ECA Industry Update

NECA Project Excellence Awards Application Process

Deadline to Apply: ONE WEEK LEFT! July 3, 2025


The 2025 NECA Project Excellence Awards applications are officially open! This is your chance to showcase the innovation, expertise, and dedication that went into your 2024 projects! Winning this prestigious award means national recognition, industry prestige, and the chance to inspire the next generation of electrical contractors!


APPLY NOW!

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 ends on July 25th!


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 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.

2025 ECA Summer Social

Wednesday, August 6, 2025


First Lady Tours -- 112 E. Wacker Dr, Chicago, IL


Mark your calendars for Wednesday, August 6, 2025, as we have a wonderful evening planned aboard the Classic Lady!


6:00 pm: Arrive Dockside

6:15 pm: Boarding Begins/ Open Bar Service 

6:30 pm: Cruise Commences/ Appetizers and Dinner Buffet

9:30 pm: Disembarkation

 

Program highlights include:

  • Skyline Commentary Architecture Tour aboard the Classic Lady
  • Food, Beverages, & Networking
  • Fireworks
  • Tremendous Views of the City Skyline


All ECA Members, their spouses, and guests are welcome to attend this end-of-summer event!


*For parking information please click here!


**Recommended dress attire is business casual / summer attire. 


CLICK HERE TO REGISTER!

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!

NII 2025 Recruiting

The NECA Innovation Institute is actively building its 2024 – 2025 cohorts. Please refer to the attached information, program highlights, and interest form. We’re launching two cohorts in 2024 and would love to include your rising leaders in the mix.  

 

The program's annual cost is $6,000

 

Please reach out to innovation@necanet.org with any questions. 


CLICK HERE for Updated Innovation Institute Information (1/17/25).

 

NII Nomination Form and Brochure

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 This Week

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:

Join us on Thursday, July 10 at 12pm CT for Document Crunch Office Hours.


Register now to secure your spot!


NECA Alert: (6/3/25)


NECA This Week (6/23/25)

NECA Government Affairs


Please click the link for a recent update from NECA Government Affairs. 


NECA Government Affairs 6/24/25 Update.

 

If you have any questions regarding the update, please reach out to NECA Government Affairs at: (202) 449-8418 

ELECTRI Updates

The June Council Room will focus on the variation of CBA language for Offsite Manufacturing, ideas for CBA language to better help with Service work, and Workforce joint hiring initiatives. We've discussed our asks for contract language with GCs, our asks of owners for the ideal project, and now we will discuss alignment of potential CBA for our labor partners through NECA Chapters and local negotiations. Leading the discussion will be Ian Andrews (Vice President of Labor Relations and Large Contractors at NECA), Luke Kuhl (Twin Cities Chapter NECA) and Keith Colvard (Hunt Electric). They will discuss their own success in negotiating wins in their area, the importance of consistent industry terms, and creating flexibility to meet market and customer demands. This session will not be recorded so be sure to attend live on June 26 at 3PM Eastern. 

 

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/86758765293?pwd=Vam0zv3L1vVLX1Tz4hCbnbbJbFagaR.1

 

Meeting ID: 867 5876 5293

Passcode: 042460


As a reminder, members can also access the recordings of each session here: https://www.electri.org/electri-council-room-sessions/

ECIC Judges Needed:


Ten NECA Student Chapters are competing in ELECTRI’s 2025 Electrical Contracting Innovation Challenge (ECIC), and now it's time for our industry leaders to get involved. We’re looking for volunteers to serve on the ECIC jury — reviewing student proposals and helping select the top three teams who will present live at the NECA Convention in Chicago.


If your schedule doesn’t allow you to participate, feel free to share this opportunity with a colleague.


To learn more or volunteer, contact Laura Holmes at Laura.Holmes@electri.org

NECA/ELECTRI PM Apprenticeship Update:


The NECA/ELECTRI Project Management Apprenticeship is officially halfway through its first year—and we hosted a live webinar earlier this week to share what we’ve learned so far. This one-hour session gave a real look at how NECA members are training project managers from within. Be sure to watch the webinar to learn how you can take advantage of this program or click here to find out about the apprenticeship.

 

Project Manager Apprenticeship Update: Watch the recording here.

Big news! Registration is officially open for the ELECTRI Summer Council Meeting, happening July 14–16, 2025, at the iconic Fairmont Royal York in Toronto!

 

 

Event Details

Dates: July 14–16, 2025

Location: Fairmont Royal York, Toronto

Registration Fee: $250 per adult (including guests)

Registration Link:  Register here

 

 

Secure your spot now! Once registered, don’t forget to visit the "Complete Your Payment" tab to finalize your payment. Make sure you're logged into the website to complete the process!  You must register to receive the hotel reservation link.

 

Important Travel Reminders

 

🔹 Passports Required: All travelers to Canada must have a valid passport that does not expire within six months of your trip. If you need to apply for or renew your passport, you can do so here

 

🔹 Check Your Eligibility: Canada has specific entry requirements. Under Canada’simmigration law, if you have committed or been convicted of a crime (including some minor crimes such as DUI), you may not be allowed into Canada. Please review the official travel requirements here to ensure a smooth trip.

 

Toronto is calling, and this is one meeting you won’t want to miss! Get registered today and get ready for an unforgettable summer with ELECTRI!

May Recap

Read what you missed last month in our May recap. It is full of information on ELECTRI activities during April.


May Webinars: Best Accounting Practices -

In case you missed our April webinars here is your chance to watch them!

Council Room Session: What is the Ideal Project Environment in 2025

It & Coffee: AI Best Practices and IT Considerations

We’re excited to share two newly released ELECTRI research publications, each designed to help electrical contractors address pressing challenges and plan for the future:

 

🔹 Understanding, Identifying, and Measuring Rework: Rework can be costly, time-consuming, and difficult to quantify. This new interactive report — led by ELECTRI Researcher Hala Nassereddine — helps contractors identify the root causes of rework, establish processes to measure its true impact, and implement practices to minimize it on future projects.


📘 Explore the full interactive report 


🔹 Artificial Intelligence Implementation Roadmap for Electrical Contractors:

AI is no longer a distant concept — it’s a practical tool ready to be integrated into construction workflows. This roadmap outlines a step-by-step strategy to evaluate, adopt, and scale AI technologies specific to electrical contracting.


📘 Read the full roadmap



Both studies are based on contractor interviews, real-world case studies, and practical tools to apply in your business today. We encourage you to review and share these resources with your teams.



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.

SAVE THE DATES

August


August 6, 2025

2025 ECA Summer Social

First Lady Tours - Chicago, IL

6 pm to 9:30 pm

August


August 14-15, 2025

ECA Young Professionals 7th Annual

Leadership Conference

Hilton Chicago/Oak Brook Hills Resort & Conference Center

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