Tuesday, October 14, 2008
What I Brought Back From Chicago
The just-completed NECA Convention in Chicago was my 31st. That doesn’t even come close to the record set by former NECA President Bob Colgan of Toledo, Ohio. This was his 57th!
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| Bob Colgan, Sr. recognized as Founding Fellow of the Academy of Electrical Contracting | |||||||
Colgan attended this year’s convention with most members of his family. The kids tagged along to NECA conventions when they were growing up. Although not all of them at the same time, says Bob’s wife Emily. So it was a special event for the Colgan family, the Academy, and NECA.
Here are some of my take-aways from the Convention:
Many of the members I talked to are still cautiously optimistic about their work backlog. They told me that the financing is in place for most of their projects and they expect the work to continue into 2009.
A couple members told me that they called their bankers to see if they could get credit if they needed it. The answer was yes. Credit is still available for “credit worthy” customers.
A lot of members are excited about the opportunities available in energy conservation and alternative energy markets. Many are reformulating their business plans accordingly.
Most left the Special Labor Relations Session encouraged that the IBEW and NECA are working in the right direction. Progress can’t come fast enough, however.
After attending the ELECTRI International Meeting, the Student Chapter Summit, the Future Leaders Reception, and the International Group Lunch, I couldn’t help walking away feeling proud of NECA and what we are accomplishing in these areas.
How does Bob Costas remember all those facts? After his speech at the closing general session, I told him that the political campaign “truth squads” were going to check on his accuracy. He said he’s confident that his record is better than the candidates’.
Before the closing concert, I was able to say hello to performers Bruce Hornsby and Ricky Skaggs. Hornsby said that they don’t just walk through their performance but work hard at being entertaining and fresh. He said we were in for a treat. He was right.
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| Wall of Vodka | |||||||
Did everyone see president-elect Rex Ferry up on stage playing an inflatable guitar during the Opening Reception at Navy Pier? I have pictures.
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| President-elect Rex Ferry | |||||||
No doubt this was one of NECA’s best Conventions ever. Take Bob Colgan’s word for it. In our 100 year history he’s been to over half of them, so he should know.
Categories: Education/Training, Green Building/Sustainable Construction, Labor Relations, OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration), Special Events
Monday, September 22, 2008
Get Real About Counterfeits
I received a letter today from an old colleague who now serves as chief staff executive of the Paris-based International Federation for Safety of Electricity Users, also known as FISUEL. The letter was about counterfeit electrical products.
My friend pointed out that counterfeit electrical products (defined as products non-compliant with standards) now account for 10% of world production, up from 7% in 2002. He noted that counterfeit goods can result in hazards to people and property, liability to contractors, distributors and inspection authorities, and unfair competition to legitimate manufacturers.
FISUEL is taking a leadership role in combating these threats on a global basis. In 2006 NECA, along with ten other electrical organizations worldwide, signed a FISUEL-developed agreement stating that we would work cooperatively to stamp out counterfeiting of electrical products.
I’m sure most NECA contractors aren’t that concerned about this issue. While they don’t condone counterfeiting, electrical contractors also don’t think this problem applies to them. After all, they buy materials and equipment through reputable distributors or direct from manufacturers. Even if the distributor sells them counterfeit goods, what can a legitimate electrical contractor do about it? Isn’t it someone else’s concern?
Well, we’re finding out that counterfeit goods are finding their way into the normal supply chain. And electrical contractors could be open to liability, even if they unknowingly install non-compliant products. So maybe it isn’t such a remote problem after all.
NECA’s role is to educate our members and other electrical contractors about the threat inherent in the purchase and installation of counterfeit products. We also will coordinate with other organizations in bringing this problem to the public’s attention.
To that end, the NECA Board of Governors is being asked to adopt a resolution at their meeting next month establishing our policies regarding counterfeit electrical products. In addition, we are sponsoring a special workshop during the convention addressing this problem and the issue of contractor liability.
It might all sound like motherhood and apple pie, but when you consider the implications, it’s a serious issue that deserves serious attention. Counterfeiting and piracy of all kinds cost the U.S. economy more than $200 billion per year. We need to do our part to put a stop to it.
Categories: Products, Regulation
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Why don't they like me?
Maybe I’m taking this too personally, but I don’t think either presidential campaign likes me very much. The media is against me, too. It may be self-centered to think so, but I keep imagining that they have a picture of me posted somewhere with the words “bad guy” underneath it.
Why am I all of a sudden so undesirable to political campaigns and media pundits? Well, I’m the product of a small town (population: 500). The high school I attended was part of a consolidated school district, and my graduating class had less than 200 students. I went to church every Sunday (still do), and I owned shotguns (still do), hunted, and knew how to field dress small game (might have forgotten how to do that).
My dad was a small businessman. He ran his own neighborhood grocery store and later opened up a one-man real estate brokerage. In addition, he served on the County Board of Supervisors. We received calls at home from his constituents whenever they had a problem with county services.
Once he received an irate call from a lady who ended up being unhappy with his answer. She suggested that he was overpaid. My dad said he figured out that he cost her four and one-half cents per year in taxes. He said he would mail her back a nickel, and she could keep the change.
At any rate, listening to condescending comments about small town ways and values – “clinging to guns and religion” – hits home to me. I can relate to Sarah Palin. The media thinks those of us who grew up in rural areas are naïve and amusing.
On the other hand, it seems that Palin doesn’t like me that much either. Both campaigns have railed against special interest lobbyists and Washington insiders. Despite my small town roots, I now live in the Washington, D.C. area, and I work for a special interest group with a well-funded PAC. I feel like I need to sneak down back streets with sunglasses on, and my baseball cap pulled down low over my face. (For my views on special interests please see my April 30 posting on this blog).
The interesting fact is that whoever gets elected will be looking to associations and association PACs like NECA for information and money. They can’t operate without us, and they shouldn’t. We have as much right to participate in our government as anyone, as well as a professional responsibility to our industry and public safety.
I was concerned how NECA’s status as having one of the 50 largest PACs in the country might reflect on our members. One of our political consultants, Robert Raben, told me not to worry. Electrical contractors are small business people, and small business can do no wrong. Small business owners are your neighborhood grocers or real estate agents, like my dad. Both political parties recognize small businesses as the biggest source of economic and job growth, and they want to be associated with them.
So it seems that in this election NECA contractors are golden. I, on the other hand, am left to bitterly cling to my guns, religion, and Gucci loafers.
Categories: EPAct (Energy Policy Act of 1992), Legislation
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Meet Drew Gibson
Drew Gibson is NECA’s Executive Director for the Midwestern Region. His career has been intertwined with mine for more than 30 years.
Drew joined NECA’s chapter manager training program in 1973, and the following year he took a position as assistant manager of the Milwaukee Chapter. In 1976, he was hired as manager of the Central New York Chapter in Syracuse. Yours truly was hired to replace Drew as assistant manager in Milwaukee. Nine years later, when I moved to the national organization, the board of the Milwaukee Chapter asked Drew to come back as their chapter manager, replacing me. He spent the next 16 years with that chapter until I asked him to come on board as the Midwestern Region Executive Director in 2001.
So Drew and I have been following each other around in NECA for a long time, and I can’t think of a better guy to know and work with. Drew is rock steady, dedicated, and savvy. His analytical approach to problems allows him to see all sides of an issue from which he develops logical and unique solutions. His dry sense of humor diffuses tense situations. His calm demeanor doesn’t mask his passion for NECA and its mission.
Drew is a native of Batavia, New York. He served for four years in the Air Force and earned both an undergraduate degree and an MBA from American University. His major was Labor Relations.
Drew has been married to Paula Gibson for 38 years. She earned her PhD in Psychology not too many years ago and is a licensed psychologist in Wisconsin. The Gibsons have two sons. Patrick is a graphic designer at the Wall Street Journal and Benjamin is an art director at a publishing company. They both live in Brooklyn and work in Manhattan.
I don’t know if Drew has another career move in mind, but if he does I have a feeling it will impact me somehow as well.
Categories: Management
