Electrical Contractors Going to NECA 2024: Don’t Miss These 14 Sessions
“It Makes Perfect Business Sense.”
That’s the theme of the NECA 2024 Convention and Trade Show, taking place September 28 – October 1 at the San Diego Convention Center in San Diego, California.
And it certainly makes perfect business sense for anyone in the electrical construction industry to attend the National Electrical Contractors Association’s convention. There will be over 350 exhibitors, 36 education workshops, a Showstopper Showcase, and a new Emerging Innovation Hub, among other educational and networking opportunities, all designed to address the needs of electrical professionals.
While you can’t see everything in four days, we encourage you to attend as many of these sessions as possible:
Session: Economic Forecast for Electrical Construction
Sunday, September 29, 2024
8:00 a.m. – 8:50 a.m. and 9:00 a.m. – 9:50 a.m.
What does the future of construction look like? Dr. Chris Kuehl, an economist and managing director of Armada Corporate Intelligence, is giving a state-of-the-industry presentation that focuses on current trends and market developments in the construction industry. He will also speak to possible economic impacts to the electrical contracting market over the next year.
Session: Innovation in Action: Real-World Applications
Sunday, September 29, 2024
8:00 a.m. – 9:50 a.m.
A panel of industry professionals — Colby Bruce, VP at Stewart Electrical Contracting, Inc.; Samuel Rokowski, director of the Maddox Training Institute & Construction Technology; Kyle Witte, president of Lemberg Electric Company, Inc.; Crystal Wagner, executive director of finance at Gerke Electric, Inc.; and Kevin Moses, VP of Preconstruction for Big State Electric — will present case studies and share insights about technology’s impact on the electrical contracting industry.
Session: Addressing the Changing Workforce in Electrical Contracting
Sunday, September 29, 2024
8:00 a.m. – 9:50 a.m.
Anthony Sparkling, assistant professor in Construction Management Technology at Purdue University; Kellie Holland, chair of ELECTRI and president of Empire Electric; James MacDonald, EVP at Miller Electric; and Toby Mitchell, president of Classic Electric and Consulting and chairman of the ELECTRI Construction Technology Committee, will explore workforce challenges and opportunities facing the construction industry.
Session: Decisions Fueled by Data: The Road to Artificial Intelligence Integration
Sunday, September 29, 2024
12:00 p.m. – 12:50 p.m.
Data is becoming critical to success in the construction industry, which means everyone needs a good data strategy. Procore’s VP of Construction Insights, Julian Clayton, will demonstrate the growing role of artificial intelligence and the data that fuels it so attendees leave with actionable insights about how to make data work for their businesses.
Session: Measure What Matters
Sunday, September 29, 2024
12:00 p.m. – 12:50 p.m.
What you measure matters because data can make or break the profitability of construction projects. Tracking the wrong data points can actually harm instead of help. Jake Olsen, CEO of Stratus, will educate electrical contractors about how to use the right real-time metrics and dashboards to make their projects and, therefore, their businesses, more profitable.
Session: Best Practices for a Multi-Generational Workplace
Sunday, September 29, 2024
1:00 p.m. – 1:50 p.m.
Multigenerational workforces are now the norm. While managing different generations of workers can be challenging, it can also be rewarding for your business. Director of Construction and Technical Sales for Leviton, Joshua Knott, will share practical tips on how electrical contractors can bridge generational gaps and harness the differences between their workers to create a more cohesive work environment.
Session: Bridging the Communication Gap Between the Office and the Field
Sunday, September 29, 2024
2:00 p.m. – 2:50 p.m.
Successful construction projects hinge on communication between the teams at the office and the teams at the work site, but bringing the two together isn’t always easy. Amanda King, a leadership coach and trainer for the electrical industry and owner of Wired Leadership, will offer strategies and tactics to help electrical contractors improve communication between the office and the field.
Session: Navigating AI in Electrical Construction
Sunday, September 29, 2024
2:00 p.m. – 2:50 p.m.
ELECTRI International’s Executive Director, Josh Bone, will present findings from ELECTRI International’s research and cite real-world applications to explore the potential impacts of artificial intelligence on the electrical contracting industry. Attendees will leave the session with practical suggestions for leveraging AI and tips for avoiding common pitfalls associated with the technology.
Session: How To Do More With Less
Sunday, September 29, 2024
3:00 p.m. – 3:50 p.m.
Electrical contractors must find ways to optimize resources and maximize productivity to stay competitive. Dorin Nicorici, president and CEO of Dynalectric Oregon; Eric Spaeth, director of preconstruction for The Brandt Companies; Phil Matthews, director of construction services at O’Connell Electric; and Todd Grossweiler, EVP at Allison Smith Company, explore ways contractors do more with less to be successful.
Session: How Electrical Contractors are Beating the Labor Shortage With Technology
Sunday, September 29, 2024
4:00 p.m. – 4:50 p.m.
The construction industry labor shortage is forcing electrical contractors to get creative and use new technologies to fill skills gaps and better allocate labor resources. Dave Keane, Americas sales director, VDC Software Solutions, Trimble, Inc., will share how electrical contractors can future-proof their businesses by using technology to solve labor inefficiencies in three key project areas.
Session: Elevating Your Business for Long-Term Success
Monday, September 30, 2024
8:00 a.m. – 9:50 a.m.
Shaabini Alford, a director at Maxim Consulting Group, and Amanda Comunale, VP of construction technology and end-user engagement at ASC Engineered Solutions, want to help electrical contractors plan for the long-term success of their businesses. Their presentation will focus on tactics that will help drive sustainable growth for contracting businesses of every size.
Session: Work Smarter, Not Harder: Digital Technology for Electrical Contractors
Monday, September 30, 2024
12:00 p.m. – 12:50 p.m.
As the United States continues its push towards electrification, electrical contractors will have a significant role to play in the rebuilding of the country’s electrical infrastructure. ABB Electrification’s Mike Hoppe and Mike Dutoit will demonstrate how electrical contractors can use digital tools to become more adaptable and efficient in order to keep up with growing demand for their services.
Session: AI Forecast: Top Trends for Maximum Impact
Tuesday, October 1, 2024
9:30 a.m. – 10:20 a.m.
As AI technology becomes more prevalent in the construction industry, it’s important that electrical contractors know how to evaluate different AI-powered solutions so they choose the right tool for their business. Siteline’s CEO, Gloria Lin, and Head of Construction Solutions, Claire Wilson, will discuss current and future trends in AI technology, sharing actionable tips to help you select and implement an AI tool that will have the maximum impact on your business.
Session: Using Construction Technology to Manage Projects Based on Contractor Needs
Tuesday, October 1, 2024
10:30 a.m. – 11:20 a.m.
Josh Keenzel, construction success team manager at Fieldwire, will explain that electrical contractors need software tools that create administrative process efficiencies and centralize data to better manage projects. With access to real-time data and project insights, you can track progress and mitigate risks to deliver more projects on time and on budget.
As you can see, there’s so much for electrical contractors to do and learn at NECA 2024. Be sure to make stopping by our booth, #2232, a top priority to learn more about how eSUB can positively impact your business.
Images used under license from Shutterstock.com.
