IEC Annual Report 2014 by Think Baseline

2014 IEC National Annual Report

Moving Forward sponsored by

Independent Electrical contractors

2014: Moving Forward On behalf of the IEC National Board of Directors and the National staff, it is my pleasure to present the 2014 IEC National Annual Report. Much of 2012 and 2013 was spent laying the groundwork for the vision of the future of IEC and strengthening our value proposition. In 2014, IEC used that foundation to begin the growth of the association.

It was collaboration that enabled us to build a targeted, measurable, and to this point, highly-successful Strategic Plan. It was built with input from Board members, committee members, chapter staff, and industry partners.

There are many things that differentiate IEC from other associations. One of the characteristics that is remarkable about IEC is the high level of collaboration. It is the reason we had a great year for meetings attendance. Members see the irreplaceable value that comes from speaking with peers, and an IEC conference presents the ideal location.

The second year of the Strategic Plan marked a course for us to begin growth by promoting the many values of IEC membership, including the continued development of our education program (the growth numbers can viewed on page 5). Our Four-Year Apprenticeship program is the gold standard in the electrical industry. We launched a new certification that is available to graduates who successfully complete a cumulative written and practical exams, the IEC National Journeyman Credential.

Many members take their peer-to-peer interaction a step further and join an IEC Forum. The Forum Groups meet three to five times a year to share the issues that are impacting their businesses and develop ways to operate more efficiently and grow. In 2014 we launched a new Forum Group featuring business owners who will come together to share the details of their companies with the goal of improvement.

While IEC continues to produce many tangible benefits, sometimes it is the work behind the scenes that has a substantial impact. Despite a difficult political climate, IEC navigated its way to many victories that ensured the rights of members and all merit-shop contractors. IEC continues to protect the businesses of members but also ensures work is done properly and safely through input on the

One of the characteristics that is remarkable about IEC is the high level of collaboration. NECÂŽ code making panels and a partnership with OSHA. I am incredibly proud of the progress we made in 2014 and truly believe that IEC played an integral role in the recovery of the construction industry and our membersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; businesses. I am even more excited for what 2015 holds. We will continue to build value in order to grow our membership so more companies can utilize our array of benefits; attract more apprentices to ensure

we have an educated and trained workforce; and fight for the merit-shop electrical contracting community.

Thayer Long Executive Vice President/CEO IEC National

2014 IEC National Board of Directors President Gordon Stewart Joe Swartz Electric Company Houston, Texas

Secretary/ Treasurer Mark Gillespie TMI Electrical Contractors Clarksville, Ohio

Senior Vice President Joseph Hovanec Advanced Electric Services Rahway, New Jersey

Executive Vice President/CEO (Non-voting)

Northeast Regional Directors

West Regional Director

Thayer Long IEC National Alexandria, Virginia

Michael Gaffney, III Gaffneyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Electrical Contracting Dillsburg, Pennsylvania

Stuart McArthur West Coast Business Communications Portland, Oregon

Midwest Regional Directors

Jim Nasuta Electrical Energy Systems Corporation Southington, Connecticut

Platinum Partner Representative

Candy Branham Branham Electric Saint Charles, Missouri Gary Dykstra D&G Electric Crete, Illinois

Vice President

Mountain/Southwest Regional Directors

Bruce Seilhammer SECCO Camp Hill, Pennsylvania

Valerie Murrill Murrill Electric Carlsbad, New Mexico

Immediate Past President

Janet Martin Bretâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Electric Frederick, Colorado

Joe Martin KenMor Electric Houston, Texas Robert Bass R.K. Bass Electric Belton, Texas

Southeast Regional Directors G. H. (Bud) Wooten Merit Electric Company Largo, Florida Mark Ellis S.M. Ellis Company Columbus, Georgia

Dean Kredit K2 Electric Phoenix, Arizona

Table of Contents

Texas Regional Directors

Aaron Kock CNA Insurance Chicago, Illinois

Executive Director Representative (Non-voting) Marcie Funchess IEC Fort Worth/ Tarrant County Fort Worth, Texas

LiveWires Chair Marna Kredit K2 Electric Phoenix, Arizona

Mission & Vision

Awards 9

Facts & Figures

Education 10

Executive Summary

Advocacy 12

Chapter Map

Meetings 14

IEC’s Mission & Vision

Mission

Vision

The mission of IEC is to enhance the independent electrical contractor’s success by developing a professional workforce, communicating clearly with government, promoting ethical business practices, and providing leadership for the electrical industry.

Independence Through Unity

IEC will be recognized as the source of innovative education, products, and services to enhance member productivity, profitability, and competitiveness through appropriate delivery channels, such as chapters, strategic partners, and various technologies, thereby securing the competitive advantage.

IEC National Staff Core Values Accountability – We are responsible for our actions that influence the lives of our members and fellow workers. We follow up on promises and are efficient and thoughtful in our approach. We think things through and give our best at all times. We stand by our obligations. Collaboration – We work as a team, promoting communication and cooperation inside and outside the association to help each other and our members be successful. We treat everyone with respect.

Commitment to Service – We provide exemplary customer service, products, and other initiatives that impact us and our members in a positive way. We listen to members and put people first. We respond accurately and in a timely fashion. Professionalism – We are an integral part of our industry. We are knowledgeable about our industry, our members, and our association. We stay current on news and information that affects our members. We are empowered to take initiative and anticipate needs.

2014 Facts & Figures 1,066

Associate Members

Industry Partners

2,053

Overall, IEC membership increased by 4.2% in 2014.

Contractor Members

117,375

Membership

5,370

industry interactions

Visitors to www.ieci.org

Connections on Social Media

The amount of apprentices currently enrolled in the IEC National Apprentice Training Program increased by a remarkable 13.3% compared to 2013. Most notably, since 2012, there has been an increase of more than 1,200 firstyear apprentices.

Apprentices

2,077

Attendees at National Conferences

460

Published Pages of Insights Magazine

3,349 First Year 1,943 Second Year 1,186 Third Year 915 Fourth Year 5

IEC: Moving Forward Executive Summary

Strategic/ Tactical Plan 2014 marked the beginning of year two of IEC’s threeyear Strategic Plan. Much of the first year was focused on establishing new programs and introducing new ideas. Year two began the growth of the key initiatives in the four focus areas: Advocacy; Education/Training; Marketing/Development; and Industry Recognition/ Public Relations. The plan was developed with input from IEC committee members (including contractor members and industry partners), the IEC National Board of Directors, and chapter executive directors. To see the full plan and track the progress, visit the IEC Governance section of the IEC National website at www.ieci.org/memberresources/iec-governance.

Finance As of 2013, IEC’s fiscal year runs from July 1-June 30. The 2014 fiscal year (July 1, 2013June 30, 2014) was highly successful and continued the positive direction of ensuring IEC’s financial health for years to come. In 2013, IEC retired all of its debts and 2014 was a year highlighted with investing in the association’s education and advocacy programs. The 2014 IEC fiscal year budget was projected for a gain of $7,434. Due to a good performance in revenue and a diligent approach to expenses, IEC ended the fiscal year with a positive variance of $48,288. This marked three straight years of IEC ending the year in the black (Excluding the shortened budget year of January 1, 2013-June 30, 2013, to set the new calendar in which IEC budgeted a loss).

December 2014 marks the half-way mark for FY2015. The positive trend is continuing with IEC finishing the month with a positive variance of $62,599*. In 2015, IEC will use the recent financial success to invest in expanding IEC’s footprint through chapter development, improving an already stellar collection of educational offerings, and growing the public’s awareness of IEC.

Membership While numbers still have not hit their pre-recession rates, the continuous

improvement was a reason for optimism among IEC chapters. By the end of 2014, the unemployment rate in construction was 8.3% and had dropped as low as 6.4% earlier in the year.** This increase in work was reflected with IEC members. Many IEC member companies increased the number of field workers as the year continued. Additionally, there was an increase in total members in 2014. As of December 2014, IEC had 3,119 members including 2,053 contractor members and 1,066 associate members. This was a 4.2% increase over 2013.

IEC membership increased by 4.2% in 2014.

PRIDE Membership Formerly the Gold Card program, the PRIDE Membership has been redesigned to add a second-level of membership to allow all members to show their support for IEC while still enjoying special individual member benefits. PRIDE members stand out as IEC champions for their extra support to IEC and the industry. It has two levels, Silver and Gold, with the Gold level including a full convention registration. sponsored by

The IEC National Industry Partners support these member companies and are committed to providing IEC with the latest products and services. Their encouragement, participation, enthusiasm, and expertise have helped make the electrical contracting industry better as a whole. IEC had 43 Industry Partners in 2014; see a list of all of the partners on the inside back cover. One of the initiatives that precipitated this growth was the launch of the Chapter Membership Drive in August 2014. The drive will run from August 2014 through August 2015. Chapters have set self-determined growth percentages as a goal to reach in the next year. IEC National will work alongside the chapters to provide support and assistance. The chapters that reach their goal will receive special recognition at IEC Con 2015, October 21-24, in Tampa, Florida.

*Unaudited **According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

2014 IEC National PRIDE Members GOLD LEVEL

James Golly Eaton Corporation

Bret Martin Bretâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Electric

Gregory Haren Enertech Electrical

Joe Martin KenMor Electric

Herb Doyle Doyle Electric Services

Stuart McArthur West Coast Business Communications

Billy Hill Hill Electric

Todd McCormick McCormick Systems

Terry Cole Hamer Electric

David Hittinger IEC of Greater Cincinnati

Chris R. Martinez Central Electric Company

Troy Corrigan Corrigan Electric Company

Casey Hoff III Hoffâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Electrical Services

Valerie Murrill Murrill Electric

Dan Denier Denier Electric Company

Joseph Hovanec, Jr. Advanced Electric Design & Service

Gary Dykstra D&G Electric

Julie Howard IEC San Antonio

Eric Shatzer Hawkins Electrical Construction of Washington, D.C.

Mark Ellis S.M. Ellis Company

Bobby Tutor Tutor Electrical Service

Gordon Stewart Joe Swartz Electric Company

David Johnson CenTex IEC

Barry Williams Williams Electric

Tim Kerley Mission City Electric

Bud Wooten Merit Electric Company

Dean Kredit K2 Electric

Silver

Sal La Duca Environmental Assay

Steve Humphrey, Jr. Humphrey & Associates

Stephen Borrelli All-Brite Electric Bob Bowne Bowne Electric Candy Branham Branham Electric Michael Brown All Type Electric

Steve Ellis S.M. Ellis Company Joseph Esposito Elecon Services Marcie Funchess, CAE IEC Fort Worth/ Tarrant County Mark Gillespie TMI Electrical Contractors Gary Golka Golka Electric

Lloyd Quinney Quinney Electric Company

Bruce Seilhammer SECCO

In 2014, IEC had 53 chapters throughout the United States. These chapters offer membership, deliver the IEC Apprenticeship Program, offer continuing education classes, and much more.

Chapter Map 53 33 34

37 7 14

4 21

6 15

5 2 3

35 24 18

13 22 38

17 39

9 46

1 42

44 41

30 27 31 28 29

51 40 45

47 8

1. Central Alabama IEC

11. IEC of Idaho

22. IEC of Southeast Missouri

33. IEC of Oregon

Birmingham, Alabama

Boise, Idaho

Cape Girardeau, Missouri

Beaverton, Oregon

44. IEC Fort Worth/ Tarrant County

2. IECA of Arizona

12. Central Indiana IEC

23. IEC of Montana

34. Mid-Oregon IEC

Fort Worth, Texas

Tempe, Arizona

Indianapolis, Indiana

Helena, Montana

Eugene, Oregon

45. IEC San Antonio

3. IEC Southern Arizona

24. New Jersey IEC

35. Central Pennsylvania IEC

San Antonio, Texas

Tucson, Arizona

13. IEC Southern Indiana â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Evansville

Springfield, New Jersey

46. IEC of Texoma

4. IEC Rocky Mountain

Poseyville, Indiana

25. Northern New Mexico IEC

Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania

Denver, Colorado

14. Midwest IEC Crown Point, Indiana

36. IEC of Northwest Pennsylvania

47. IEC Texas Gulf Coast

5. IEC Southern Colorado

Albuquerque, New Mexico

Colorado Springs, Colorado

15. Wichita IEC

26. Southern New Mexico IEC

Erie, Pennsylvania

Wichita, Kansas

Las Cruces, New Mexico

37. IEC Dakotas

48. IEC of the Texas Panhandle

6. Western Colorado IEC

16. IEC of the Bluegrass

Glenwood Springs, Colorado

7. IEC New England Rocky Hill, Connecticut

8. IEC Florida West Coast Clearwater, Florida

9. IEC Atlanta Atlanta, Georgia

10. IEC Georgia Atlanta, Georgia

27. Central Ohio AEC-IEC

Pierre, South Dakota

Lexington, Kentucky

Columbus, Ohio

38. Mid-South IEC

17. IEC Kentucky & Southern Indiana

28. MECA IEC of Dayton

Memphis, Tennessee

Dayton, Ohio

39. Tri State IEC

Louisville, Kentucky

29. IEC of Greater Cincinnati

18. IEC Chesapeake

Cincinnati, Ohio

Chattanooga, Tennessee

Laurel, Maryland

30. Northern Ohio ECA

40. CenTex IEC

19. Central Missouri IEC

Lakewood, Ohio

Austin, Texas

Sedalia, Missouri

31. IEC Western Reserve

41. El Paso IEC

20. IEC Greater St. Louis

Boardman, Ohio

El Paso, Texas

Bridgeton, Missouri

32. IEC-OKC

42. IEC Dallas

21. IEC of Kansas City

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

43. IEC of East Texas

Kansas City, Missouri

Irving, Texas Tyler, Texas

Burkburnett, Texas Houston, Texas

Borger, Texas

49. Lubbock IEC Lubbock, Texas

50. Rio Grande Valley IEC Harlingen, Texas

51. IEC of Texas Austin, Texas

52. IEC of Utah Midvale, Utah

53. IEC of Washington Everett, Washington

Awards 2014 IEC National Award Winners National Member of the Year Janet Martin, Bret’s Electric, IEC Rocky Mountain

Each year, IEC honors those contractor members, chapters, apprentices, and individuals who have done exceptional work throughout the year by presenting the IEC National Awards. All categories include many highquality projects and highlighted the terrific accomplishments in 2014.

Team Award Curriculum Development Group: • George Thess, Thess Electric • John Sayne, Denier Electric • Madeline Borthick • Gary Baumgartner, Baumgartner’s Electric

Commercial For contract amounts up to $500,000

Central Electric (San Antonio, Texas) Randolph Air Force Base Hangar 40

Chapter SPARK Award Central Pennsylvania IEC

Industry Achievement Award The Home Depot Apprenticeship Alumni Award Steve Denier, Denier Electric, IEC of Greater Cincinnati Chapters of the Year • Central Pennsylvania IEC (16 to 30 contractor members) • IEC of Greater Cincinnati (31 to 60 contractor members) • IEC Rocky Mountain (61+ contractor members)

• IES Commercial – San Antonio (126-300 employees) • IES Commercial Suffolk Branch (301 plus employees)

Excellence in Electrical Contracting

Apprenticeship Chapter of the Year IEC San Antonio

Legislative Chapter of the Year New Jersey IEC Chapter Executive Director of the Year Bob Wilkinson IEC Texas Gulf Coast Community Service Award Tutor Electric IEC Fort Worth/Tarrant County Legacy Award Steve Humphrey, Sr., Humphrey & Associates

For contract amounts between $500,001 and $1,500,000

Beacon Electric (Cincinnati, Ohio) The Banshee at Kings Island

Multi-Family, mid-rise buildings above three stories

1st Electric Contractors, Inc. (Lakewood, Colorado) Lamar Station Crossing

TMI Electrical Solutions (Cincinnati, Ohio) Rexnord Photovoltaic Array

Service Contractor of the Year Weifield Group (Denver, Colorado)

InPwr, Inc. (Indianapolis, Indiana) Venyu BTR2 Data Center For contract amounts over $5,000,001

Denier Electric (Harrison, Ohio) Mercy West Hospital For contract amounts from $1,500,001 to $5,000,000

Residential

Power Generation

For contract amounts between $1,500,001 and $5,000,000

Industrial

Instructor of the Year Marc Ramirez, IECA of Arizona

Denier Electric (Harrison, Ohio) Bob Evans Corporate Headquarters

Low-Voltage Systems APG Technologies (Clearwater, Florida) Florida Polytechnic University – Innovative Science and Technology Building

IEC-CNA Safety Award • Consolidated Electrical Services (16 to 50 employees) • All Phase Electric & Maintenance (51-125 employees)

LEED Approved Construction

Denier Electric (Harrison, Ohio) Forest Pharmaceuticals For contract amounts over $5,000,001

Olsson Industrial Electric (Springfield, Oregon) The Dalles Dam Efficient Energy/ Green Construction Efficient Energy Retrofit

Branham Electric (St. Peters, Missouri) Wainwright Industries

Apprentice of the Year Award Patrick (Adam) Dever, IEC Texas Gulf Coast Apprentice Short Story Contest First Place: Ryan Tedford, Encore Electric, IEC Rocky Mountain Second Place: Michael Thompson, APG Electric, IEC Florida West Coast Third Place: Gregory Morrison, Above and Beyond Electric Company, Mid-South IEC Fourth Place: Steve Soza, JL Wood Electric, IEC Texas Gulf Coast Fifth Place: Gustavo Robles, Central Ohio AEC/IEC

IEC: Building Quality Electricians Education

Four-Year Apprentice Training Program The cornerstone of IEC’s education is the Four-Year Apprentice Training Program. 2014 was a transformative year for the curriculum. IEC continued to evolve to fit the needs of today’s apprentice. The first step was to update the curriculum with the changes from the 2014 version of the National Electrical Code® (NEC). The new version of the curriculum was available for the 2014-15 school year thanks to the hard work of the Curriculum Development Group. In addition to the NEC update, the curriculum featured a new, easy-to-read layout of text.

Another step to growing the apprentice program was continuing to train the instructors. In 2012, IEC launched Level I of the IEC National Instructor Training & Certification Program. This ensures students are being taught by knowledgeable and highly-skilled professionals. As of December 2014, more than 300 instructors from 21 chapters have completed Level I! In addition to ensuring the instructors were properly trained, IEC took steps to make sure they had all of the necessary tools to be successful in the classroom. New for 2014, IEC provided PowerPoints for instructors to accompany the lesson plans within the curriculum. Also, the Learning Management

System was available to track attendance, administer and grade homework and quizzes, and much more.

credential of IEC National Journeyman Electrician and receive a certificate and official IEC Journeyman Card.

The next step in progressing the curriculum was launching the IEC National Journeyman Credential. The credentialing process consists of cumulative written and practical exams based on information acquired during the fouryear IEC National Electrical Apprentice Program. The graduated apprentices who pass the exams receive the

The beta test of the credential was held at IEC of Greater Cincinnati in summer 2014. The exam was administered over a two-day period and three graduates passed and were awarded the first IEC National Journeyman Credential. In 2015, IEC will feature more examinations for graduated apprentices in various regions of the country.

IEC JournEyman ElECtrICIan John Doe IEC Chapter ID #: 123456789

Date CertifieD:

This04/12/2014 individual has successfully completed and passed the IEC National Electrical Journeyman Credential:

IndEpEndEnt ElECtrICal ContraCtors

Cumulative Written exam

www.ieci.org

Practical electrical exam

Electrical Systems and Training Series The Electrical Systems and Training Series (ESTS) are new courses designed for non-apprentice electricians. This highly popular program is a refresher course for experienced electricians. Within these overarching areas, there will be various levels offered; for example, in Motor Controls there will be a

100- and a 200-level course offered. These are informative, stand-alone 40-hour courses, and an individual does not have to complete every ESTS course offering. IEC developed a Course Catalog with a detailed description of all of the ESTS courses. To date IEC has launched the following ESTS titles: • Motor Controls I and II • Electrical Theory I and II • Fire Alarm: NFPA 72-2013

Webinar Series As a part of the IEC Training Advantage, a new monthly webinar series was launched. The IEC Webinar series is designed to cover topics that are valuable to IEC members’ businesses and included the affordable care act, tax incentives, top NEC Changes, OSHA regulations, and more. The completed webinars are available for IEC members at www.ieci. org/completed-webinars.

As of December 2014, more than 300 instructors from more than 21 chapters have completed Level I of the Training and Certification Program.

IEC: The Voice of the Merit-Shop Electrical Contractor Advocacy IEC continues to be the voice of merit-shop contractors for legislative and regulatory action as well as ensuring safe work practices. In addition to taking action on Capitol Hill, IEC continued to promote IEC’s initiatives with Federal Agencies and were very active in the National Electrical Code® (NEC) revision process. IEC was a valuable contributor with members on all 19 Code-Making Panels. After completing the 2014 NEC Book, work immediately begun on the 2017 NEC.

IEC Victories in Washington, D.C. Bipartisan Bill to Create Tax Credit for Hiring Apprentices On April 10, Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Tim Scott (R-SC) introduced S. 2234, the Leveraging and Energizing America’s Apprenticeship Programs (LEAP) Act, to incentivize registered apprenticeships through a new tax credit for employers. This bipartisan legislation would create a Federal tax credit for employers hiring new apprentices who are registered with the Department of Labor or a state apprenticeship agency, such as those participating in IEC’s apprenticeship program. The credit would be $1,500 for each new apprentice hired who is under the age of 25 and $1,000 for apprentices older than 25.

Employers could take advantage of the tax credit for up to two years for each new apprentice with no limitation on the number of apprentices – however, it does not apply to those already employed with the company.

Workforce Investment and Opportunity Act (WIOA) Key House and Senate leaders on the respective committees overseeing the Workforce Investment Act in each chamber announced a bipartisan, bicameral compromise bill to reauthorize and improve workforce investment programs through 2020: the Workforce Investment and Opportunity Act (WIOA). Among the bill’s key provisions, it strengthens accountability by improving data reporting and program administration requirements. WIOA establishes important performance measures

for all federal workforce programs authorized under the bill and requires states to develop strategic plans for the implementation of services. Importantly, the bill ensures a business majority and chairmanship of state and local workforce investment boards. It further emphasizes access to real-world training opportunities by increasing the ability to use on-the-job training (with reimbursement rates up to 75 percent for eligible employers), incumbent worker training (up to 20 percent of local funds), and customized training. WIOA also makes much-needed improvements to the administration of Job Corps centers.

Supreme Court Rules Recess Appointments to NLRB Unconstitutional In a unanimous judgment issued after months of deliberation, the Supreme Court of the United States upheld an earlier ruling by a lower court that President Obama’s 2012 appointees to the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) made while the Senate was in pro forma session circumvented the Senate confirmation process and were serving unconstitutionally. IEC, as part of the Coalition for a Democratic Workplace, submitted an amicus brief to the Supreme Court in the case. In its deliberations, the Court was required to decide the extent of the President’s recess-appointment power, particularly whether it may be exercised during an inter-session recess or only between enumerated sessions of the Senate; whether the President may fill vacancies

that exist during a recess or only vacancies that first arose during that recess; and whether pro forma sessions constitute a “recess” as the Administration claimed to justify its appointments to the NLRB. The Court held that the President can fill any existing vacancy (pre-existing or newly arising) during an intra or inter-session recess of sufficient length, but held that less than 10 days is presumptively too short to fall within the recess appointments clause of the U.S. Constitution.

Regulatory Representation IEC continues to represent the merit-shop electrical contractors on all National Fire Protection Association

Code Making Panels for the National Electrical Code. IEC also participates in committees and meetings with key regulatory agencies, such as the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Labor, and more.

2014 Election

[ TOP ] Members from Texas after a meeting with Congressman Pete Gallego (TX-23). [ Bottom ] Senator Johnny Isakson (GA) and Congressman Phil Roe (TN-1) accept the Legislators of the Year Awards from IEC President Gordon Stewart.

PRIDE PAC is IEC’s federal political action committee (PAC) and is funded entirely through voluntary personal donations from IEC members. Through aggressive fundraising and an active PAC/PEF committee, IEC was extremely impactful and successful in the 2014 Congressional Elections. One hundred percent of the 33 congressional candidates that received PRIDE PAC support this election won their elections.

PRIDE PAC disbursed $53,500 to incumbents, challengers, and federal leadership PACs in 2014, weighing in on key races such as Colorado, Kentucky, and Georgia’s high-profile U.S. Senate contests as well as in two toss-up House races for Colorado’s 4th and Texas’ 23rd Districts. IEC’s election footprint this year markedly increased from 2011-2012, up from just $14,000 in distributed funds last election cycle to 13 candidates with a 61.5 percent election success rate. PRIDE PAC has raised more than $73,000 in member donations in 2013 and 2014.

Meetings 57th Annual IEC National Convention & Electric Expo Attendees of the 57th Annual IEC National Convention & Electric Expo energized their future October 22-25, 2014, in Baltimore, Maryland. Thank you to The Home Depot, the premier convention sponsor, for their support and commitment to this convention, IEC, and the industry. On October 22, the IEC Foundation (IECF) held the 2014 Tom Jones Memorial Golf Tournament and a Fishing Tournament, with the assistance of IEC Chesapeake, both sponsored by The Home Depot. The IECF Tournaments raised funds for Foundation programs, including scholarships for apprentice students and those studying for college degrees in the electrical industry. IEC President Gordon Stewart opened the convention with a “State of IEC” that detailed the exciting direction IEC is headed. The keynote session featured Robin Crow, CEO of Dark Horse Recording, as he gave an electrifying presentation. Accomplished live guitar music, inspiring video, and personal insights from Crow added up to a multimedia experience that captivated the audience. The Electric Expo was bigger and better this year

in Baltimore. In addition to more exhibitors, partners, and sponsors, the Expo offered new apps and technology, tools to test, business services and support, and many other ways to help your business succeed. Nearly 2,000 people walked through the expo hall during the convention. Another highlight of the Electric Expo were the 25 Apprentice of the Year competitors. These young men won local and chapter wire-off competitions to secure their place at the IEC National Apprentice of the Year Competition, sponsored by Schneider Electric. The competition is a written test, a wire-off, conduit bending, and a new productivity challenge. After an exciting competition, the winners were announced at the President’s Awards Gala. The 2014 Apprentice of the Year is Adam Dever of IEC Texas Gulf Coast; second place is Matthew Odenthal of IEC of Oregon; third place is Matthew Grover of IEC of Greater Cincinnati. The Leadership Appreciation Lunch, sponsored by CNA, was an opportunity to recognize those who helped to further the industry. From the 2014 Legislative Chapter of the Year to the Instructor of the Year, IEC members and chapters show excellence in so many areas. The final event of the Convention was the President’s Reception and Awards Gala where awards were given to chapters, members, and executive directors.