The ECA Welcomes Taylor Kershaw

Director of Member Services

The Electrical Contractors’ Association of City of Chicago (ECA) welcomes Taylor Kershaw as its new Director of Member Services. Her experience in event management as a recent Director at the National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA) will serve the Association well. As Director of Member Services, Taylor will focus on creating impactful meetings, events, and conferences that deliver value to the membership. Taylor will be at her first Membership Meeting on May 13, 2026 at the East Bank Club. Please welcome her to the ECA team!

NECA's Safety Recognition Program includes two categories: Safety Excellence and Zero-Injury Achievement.

NECA’s Recognition of Safety Achievement program is an elite safety recognition focused on recognizing thriving companies that excel in multiple areas of their safety and health programs. Member companies that consistently show no injuries, illnesses or fatalities and implement internal company safety practices above and beyond basic compliance will continue to be recognized with the Zero-Injury Recognition program. New criteria for Safety Excellence were introduced in 2025. The new criteria follows the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) and overall safety industry focus on companies that implement internal company safety practices above and beyond basic compliance and show an absence of serious injuries and fatalities.

The NECA Safety Ambassadors Medal recognizes the top NECA member that has exemplified superior performance in the area of safety providing leadership, support and recognition to employees that lead by example. The NECA Safety Ambassadors medal recipient is selected for achieving a superior safety performance score in the NECA Recognition of Safety Achievement Programs. This cumulative score is based on a point system for having injury and illness rates and an Experience Modification Rate (EMR) which are better than the BLS Statistics, OSHA, insurance, and industry safety standards.

The ECA congratulates the following Chicago Chapter members!



2026 Recognition of Achievement in Safety Excellence (Chicago Chapter):

Hy-Power Electric Company

Malko Communication Services, LLC

McWilliams Electric Company, Inc.

Phoenix Business Solutions, LLC

Rocha Electric Company

Canino Electric Co.

Hartmann Electric Company, Inc.

JMS Electric, Inc.

Aldridge Electric, Inc.

Connelly Electric, Inc.,

Continental Electrical Construction Company

Gurtz Electric Co.



2026 Recognition of Achievement of Zero Injury (Chicago Chapter):

Hy-Power Electric Company

Phoenix Business Solutions, LLC

Rocha Electric Company

McWilliams Electric Company, Inc.

Malko Communication Services, LLC

Canino Electric Co.

JMS Electric, Inc.

Hartmann Electric Company, Inc.

"Basic Estimating of Electrical Construction"

April 27 - 29, 2026

The Electrical Contractors’ Association of City of Chicago (ECA) Research and Education Committee was proud to have sponsored the "Basic Estimating of Electrical Construction" seminar that was held on Monday, April 27, 2026 - Wednesday, April 29, 2026 from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm (each day) at the IBEW-NECA Technical Institute (INTECH) at 6201 W. 115th Street, Alsip, IL. The session was facilitated by Michael Bill, NECA Education.

CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE.

ECA Regular Membership Meeting
April 18, 2026

The Electrical Contractors’ Association of City of Chicago (ECA) held its April Membership meeting on Wednesday, April 8, 2026 at Maggiano’s Little Italy in Chicago. The session featured industry updates and a guest presentation by Marlene Hopkins, Commissioner, City of Chicago Department of Buildings (DOB). The ECA also welcomed new member, LiveWire Construction Inc. Angela Drexel, LiveWire Construction Inc. was also on hand at the session to say a few introductory remarks on behalf of LiveWire.


CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE.

"AI in Electrical Construction"

Thursday, April 16, 2026

The Electrical Contractors’ Association of City of Chicago (ECA) Research and Education Committee was proud to have sponsored the second "AI in Electrical Construction" seminar that was held on Thursday, April 16, 2026 from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm at the Hilton Chicago - Oak Brook Hills Resort in Oak Brook, IL The session was facilitated by Carl Britton, Iron Thread Consulting. 26 registered for this dynamic program.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION.

NECA EMERGE Conference

April 13-15, 2026

The NECA EMERGE Conference was held April 13–15, 2026 in Atlanta, GA. This marked the second time this groundbreaking conference took place. Nearly a dozen Chicago Chapter members were able to attend the Conference, as well as participate with a special Chapter Dinner event. We thank Rick Jamerson, President Emeritus, Jamerson & Bauwens Electrical Contractors, Inc. and Tim Moylan, Gurtz Electric Co. for their assistance with the Business Development Breakout Session, "Recognition That Works: Leveraging Project Excellence Awards for PR & Growth."

CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE!

2026 NECA Project Excellence Awards

Applications Now Open!

The NECA Project Excellence Awards recognize the most outstanding electrical construction projects completed by NECA contractors across 13 market sectors. Projects must have been completed in 2025 and may be submitted in one of 13 categories. You can submit multiple projects but only one project per category. 


Categories include:

Commercial/Institutional

Design-Build

Energy Solutions & Green Building

Health Care

Industrial

Transportation & Infrastructure

Electric Vehicle (EV)


Winners are honored on stage at NECA’s Annual Convention this October, placing your company in front of industry leaders, peers, and future partners!


Submission Deadline: July 13, 2026


CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE.

ECA Regular Membership Meeting 
Wednesday, May 13, 2026

Please join us for the ECA Regular Membership Meeting.

This luncheon event is scheduled as follows:

ECA Membership Meeting

Wednesday, May 13, 2026

East Bank Club

500 N. Kingsbury Street

Chicago, IL 60654

(312) 527-5800

South Riverview Room

Parking Validation Available.

12:00 pm: Registration / Networking

12:30 pm: Lunch  

1:15 pm:  Business Session / Guest Speaker

2:30 pm: Concludes

This program will feature industry updates and a guest presentation by Kaitlin DeBlasio, LCPC

Client Relations Manager, AllOne Health.

Click below for Registration:

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER!

NECA Safety Professionals Conference  

May 18 – 20, 2026

In a rapidly evolving regulatory and risk landscape, safety leaders need more than updates, they need strategy. The 2026 NECA Safety Professionals Conference (NSPC) is designed exclusively for safety experts who are committed to strengthening their company’s safety culture, improving compliance, and driving measurable results in the field. If you’re ready to enhance your company’s safety standards and lead with confidence, NSPC is where you need to be on May 18-20 in Atlanta, GA!

CLICK THE LINK: Registration is open!

NECA 2026 Future Leaders is Open for Registration!
June 15 - 17, 2026

The 2026 NECA Future Leaders Conference will be taking place on Monday, June 15, 2026 to Wednesday, June 17, 2026 at the Omni William Penn Hotel in Pittsburgh, PA. This is your opportunity to sharpen your leadership edge, expand your influence, and bring real value back to your company. 


Registration is officially open for the NECA Future Leaders Conference — NECA Future Leaders is committed to enhancing leadership skill through education, innovation, and collaboration. With access to Premier Partners and industry-leading companies you can learn from the best!


Stipend Availability

The 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 Future Leaders (FL) Conference on June 15 – 17, 2026 in Pittsburgh, PA.


Benefits of attending:

• Networking with similarly positioned peers within the electrical industry for a broader network across the country.
• Professional and technical skill development opportunities.
• Unrivaled access to tours of Premier Partners and contractor member shops.
• Emotional intelligence development for a stronger skillset during career advancement.
• Collaboration beyond traditional networking to navigate industry evolutions and becoming champions of change.
• The ability to take key education and ideas back to your company for immediate implementation leading to personal and company growth. 
  

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION / REGISTRATION

ECA Educational and Conference Stipends for 2026

The Electrical Contractors' Association of City of Chicago (ECA) Executive Committee has approved a number of educational stipends for many special programs / conferences throughout 2026. All stipends / reimbursements are made after each conference with registration confirmation(s) and applicable receipts forwarded to ECA.  

CLICK HERE FOR LISTING

ECA Educational Programming for 2026

The 2026 Education Programming Schedule is confirmed for 2026. Please click the link below for a full listing with links for registration!

CLICK HERE FOR LISTING

DOCUMENT CRUNCH INFORMATIONAL WEBINAR 

May 12, 2026

NECA Chicago members have complimentary access to Document Crunch through the NECA/ELECTRI member benefit. This session will show you how to take advantage of this no-cost resource and put it to work for your team. Join Miah Veselinovic, Partnership Manager at Document Crunch supporting NECA and ELECTRI chapters, for a practical walkthrough of the platform and how contractors are using it in their daily workflow.

During this session, you will:

• See the platform in action through a live demonstration

• Learn how to quickly identify risks, key clauses, and critical requirements

• Understand how contractors use it to protect margins and avoid surprises

• Get step-by-step guidance on signing up and getting started

• Ask questions and connect with the Document Crunch support team

Whether you’re exploring the benefit for the first time or looking to use it more effectively, this session will help you get started with confidence — at no cost and no risk to your business.

We hope to see you there!

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER!

“Navigating OCIP and CCIP on Projects.”

May 13, 2026

The Electrical Contractors’ Association of City of Chicago (ECA) Research and Education Committee are proud to sponsor the complimentary Pre-Membership Meeting seminar, “Navigating OCIP and CCIP and Project Impact.” The guest presenters discussion of the Owner Controlled Insurance Program (OCIP) and the Contractor Controlled Insurance Program (CCIP) are Patrick Johnson, MarshMcLennan Agency and Marcus Chapman & Kirk Chamberlain, Hub International.


This event is scheduled as follows:

Wednesday, May 13, 2026
10:30 am - 11:30 am

East Bank Club

500 N. Kingsbury Street

Chicago, IL 60654

(312) 527-5800

North Riverview Room


Parking Validation Available.

If you wish to register for the, “Navigating OCIP / CCIP on Projects,” please click the link below or visit the ECA website Calendar. 


CLICK HERE TO REGISTER!

This special session is being held prior to the ECA Regular Membership Meeting.

The ECA Regular Membership Meeting is being held as follows:


ECA Membership Meeting

Wednesday, May 13, 2026
East Bank Club

500 N. Kingsbury Street

Chicago, IL 60654

(312) 527-5800

South Riverview Room


12:00 pm: - 2:30 pm

This program will feature industry updates and a guest presentation by Kaitlin DeBlasio, LCPC, Client Relations Manager, AllOne Health.


If you plan on attending the seminar and the luncheon meeting, you will need to register for both. Click below for Registration for the Membership Meeting:

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER FOR MEMBERSHIP MEETING!

CSC Update



For a listing of coursework available through the Construction Safety Council (CSC) for the month of January 2026, please visit www.buildsafe.org.

FREE Safety Training - 2026

CSC is offering a series of complimentary programs!

The Construction Safety Council (CSC) been awarded an OSHA grant to support local delivery of five high-demand training topics:



• Workzone Hazards
• Excavation Dangers
• Harmful Silica
• Fall Protection
• Electrical Safety

Each session includes four hours of in-person instruction, which requires a 4.5 timeline for delivery (e.g., 7:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.). This Awareness-Level training is available to employers and employees, locally or nationwide. Their trainers are subject matter experts, who will engage participants in interactive lectures, demonstrations, and discussions about construction workplace hazards and risk-prevention strategies.

The ECA is proud to join the CSC in sponsoring these training opportunities. Due to the availability of federal grant funding, all materials and instruction are available AT NO COST. The training is FREE OF CHARGE for all ECA members.



• OPEN ENROLLMENT courses hosted by CSC in Hillside, Illinois – 2026 training dates will be available at www.buildsafe.org after December 15.
• PRIVATE courses hosted by ECA members – at any time, on any day, at any location.

If any questions, please contact the CSC at: (708) 449-8604.



We hope that you will take advantage of the opportunity to participate with these sessions!

"Navigating the Electrical Safety Compliance Triangle"

Monday, May 11, 2026


On behalf of the NECA/IBEW 701 Safety Committee, PowerForward DuPage invites its Local 701 members and all signatory contractors to attend a complimentary Navigating the Electrical Safety Compliance Triangle Joint Safety Forum at the IBEW Local 701 Training Facility at

28600 Bella Vista Parkway in Warrenville, IL on Monday, May 11th from 8:00 a.m. until 10:00 a.m.

At the intersection of NFPA 70, NFPA 70E, and NFPA 70B is a series of rules and regulations that impacts electrical installation, safety, and maintenance on every construction site. When used collectively, these codes complete the electrical safety compliance triangle. The burden of understanding it all rests on those who are most at risk.


Construction Safety Council instructor, Tom King will deliver an informative 2-hour presentation addressing the codes and communications necessary to keep workers free from harm.


There is no cost to attend this event, but advance registration is required.

You need to use the COMP CODE: ECA MEMBER when registering (ECA MEMBER is all uppercase).


You can also visit the ECA website at: www.ecachicago.com (Event Calendar area) and register on-line for this complimentary program. Please contact the ECA at: (708) 531-0022 with any questions. We look forward to seeing you, there!

Click the link below for Registration:

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER!


If any questions, please contact the PowerForward DuPage office at Info@PowerForwardDupage.com or call (630) 393-1701 Extension 5. Registration closes on Monday, May 4th.

Stay on top of monthly data for our industry: number of contractors active, quantity of people employed, and total hours worked.

PLEASE CLICK HERE TO VIEW STATISTICS