LiveWire
December 2021
Upcoming Events
December 11, 2021
Godfrey Hotel
Chicago, IL
Greetings!

Please review this month's LiveWire newsletter. We hope you enjoy the local and national industry updates. As a reminder, every Monday we send an e-mail to the membership concerning upcoming events and every Thursday, we send an Industry Update e-mail. Also, we invite you to join us on Facebook and LinkedIn!   
ECA Regular Membership Meeting
Gibsons Steakhouse
Oak Brook, IL

ECA Regular Membership Meeting
Carmine's Restaurant
Rosemont, IL

ECA Regular Membership Meeting
Maggiano's Banquets
Oak Brook, IL

March 13 - 16, 2022
Grand Hyatt Tampa Bay
Tampa, FL

April 4 - 9. 2022
Hotel Pullman Eiffel Tower
Paris, France
November Membership Meeting
The Electrical Contractors' Association of City of Chicago (ECA) November Membership Meeting was held on Wednesday, November 10, 2021 at the IBEW-NECA Technical Institute (INTECH). The ECA was proud to have as their guest speaker, Don Finn, Business Manager / Financial Secretary, Local Union #134 IBEW. A special tour of the school and a viewing of the new Powering Chicago educational truck was made available.
Pictured from left to right are:
Don Finn, Business Manager, Local Union #134 IBEW,
Rick Jamerson, ECA President,
Jamerson & Bauwens Electrical Contractors, Inc. and
Bob Fimbianti, ECA Vice President, Linear Electric, Inc.
"Top Habits of High-Performing Foremen" Seminar

The ECA Research and Education Committee was proud to sponsor a seminar called, "Top Habits of High-Performing Foremen." It was presented by Dr. Awad Hanna, University of Wisconsin- Madison and was held on Tuesday, November 9, 2021 at the Drake Oak Brook Hotel, Oak Brook, IL.

Foremen are the drivers of project success. A good foreman is often a company's most valuable asset. Their leadership and ability to manage cost, schedule, safety, and quality distinguish high-performing foremen. The most effective foremen possess certain traits that set them apart from average-performing foremen. This course covered in-depth, the top habits of the most effective foremen.

We thank Dr. Hanna for his time with this seminar.
Pictured in the top photo are the attendees; pictured above is Dr. Awad Hanna, University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Registration is open for the ECA Membership Meeting 1/12/22
 
Please join us for the ECA Regular Membership Meeting.

The event is scheduled as follows:

ECA Membership Meeting
Wednesday, January 12, 2022
Gibsons Steakhouse
2105 Spring Road
Oak Brook, IL

Registration / Networking: 12:00 pm
Lunch: 12:30 pm
Business Session / Presentation: 1:15 pm
Event Concludes: 2:00 pm
NECA IIT Student Chapter Update

The ECA Student Committee would like to thank, Jesse Geiger, CAD/BIM Manager for ECA member firm, Block Electric Company, Inc. Mr. Geiger was able to give a presentation to the NECA IIT Student Chapter via Blackboard (video conference) during a virtual IIT IPRO class / Student Chapter session on Thursday, November 18, 2021. The topic was “New Technologies.” 

Mr. Geiger discussed a number of issues that focused on BIM / Revit use, including:

·        Building Information Modeling (BIM) – What is it /
what’s the purpose?
·        Resolving conflicts – Benefits of BIM Coordination –
The 3D model
·        Better understanding of the project with the 3D
model
·        Use of Robotic Layout – Robotic Total Station (RTS)
·        Prefabrication
·        Revit use benefits: fewer files, parameters, view
creation, information access
·        Providing more precise information for prefabricating
conduit bends with greater efficiency
·        Revit addons – time-saving functions

We thank Jesse for his time with the students! Also, please check out the NECA Podcasts, as Dr. Dan Tomal, IIT Facilitator was able to discuss Student Chapter involvement – benefits to the industry during the NECA Convention. The students also look forward to working on the next Electrical Contracting Innovation Challenge (ECIC) for the next semester!
Chicago Christmas Tree Lighting
 
Chicago’s “official” Christmas tree, the 108th Annual City of Chicago Christmas Tree in Millennium Park, will shine brightly near the intersection of Michigan Ave. and Washington St. through January 9, 2022. The 2021 Tree Lighting Ceremony presented by Powering Chicago with leadership support from the Millennium Park Foundation was an "in-person" event that was held on Friday, November 19, 2021. The Tree Lighting Ceremony featured performances from various groups including a youth dance ensemble from the Kenwood School of Ballet, members of the Chicago Opera Theater performing an excerpt from “Becoming Santa Claus,” Cirque du Soleil, special messages from City of Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot and Powering Chicago Executive Director Elbert Walters, III, and singer-songwriter Brian McKnight, among other performances. We hope that you’ll see the tree in downtown Chicago!


Pictured in the photos below are:
the tree setup;
Elbert Walters, III, Powering Chicago offering a special message
on stage with WGN TV Hosts / representatives,
Santa and the Mayor;
From left to right:
Bob Fimbianti, ECA Vice President, Linear Electric, Inc.,
Elbert Walters, III, Powering Chicago, and
Carrie Spaeth, ECA;
the start of the fireworks and
the tree lit up!
CISCO - REMINDERS
CISCO Pride in Construction Award Program

CISCO is now accepting applications for the Pride in Construction Award Program, 2021 Project of the Year Awards. Six categories are available. Program submittal Deadline - December 3, 2021.


CISCO Annual Scholarships Available
CISCO has begun to accept applications for its long-standing Annual Scholarship Awards Program. The applications for these different categories can be found on CISCO’s website/homepage at www.cisco.org. The three scholarship program categories are: 1) Four-year college scholarships for high school seniors; 2) Two-year awards for seniors planning on attending a community college; and 3) Two-year continuing education awards to union members or contractor employees. The deadline to submit the applications is Friday, February 18, 2022. Interested students may email the completed applications, or send in the mail. For more information, call CISCO at (630) 472-9411.
CBC Merit Awards
Enter Your Construction Project! The Chicago Building Congress Merit Awards Committee invites CBC members and non-members to submit entries for the CBC’s 2022 Merit Awards competition. This program recognizes the most outstanding construction projects from the past three years in the Chicagoland area.

ENTRY DEADLINE: 
Monday, January 10, 2022

PROJECT DETAILS DEADLINE:
Monday, February 7, 2022
(Projects must be completed by December 31, 2021)

Categories for 2022
  • Education
  • Healthcare
  • Residential/Hospitality
  • Commercial Construction UNDER $50 Million
  • Commercial Construction OVER $50 Million
  • Renovation & Adaptive Reuse UNDER $10 Million
  • Renovation & Adaptive Reuse OVER $10 Million
  • Infrastructure or Industrial Construction
  • Interior Build-Out

Safety Update
CSC Update
For a listing of coursework available through the Construction Safety Council (CSC) for the month of December 2021, please visit:  www.buildsafe.org. 

NECA Safety Leadership Summit
NECA's First Annual Safety Leadership Summit was held November 1 - 3, 2021 at Loews Chicago Hotel in Downtown Chicago. Over 180 individuals were registered for the Summit. 
Industry Statistics
Stay on top of monthly data for our industry: number of contractors active, quantity of people employed and total hours worked.
Saturday, December 11, 2021
ECA President's Party & Holiday Celebration
The Godfrey Hotel, IO Rooftop Lounge
127 W. Huron Street
Chicago, IL
6:00 pm - 11:00 pm

Dance the night away to a Chicago home town favorite "Maggie Speaks,"
and a surprise special guest appearance you won't want to miss!

Make your Event Registration soon!

Accredited Representatives are welcome to invite a few of their employees (with spouse/guest)
to the ECA Holiday Party at their discretion. Please contact ECA with additional questions. Thank you!
Register Soon!
ECA President's Party & Holiday Celebration
Event Registration remains open until December 10, 2021!