be led by Nate Hoyle, Rick Johnson, and Bill Walters from Federated Insurance.

Material Management

Planning and managing materials on a project can take up a significant amount of time before you even get to the jobsite and then also have a significant impact on the labor effectiveness on the jobsite. While the contractor is responsible for the results, the supply chain is a large and complex ecosystem and often difficult to navigate. The current state of the supply chain, the “digital thread concept,” industry-proven best practices, and useful tools to see more predictable, efficient, and profitable projects will be discussed.

This session will be led by Mike Carroll of Graybar.



Productivity

Measuring and tracking productivity is key to being able to improve it. This session will discuss how to benchmark and identify field productivity and identify areas of waste. Methods to improve productivity among your staff, as well as subcontractors, will also be discussed.

This session will be led by Mark Federle of Marquette University

Construction Technology

Project delivery methods and building systems are growing increasingly complex. Owners and GCs continue to push tighter schedules and control cost, all while we are expected to adapt to their ever-changing expectations. How do electrical contractors meet these growing demands and position themselves to be successful in our fast-changing industry? This session will discuss what is driving these changes and what tools are available to help ECs shift from a low bid mindset to being seen as a trusted project consultant. We will explore how these new technologies expose strengths and weaknesses and help us identify opportunities to increase margins while reducing risk.

This session will be led by Jared Christman from ELECTRI International.

Registration Information

The ECA Research and Education Committee has been able to secure a discounted rate for this program. The Registration Fee for ECA members for this two-day program is $300.00...that's a $350.00 reduction from the NECA Member Price! If you're interested in attending the "Electrical Contractor Essentials: Business and Field Operations" program, please click on the link below to register or go on-line at the ECA website at: www.ecachicago.com.

The Construction Industry Service Corporation (CISCO) is accepting applications for its 2023 Scholarship Program. Their three different program categories enable a wider range of applicants for both building trade Union members and Union contractor employees to apply. CISCO offers (3), four-year scholarships ($2,000/year) to high school seniors; (2), two-year awards ($1,000/year) for seniors planning to attend community college; and (2), two-year continuing education awards ($1,000/year) to adult Union members or contractor employees.

CISCO’s three (3) scholarship program categories are:

– Three (3) four-year scholarships ($2,000/year). DOWNLOAD APPLICATION HERE

– Two (2) two-year awards ($1,000/year) for seniors planning on attending a community college. DOWNLOAD APPLICATION HERE

– Two (2) two-year continuing education awards ($1,000/year) to Union members or contractor employees. DOWNLOAD APPLICATION HERE

Applications for each of the three categories of scholarships are available at cisco.org/ scholarships, visit CISCO's Facebook page, or by calling CISCO at 630-472-9411. The program was established in 1994 in order to provide educational support for CISCO members and their families.

All applications and accompanying documents must be postmarked by February 17, 2023 to be eligible for consideration, and can also be sent via email. Winners will be notified in mid-March and awards will be presented at CISCO's Annual Luncheon in late April/early May, 2023. For judging criteria, application information, and eligibility requirements, please refer to the application forms.

If you would like more information about this topic, please call Julia Mulvey at 630-472-9411 or email julia@cisco.org. 

The Women in NECA and Future Leaders (WINFL) Leadership Conference features two full days of education and breakout sessions including featured speakers, group discussions and networking opportunities for both groups.

The Women in NECA and Future Leaders (WINFL) conference will precede NECA Now 2023 in San Antonio, Texas. Both NECA Now and WINFL will be held at the J.W. Marriott Hill Country. For more information on NECA Now, please click here. Please note, the registration link will lead you to the NECA Now landing page but you will have the option to choose which event(s) you would like to attend.

STIPEND AVAILABLE

The ECA Executive Committee approved the educational stipends of the Registration fees for up to two representatives and their guest and/or spouse, if applicable, of participating ECA member firms for the NECA WIN / FL Conference on April 16 – 17, 2023. The registrations will be reimbursed to the applicable companies after the Conference.

After you have registered, please e-mail a copy of your completed registration transaction to the Association office at registration@ecachicago.com.  This will allow us to have a record of your registration information, should you need any assistance after registering.

Please join us in San Antonio, TX!

Far from your typical meeting, NECA NOW 2023 is a three-day Executive Leadership Conference focused on your professional and personal growth.

This Executive Leadership Conference will provide attendees with the opportunity to gain insights on leadership development with presentation by top business experts.

STIPEND AVAILABLE

The ECA Executive Committee approved the educational stipends of the Registration fees for up to two representatives and their guest and/or spouse, if applicable, of participating ECA member firms for the NECA NOW Conference on April 17 - 19, 2023. The registrations will be reimbursed to the applicable companies after the Conference.

After you have registered, please e-mail a copy of your completed registration transaction to the Association office at registration@ecachicago.com.  This will allow us to have a record of your registration information, should you need any assistance after registering.

Please be aware...Hotel Registrations must be made by March 10, 2023!

Below is a link to the Winter 2023 Issue of SubStance Magazine brought to you by the Illinois Mechanical & Specialty Contractors Association (IMSCA).   In this issue, you will find a message from IMSCA's Immediate Past President, Chad Fricke. In addition, our "Featured Story", by Madeline Remish, provides important details on the recently approved "Workers' Rights" amendment to the Illinois constitution - and much more.  

We hope you find this issue useful and informative. Please feel free to forward this message to your friends and colleagues. The current issue of SubStance magazine can be viewed by clicking this link: Winter 2023