September 2024

This is truly an exciting time of the year, isn’t it? If you are like me, it hits that each day is an opportunity to take steps to better this industry we all love.

September might be seen as a beginning of sorts — the children are back to school with energy to excel and aspirations for a great year. Adults shift to new

routines and chart their end-of-year direction. For us in the electrical contracting industry, we once again evaluate where we’ve been and where we’re headed. I sincerely hope that 2024 has been a great year for your business, and that you are optimistic for 2025.

I also hope that you have gained information to stimulate ideas for your business from your IEC interactions. At the recent IEC Safety Summit in Milwaukee, your IEC Executive Committee was on site to consult with those in attendance and hold meetings where we discussed the details, like committee structures and utilizing partner expertise — and the larger overview, like better ways to bring our members value and who we want to be long term as an organization. It was exciting, it was collaborative, and at times it was even a bit overwhelming. There are so many great ideas out there and numerous passionate individuals who contribute to IEC’s success! Let us know what we can do for you.

And, now, we get to look forward to our premier event, SPARK: The Electrician’s Expo, October 14-16, in Tampa. Register now (if you aren’t among those who already have) and grab your opportunity to engage with others. See new products on display, attend educational seminars, and network, network, network! Build your SPARK schedule now, including the opportunity to seat two additional strategic partners on the IEC Board of Directors. Daily activities are on the website.

SPARK is also the site of one of my favorite IEC activities — the Apprentice of the Year competition. In full view on the Expo floor, 28 competitors from IEC chapters show the skills they’ve gained over their four years in our program. I had the opportunity to experience the energy at some local wire-offs – how enlightening! They’re your future workforce, and it’s inspiring to say the least. A huge shout out to Rich Bird, Shea’s Electrical Inc., and his A&T team for delivering this great competition.

Thank you for taking this journey with me. #WeAreIEC

Events

  • IEC Business Summit 2025: January 26 – January 29, 2025, San Antonio, TX
  • IEC Policy Conference 2025: June 23 – June 25, 2025, Washington, D.C.

Business Summit 2025 Registration Opening Soon!

Registration opens the first week of October! This premier event brings together leaders in the electrical industry to plan for the future, set business goals, and build stronger teams.

Advocacy

Biden Signs Executive Order Promoting Union Contractors

President Biden signed a “Good Jobs” Executive Order (EO) urging federal agencies to prioritize contractors that meet specific labor standards, such as project labor agreements and union recognition. The administration’s Fact Sheet states that they are the first administration in history to “specify a clear list of labor standards that all Federal agencies should look to prioritize.” IEC will continue to advocate for fair and open competition on federal contracts.

Become an IEC Insider in 30 Seconds!

Stay updated on Washington politics with IEC Insider, our monthly newsletter. Support pro-business and pro-merit shop candidates through IEC PAC by completing an online form to receive the newsletter and learn more about how you and your company can contribute to our political efforts.

Safety

Preventing Hearing Loss

This October, IEC’s safety focus is on Preventing Hearing Loss. With 75% of construction workers exposed to dangerous noise levels, hearing loss is a serious risk that can permanently impact both job performance and quality of life. Learn more at ieci.org/safety.