“NECA Adopt-A-School Initiative” Volunteer Day –

Chicago Hope Academy – September 12, 2025

For the upcoming NECA Convention in Chicago, the institution featured for this year’s NECA Adopt-A-School is the Chicago Hope Academy. We hope that contractor members will be able to offer their support to Chicago Hope Academy through this year’s NECA Adopt-A-School Silent Auction to be held during the upcoming NECA Convention September 12 – 15, 2025, as well as the Volunteer Day scheduled for September 12, 2025 at Chicago Hope Academy. The ECA was hoping for at least 50 volunteers for the Volunteer Day. If you or anyone else from your firm is interested in assisting, please click the link below for the Volunteer Registration Form and send it back to the ECA at: ttaylor@ecachicago.com as soon you can. This will help Chicago Hope Academy with their scheduling as well any specifics the volunteers will need.

Background of Chicago Hope Academy

Chicago Hope Academy (2189 W. Bowler Street in Chicago) is taking workforce readiness to a new level for their students. By introducing the trades as a viable career option, the school hopes to see families break the cycle of inter-generational poverty through skill building and home ownership. The school has a 2-Year Trades Pathway program – students will be granted the opportunity to immediately begin an apprenticeship with one of their three union partners: Local 134 IBEW, Local 150 Operating Engineers and the Laborers. 

Kevin Walters, Local 134 IBEW electrician, 2025 CISCO Educator of the Year is the Career and Technical Sciences Instructor. Mr. Walters is an experienced union electrician with over 20 years of experience in residential, industrial, and commercial electrical installations, maintenance, and repair. He has a proven track record of successful projects and various infrastructures with a commitment to safety and efficiency. His goal at Hope is to prepare students for a registered apprenticeship program by offering structured pre-apprenticeship training. 

Again, please review the varied activities for the Volunteer Day and register, soon!

Thank you in advance for your help!

CLICK HERE FOR VOLUNTEER REGISTRATION FORM.

2025 NECA Project Excellence Awards

NECA is honored to announced the 17 projects from across the United States as winners of the prestigious Project Excellence Awards. This year’s winners represent the best in the industry, delivering cutting-edge solutions and high-performance outcomes across commercial, industrial, institutional, and infrastructure sectors. The winning contractors will be formally recognized at the upcoming NECA Convention & Trade Show in Chicago.

Congratulations to our ECA Member Winners!:

Commercial/Institutional > Over $1 Million

Wind Creek Casino — Sharlen Electric Company

Chicago & Cook County Chapter NECA

Commercial/Institutional > Under $1 Million

SCB Headquarters — Continental Electrical Construction Company

Chicago & Cook County Chapter NECA

Design Build > Over $1 Million

1000M Luxury Residential High-Rise — Gurtz Electric Co.

Chicago & Cook County Chapter NECA

Residential/Mixed Use

4600 Marine Drive — Gurtz Electric Co.

Chicago & Cook County Chapter NECA

Please click the link below for the entire list of winners.

CLICK HERE FOR THE LIST OF WINNERS

EVENTS

NECA Convention & Trade Show

September 12 - 15, 2025

The NECA Convention & Trade Show will soon be in Chicago! -- September 12 - 15, 2025

Early-Bird pricing ended on July 25th!

This means that room availability and pricing cannot be guaranteed.

Please contact the ECA office if any difficulty securing accommodations.

Among the many other NECA Convention events, education, general sessions, a special NECA activity is highlighted below:

Jerry McGlynn, McWilliams Electric Company, Inc. is to be acknowledged as an Academy of Electrical Contracting Inductee during the September 13 General Session.

Chicago Chapter Events                  

For those Chapter members that attend the full NECA Convention, the Chicago and Cook County Chapter functions are listed below. For each event, transportation is on own.

Saturday, September 13, 2025

Open Night – 7:00 pm

However, the Chapter has a number of reservations available for dinner at a number of area restaurants.  

Sunday, September 14, 2025 (Joint Chapter Reception / Dinner with Northeastern IL NECA)

7:00 pm: Reception

8:00 pm: Dinner

The Planetarium

1300 S DuSable Lake Shore Drive - Chicago, IL 60605

Monday, September 15, 2025 (Pre-Closing Event Reception)

5:30 pm – 7:00 pm  

Reception (cocktails and heavy hors d'oeuvres) Navy Pier (TBD) - 1000 E. Grand Avenue - Chicago, IL

CLICK HERE FOR REGISTRATION INFORMATION.

TRADE SHOW ONLY PASSES AVAILABLE!

The Chicago & Cook County Chapter, NECA has available for distribution "Trade Show Only" passes for the NECA Convention Trade Show. This complimentary Trade Show Only coupon is a $150 value. Please contact the ECA office at: (708) 531-0022 to order your passes for your employees and customers. What's available on the Trade Show floor from Education, new products, among other areas are highlighted on the coupon. The special Invitation Code, "25EXH" must be used when registering on-line. Call soon to have the coupons/Trade Show Passes mailed to your office!

However, If you do not need to distribute the paper pass information, you can use the code on-line (look for lower right-hand portion of registration screen that indicates Code use and follow instructions).

NECA Convention - Apprentice Appreciation Day

The Apprentice Appreciation Day is Sunday, September 14, 2025 at the NECA Convention. Please click the link below for Apprentice Registration information, as well as highlights of the special event: guest speakers, special activities, as well as the new High-Voltage Village!

For apprentices to register, have them visit: https://corereg.cmrus.com/necaannual/attendee/authenticate. Enter code, "JATCHI" in the Invitation Code" field prior to starting the registration.

CLICK HERE FOR THE APPRENTICE APPRECIATION DAY INFORMATION.

EDUCATION

ECA Educational and Conference Stipends for 2025

The Electrical Contractors' Association of City of Chicago (ECA) Executive Committee has approved a number of educational stipends for many special programs / conferences throughout 2025. All stipends / reimbursements are made after each conference with registration confirmation(s) and applicable receipts forwarded to ECA.  

CLICK HERE FOR LISTING

NECA SAFETY PROFESSIONALS INSTITUTE

Oct. 28 - 30, 2025

Washington, DC

Designed for new safety professionals in the industry, this program provides participants with the “must know” topics for those responsible for keeping our workers safe.

LEARN MORE!

New Publications in the NECA Store

NECA has collected, analyzed and interpreted hundreds of data points, so our members can use these crucial reports to develop strategies, optimize processes, and improve decision-making, leading to better outcomes and a competitive advantage in the market. 



CLICK HERE for the latest additions to thestore.

NECA Business Development Information

NECA is updating its Business Development contact list for 2025! This list will be notified about Business Development resources, events and exclusive sessions. Please complete this short form and let NECA know the Business Development contact person(s) for your company. 

Complete Business Development Contact List Form >>

Document Crunch

Contractors who sign up for the service will have exclusive access to an ELECTRI-specific solution through Document Crunch’s innovative platform.

Watch Demo Video



If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to Nancy Sheehy at nsheehy@documentcrunch.com.

Sign Up for Access

Unlock the Power of Document Crunch:

We will be hosting your next office hours session on Thursday, August 7^th, 2025, at 12:00 PM CT. Kindly encourage your members to attend—especially those who have not yet begun utilizing Document Crunch.

👉 Register for the August 7^th Office Hours

ELECTRI Updates

Upcoming Webinars

Council Room - Benchmarking for Better Business: Shaping the Future of Contractor Insights

• What: Join us for an interactive Council Room session focused on the new ELECTRI Industry Benchmarking Tool—a powerful platform designed to help electrical contractors measure performance, identify opportunities, and drive smarter decision-making.
• When: August 28 at 3PM Eastern
• Where: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/83899991161?pwd=C3vqU7n8OmSMX39mtELrb6PL5ok36x.1 (A calendar hold will be sent to all Council members. Please share with anyone in your company or chapter if they’d like to participate.)

IT & Coffee - IT vs. ConTech: Defining the Lines, Aligning the Goals

• What: Join us for the next ELECTRI IT/ConTech and Coffee as we kick off with a focused conversation on clarifying the roles and distinctions between IT and Construction Technology within our industry.
• When: August 27 at 11AM Eastern
• Where: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/86842084245?pwd=PxaxwjfuRHuLkCbsfS5a3JL7bmMaQN.1 (A calendar hold will be sent to those that signed up here)

ELECTRI Learning at the NECA Convention

From service strategies to labor trends, ELECTRI’s research-based sessions give you tools you can put to work right away. Don’t miss:

• Service Boot Camp with Johnathan Marsh (9/12 – Pre-registration required) Register by July 30^th to secure your spot!
• Improving Cash Flow and Payment Terms with Dr. John Killingsworth (9/13)
• Megaprojects & Labor Markets with Dr. Anthony Perrenoud (9/14)
• Getting the Most Out of ELECTRI with Josh Bone, Jessica Cardensas, Laura Holmes, & Anna Jochim (9/15)
• Combatting Rework with Hala Nassereddine (9/15)
• Exploring the 4x10 Work Week with Hala Nassereddine (9/15)

💡 Build your schedule around the sessions that deliver insights and impact.

We are excited to announce that the ELECTRI Industry Benchmarking Tool is now live and ready for use. This tool was developed to help electrical contractors benchmark key performance metrics across the industry, and we’re asking for your support in getting it off the ground.

To build the live charts and dashboards, we need at least 100 participants. We hope you’ll take a few moments in the coming days to create your account and complete the surveys.

How to Create Your Account

1.Visit the Benchmarking Tool Landing Page [https://www.electri.org/research-overview/electris-industry-benchmarking-tool/]

2.Click “Get Started”

3.At the Login Page Select “Don’t have an account?”

4.Create a MyELECTRI Account In the Company/Organization field, please enter “Other” exactly as shown in the image below.



5. Once Registered

• An ELECTRI representative will call to confirm the appropriate ownership (admin privileges) of the account and ensure data integrity within 2 business days.
• You’ll receive an email confirming your access.
• After receiving the email, you can visit [https://www.electri.org/kpi-dashboard/] and access your:
• Dashboard
• Survey reports
• FAQ section

6.Begin the Surveys

You should now see the list of surveys and your progress displayed as shown below.

If you have any questions or need assistance, please don’t hesitate to reach out to:

1. Josh Bone – josh.bone@electri.org
2. Laura Holmes – Laura.Holmes@electri.org
3. Jessica Cardenas – Jessica.Cardenas@electri.org

Get Involved: Join a Task Force

We invite you to help shape the direction of these projects. Volunteer to serve on a research task force: Sign up here!

Lend Your Expertise: Participate in Surveys

ELECTRI needs contractor input to ensure our research is grounded in meaningful, real-world data. Take the surveys

Share Your Tools

PCA Researcher Deniz Besiktepe is developing resources to support onboarding and project planning. If you have sample onboarding guides or project checklists, please send them to denizb@purdue.edu.

IMPORTANT REMINDER:

ELECTRI International and American Apprenticeships Work have partnered to offer a national Project Management Apprenticeship program! The NECA/ELECTRI Project Management Apprenticeship provides aspiring electrical project managers with the technical expertise, leadership abilities, and business acumen needed to work on large-scale electrical projects successfully. Click Here for more information.

ELECTRI appreciates your assistance with this research. If you have any questions about the research, please contact Amanda Harbison, ELECTRI’s Director of Research, at Amanda@electri.org.

ELECTRI International Quick Links

ELECTRI Meetings         ELECTRI Research        Business Coaching       

Council Room Sessions        Research Engagement Hub       PM Apprenticeship Program  

ConTech & Coffee/IT & Coffee       Think Like A Leader     AI Toolkit

Construction Industry Alliance for Suicide Prevention

It is an unfortunate fact that construction has the highest rate of suicide of any industry in America. We lose about 53 out of every 100,000 members of our industry EVERY YEAR to suicide. We are four times the average of other industries. We have a crisis in construction and we need to do something about it. You can visit the Construction Industry Alliance for Suicide Prevention website and learn more. We urge all to take the pledge to STAND UP for suicide prevention and address it as a health and safety priority.

CLICK HERE FOR A "Stand Up for Suicide Prevention" Information Sheet.