The Leadership Breakfast will take place Thursday morning before the District Council meetings and features remarks from National leaders. All full registrants are invited to attend the breakfast.
Location: TBD
District 6, 7, 8 & 9 Meetings
Invitation Only
Location: TBD
Networking Reception • J.W. Marriott Hill Country
March 27 • 6:30 pm
Take part in a night of festivities at our host hotel in San Antonio.
There will be an open bar and hors d’oeuvres, accompanied by music that accents the event with local flair.
Location: J.W. Marriott Hill Country
Closing Reception • Hill Country Hoedown
March 29 – 8:00-10:00pm
This Hill Country-inspired hoedown will feature a live band, campfires and a Texas tailgate. Late-night bites and dessert and an open bar will be available while attendees enjoy armadillo races, a mechanical bull, trick ropers and a quick draw. And don’t forget to take a picture with the renowned Texas longhorn! Located in the beautiful Texas Hill Country and founded more than 150 years ago, the historic Knibbe Ranch is rich in German heritage and culture reminiscent of the early European immigrants.
Location: Knibbe Ranch
Golf Tournament
March 27 • 8:00 am • Fee: $210
AT&T Canyons Course at TPC San Antonio The Pete Dye-designed AT&T Canyons Course stands on its own as a tournament venue in terms of design, strategy and beauty. The course played host to the PGA Tour Champions San Antonio Championship from 2011-2015. The par-72, 7106 yard course is designed true to the flow of the land, and the corridors provide panoramic views of a 700 acre nature preserve. While built with professionals in mind, TPC San Antonio has six sets of tees providing golfers of all skill levels with an enjoyable challange.
The course’s Bermuda grasses were specially selected to provide optimum playing conditions, diversity in color and texture and environmental sensitivity. The Canyons Course can present a challenge for scratch golfers and novices alike with dramatic elevation changes.
You can request your foursome or we can place you in one based on your handicap. For any questions please contact Katie Nolan McCormick, katie@necanet.org.
The first 144 golfers registered for the tournament will play at the AT&T Canyons Course. We have reserved a second course for subsequent registrants.
Fee: $210 to play; $86 rental fee Location: AT&T Canyons
Creating a Fair Process for Pricing Change Orders
Morning Breakout Session – A • 8:30 – 10:00am
Quality contractors want a systematic, standardized and fair process for the pricing of change orders and the burden is on them to detail and substantiate change order calculations. Following this session, you will have the tools you need to support your change order requests and promote a standardized change order protocol that all owners, architects, engineers, general contractors and subcontractors could adopt for all construction contracts.
TRACK: Safety
Speaker: Greg Long, Long Electric Company
Greg was introduced to the Electrical construction industry by his father Norman who worked in the industry as an electrician and Foreman for 42 years. Greg started in the electrical industry in 1979 and completed the IBEW apprenticeship in 1984. In 1990, Greg opened Long Electric Company. Greg has seen the company grow from a small public works based electrical contractor to one of the premier electrical contractors in the North Bay.
Greg has extensive experience overseeing electrical construction projects in all market segments and sizes, following both the pre-engineered method as well as design-build project delivery. As company President, Greg’s involvement for the projects come from the senior level, where he can offer insight to specific project challenges. Prior to becoming a contractor, Greg gained years of valuable experience in the electrical trade as an IBEW 180 Electrical Apprentice, Journeyman and Foreman.
Greg is not only dedicated to the improvement of Long Electric Company but also invests a great deal of effort into bettering the electrical industry as a whole. Greg’s current industry affiliations:
Currently Chairman of Solano-Napa Electrical Contractors Trust (ECT).
Currently serves on the Board of Directors as Vice President and Chairman of the Governmental Affairs Committee for the National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA) – Northern California Chapter. Current Chairman of ELECTRI International.
Disruptive Changes Coming Your Way: How do you use them to your advantage?
Morning Breakout Session – A • 8:30 – 10:00am
As disruptive technologies continue to evolve in the areas of, electrical storage, sensing, communications, a buildings systems ability to communicate via various technologies and renewable power generation (solar), the impact on building design will be substantial. This session explores the potential impact these major technology shifts are having on the electrical construction industry. Key areas of focus for the session will include the emergence of the digital office space, building systems, data security and management as well as solar energy, on-site D.C. power storage.
TRACK: Technology
Speakers: Mark Crosier & Jake Kolojejchick, Bessemer Alliance, presented by Southwire
Speaker:Mark Crosier
Bessemer Alliance, presented by Southwire Mark founded DeepStream Technologies, an early UK based IoT and 3D electronics hardware company and served as CEO from 2003 until 2009. Mark was responsible for DeepSream’s strategy, business development and venture funding, raising over £24m during this period.
Prior to DeepStream, Mark held a number of senior engineering management positions at Lee Panavision and Eaton Electric where he led the company’s connected device and ASIC technology developments both as an R&D Director and later General Manager of a new business unit. During this period Mark established multiple high value patents and raised over £30m in VC and government grant funding.
The World Economic Forum named Mark as a Global Technology Pioneer in 2007.
Speaker:Jake Kolojejchick
Bessemer Alliance, presented by Southwire
Jake founded MAYA Viz, a US collaborative visual analytics software company that used an innovative new distributed semantic database. For 10 years, the US military has used this platform as the primary ground command and control system connecting 100’s of command posts in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Jake was CTO at MAYA Viz from 1998-2005.
After its acquisition by General Dynamics Inc., he served as Chief Scientist until 2012. Jake was responsible for technical strategy, software architecture and user experience, leading a team of 130. Prior to MAYA Viz, Jake studied computer science and was on the research staff at Carnegie-Mellon University.
The Big Cloud, Local Data Threats and Managing Risk 2016
Morning Breakout Session – A • 8:30 – 10:00am
Today’s contractors find themselves contemplating the vulnerability of their data in the cloud. While “the cloud” offers unprecedented efficiencies in collaboration and centralization of data, implementation of cloud solutions is a daunting task for risk managers, requiring due diligence and strategic change management. This session will discuss the risks of cloud technology, tools to achieve greater efficiency, cloud software security and how to have peace of mind in cloud environments.
TRACK: Technology
Speaker: James Benham, JB Knowledge
While growing up in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, James Benham began writing code at the age of 11 and by 14 had developed his first computer application. Three years later, he co-managed an Internet Services Provider, providing dial-up Internet to over 4,000 users. James went on to complete a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting and a Master of Science in Information Systems while in the Corps of Cadets at Texas A&M University. During his final year at TAMU in 2001, James started an IT services company, JBKnowledge, makers of the SmartBidNet, SmartCompliance, and SmartReality cloud solutions, where he is currently President and CEO.
With extensive experience in the design and development of technology to streamline construction and risk management, James speaks across the U.S. and Canada on business information technology, data security, innovative software tools, and augmented reality. Every year, James speaks at national construction conferences including the AGC IT Forum, AEC Hackathon, CFMA, CMAA, CONSTRUCT, CCA and Construct Canada. In addition, he has been recognized among ENR Texas & Louisiana’s 2014 Top 20 Under 40 for his advancements in construction technology. James regularly contributes to industry publications such as Construction Business Owner, Engineering News Record, and AGC TechBrief. James and his company are headquartered in College Station, Texas with his wife and two daughters.
Eight Essential Elements for Building a High Performance Culture
Morning Breakout Session – A • 8:30 – 10:00am
Each organization develops their own culture based largely upon the values, beliefs and assumptions of the founder. As the organization matures, the culture becomes the “way we do things around here” and the “glue that keeps the organization together.” Leaders play a critical role in creating, maintaining and changing their organizations culture. This presentation will focus on eight essential elements that leaders can address to ensure their culture helps to drive the business outcomes they desire.
TRACK: Communication
Speaker: Michael Callanan, Michael Callanan Consulting Company
Mr. Callanan is the principal owner of Michael Callanan Consulting Company. He served as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Mosaic Learning from January 1, 2015 to March 1, 2016. Mosaic Learning is a full-service, online technology company that develops custom learning management systems, training programs and solutions for a wide range of clients both inside and outside the construction industry.
Previously, Mr. Callanan served as the Executive Director to the electrical training ALLIANCE (formerly National Joint Apprenticeship & Training Committee) from September 1, 2004 to November 3, 2014. Since 1941 the electrical training ALLIANCE has served as the training arm of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) and the National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA). The electrical training ALLIANCE is responsible for developing the national curriculum and training materials for 40,000 apprentices in 300 training centers in the United States and Canada.
Speaker: Luann Barndt, Axiom Quest LLC
As Founder of Axiom Quest LLC, Luann aspires to help clients transform challenges into opportunities by tapping into embodied wisdom through the ‘felt sense’.
A lifelong learner, Luann is working on her dissertation exploring learning through the body as a doctoral student in The George Washington University Executive Leadership Program in Human and Organizational Learning. Her passion is furthering our understanding of the relationship between somatic practices and body awareness, cognitive functioning, and emotional self-regulation.
Understanding and engaging in embodied self-awareness has the potential to enhance our actionable learning so critical to thriving in our increasingly challenging world.
A graduate of Georgetown University Leadership Coaching Certification Program, Luann is also certified as a Master Somatic Coach (Strozzi Institute) and is credentialed as an Associate Certified Coach (ACC) through the International Coach Federation (ICF). Additional training includes Body = Brain™; Leadership Embodiment (LE); Power of Embodied Transformation; Using Adult Development Theory to Coach Leaders; and Somatic Experiencing®. Additional certifications include Leadership Circle Profile™, Manager Edition and Leadership Culture Survey; Success through Observer, Action, Results (SOAR) Facilitator; Action Learning Coach; Myers Briggs Type Indicator® (MBTI®); and Team Conversational Norms Diagnostic™.
Luann earned three graduate degrees from the National War College; US Army Command and General Staff College; and The George Washington University in addition to her BS in Management from the US Coast Guard Academy.
A proud Coast Guard veteran, married to a veteran, and mother of a US Army soldier, she actively supports active duty military members and veterans.
2017: Labor & Employment is in for Major Transition
Morning Breakout Session – A • 8:30 – 10:00am
With the election of President Trump, it is time to look beyond using government regulations to improve labor relations and productivity. This session will discuss industry led solutions that address specific issues like skilled employee retention, protecting company assets when talented workers leave and managing an aging and increasingly disabled workforce. All in an era of declining labor force participation, companies need to be aware that laws are still changing and as a result, contractors’ engagement at the state level in the regulatory process will be of increasing importance.
TRACK: Safety
Speaker: John Cruickshank, Alaniz-Schraeder
John is a Board Certified attorney in Labor & Employment Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. John focuses on helping the firm’s clients identify legal risks and eliminating them before a lawsuit is ever filed. As a result, John stresses the importance of house calls – visiting clients at their place of business to understand how they operate and what their individual needs are. He is a lot more comfortable in a hard hat and steel toed boots than a suit and tie.
John represents a wide-spectrum of clients in the food manufacturing, building management, vehicle fleet leasing, steel manufacturing, and construction industries. His goal in studying these industries is to identify legal issues and help the firm’s clients resolve them before they become the next wave of class action lawsuits or government investigations.
For example, his wage and hour audits have saved the firm’s clients hundreds-of-thousands of dollars in liability by identifying flaws in their practices and correcting them before a lawsuit was filed. Similarly, John was an early advocate of arbitration agreements and class action waivers to avoid costly litigation. John also advises clients on the emerging threat of negligent entrustment liability and what they need to do to protect themselves.
John is the Deputy Industrial Relations Counsel for the North American Meat Association and a speaker at numerous trade associations affiliated with the food manufacturing, transportation, and building management industries. His employment law training ignores legal minutiae in favor of giving supervisors easy and practical solutions to managing work place issues. He also produces regular newsletters for his clients to keep them up to date on what they need to do to stay out of trouble and prevent lawsuits.
John is an Eagle Scout and avid outdoorsman. In his free time, he enjoys camping and backpacking in some of the world’s most remote places.
NECA ECAP – Leading with Energy Project Finance
Morning Breakout Session – A • 8:30 – 10:00am
The energy efficiency and renewable energy market continues to expand year over year. If you want to win this work, you need to lead your company down the path of incorporating turnkey financial solutions as part of your service offering and you need to lead with these solutions when talking to customers. NECA has partnered with DLL, a global provider of asset-based financial solutions, for financing energy efficiency and solar projects through the NECA Energy and Conservation Platform (ECAP). Come to this session to learn how easy it can be and how DLL and NECA ECAP can help you get started.
TRACK: Business Development
Speaker: David Ingram, Clean Technology, DLL
Dave Ingram is the Director of Program Management for DLL’s Clean Technology Global Business Unit. He was the first member of the Clean Tech Business Unit in 2008, and since then he has been actively engaged in developing and positioning DLL as the premier financial solution provider for lighting and energy efficiency project financing in North America.
Dave has been with DLL for over 17 years in a variety of Business Development and Relationship Management roles. He has over 27 years of experience in the equipment leasing industry in executive positions with DLL, Sanwa Bank, Bank of America and Canon Financial Services, and is an active member in the Equipment Leasing & Financing Association, a national trade group for the banking and leasing industry. Prior to his career in finance, Dave was employed by Motorola Communications & Electronics as a Regional Manager in upstate New York. In his 30 plus year career he’s been recognized by his employers for his many accomplishments and achievements in delivering sales results, and for his leadership and analytical skills.
Dave has a BS in Business Administration from Le Moyne College, and an MBA from Syracuse University. He’s an avid golfer, motorcyclist and runner.
Speaker: Ramsay Stevens, NECA ECAP
Ramsay is a founding member of ECAP. Through ECAP, Ramsay helps NECA Contractors, and their partners, provide turnkey project performance guarantees and financing for energy projects. In addition to his ECAP work, he has taught classes on Energy Efficiency Finance at NYU, SUNY, and Workforce Development Programs throughout the country. He is currently on hiatus from completing a Masters Dissertation on Sustainable Finance at New York University.
Apps That You Can’t Live Without
Description TBD
TRACK: Technology
Morning Breakout Session – A • 8:30 – 10:00am
Speaker: Tess Vismale
Tess is passionate about smart technology for hospitality professionals. She’s always on the road ed-ucating event professionals on the latest and greatest technologies, as well as practical tech solutions that can make their lives easier and more efficient. Tess is Event Evangelist with DAHLIA+ AGENCY, Chief Event Executioner for iSocialExecution, Inc.; and Speaker. She is the former Senior Event Lead, Atlanta Botanical Garden, Tech Evangelist with The Meeting Pool and Conference Center Manager, Atlanta Technical College; where she served on the President’s Leadership Team. Tess is a CMP (Cer- tified Meeting Professional), DES (Digital Event Strategist), a member of Skål International; stage manages for TEDxPeachtree; “Meetings Trendsetter 2014” & awarded the GaMPI Shining Star Award. A native Chicagoan by way of Atlanta, she holds a BA from Spelman College enjoys social media, cre- ative visionary thinking, tennis & watching mixed martial arts (MMA).
Tuesday Interactive Break • 10:00-10:45am
Short, small group sessions on the most current topics affecting you. Breaks are a great time to network and catch up with friends and colleagues, but the learning never ends at NECA Now. Interactive breaks will offer you the chance to explore new topics and get insight on what’s important to you. Dahlia El Gazzaar is bringing her popular NECA Show Tech Bar to NECA Now! Dahlia’s topics include:
Tips & Tricks for Taming Your Inbox
As email is becoming more commonly used, the number on a lot of people’s unread messages count is out of control! How many emails do you get in one day? 100? 500? In this session, learn how to manage incoming messages and old ones alike.
Establish organization system for emails
Determine alternatives for sorting and becoming comfortable with them (e.g. using search to find messages, archiving read messages)
Learn to be available through email, but not overly so! You need time for yourself too.”
5 Ways to Keep Hackers Away From Your Personal Info
We’ve got a lot of personal information on our social networks, computers, phones, etc. Make sure your information is secure with some tips that you can implement right now.
Richelle Wilkins will concentrate on health and fitness. Get Fit interactive break topics include:
TravelFit – How to maintain a healthy lifestyle while traveling, includes resistance band demonstration.
Workout Challenge – winner will receive a fitness/wellness related prize.
NECA’s Premier Partners will also be on hand to discuss the latest offerings and services that are available to electrical contractors and to join in the discussions.
Tuesday Interactive Break • 3:00-4:00pm
Short, small group sessions on the most current topics affecting you. Breaks are a great time to network and catch up with friends and colleagues, but the learning never ends at NECA Now. Interactive breaks will offer you the chance to explore new topics and get insight on what’s important to you. Dahlia El Gazzaar is bringing her popular NECA Show Tech Bar to NECA Now! Dahlia’s topics include:
Top 10 Apps On-the-Go How many days are you out of the office and yet you have still need to function as if you are still there? Here’s a session that will unveil the top 10 apps that will come in handy when you are on the road. From apps that help with productivity to travel, these apps will make you sigh with relief.
Establishing a Personal Brand
Today, the majority of us have a personal brand – whether it may be a LinkedIn profile, your social media accounts, your blog, your own website, or something else entirely. Properly establishing your personal brand can open up many opportunities, so this session is designed to help you do just that.
Evaluate your LinkedIn profile and receive tips for an extreme LinkedIn Profile Makeover
Explore social media management platforms that help you stay updated on your social media without spending hours on each site
Receive guidance on defining your personal voice
Richelle Wilkins will concentrate on health and fitness. Get Fit interactive break topics include:
Using Fitness Technology to Keep Track of Your Goals – The top tech devices and apps that will keep you on track to meet your fitness goals.
The 10-Minute Office Workout – This 10-minute workout that will keep you energized throughout the workday
Wednesday Interactive Break • 10:00-10:45am
Short, small group sessions on the most current topics affecting you. Breaks are a great time to network and catch up with friends and colleagues, but the learning never ends at NECA Now. Interactive breaks will offer you the chance to explore new topics and get insight on what’s important to you. Dahlia El Gazzaar is bringing her popular NECA Show Tech Bar to NECA Now! Dahlia’s topics include:
Open Q & A Session: Apps Is there something you would like to do on your phone/tablet but don’t know if there’s an app that can help you do that? Ask us! We’re constantly on the lookout for new apps and we’ll try our best to help you figure out if there’s an app out there for your needs.
Get to Know Your iPad Inside & Out!
How many times have you given your iPad to a kid to help you figure out how it works? Well, it’s time to take full control over your tablet, and get to know how to use it! In this hands-on session, you are in control.
Learn how to navigate through your iPad settings and features
How to organize your information on your tablet
Take advantage of tips and tricks – great shortcuts on your tablet
Richelle Wilkins will concentrate on health and fitness. Get Fit interactive break topics include:
Eat This, Not That – Nutrition tips for the airport, and when you’re pressed for time.
The Airplane Stretch Break – The five stretches you can do while in-flight.
Hackers Are Out to Get You!
Morning Breakout Session – B • 10:45am-12:15pm
Data breaches are on the rise. It’s not just a big business problem, hackers are increasingly targeting small and mid-sized businesses, including contractors, because they often have fewer data security resources. This session will discuss data breach prevention tips to show you ways to minimize your company’s risk of becoming a victim of costly and time consuming cybercrime.
TRACK: Technology
Speaker: Laramie Sandquist, Federated Insurance
Laramie Sandquist holds an undergraduate degree in business administration, an MBA in finance and risk management, and has earned several industry designations including CPCU, CLU, and ARM. His career with Federated Insurance has included positions of risk consultant, field production underwriter, risk management training manager, and risk manager – national accounts. His current position is general manager – risk management resources at Federated’s Home Office in Owatonna, Minnesota.
Laramie’s experience as a speaker, and his knowledge of and passion for risk management issues give him numerous opportunities to share his expertise with many trade association members and industry groups. He is also responsible for facilitating Federated Insurance Risk Management Academy® one- and 2½-day seminars as well as leading Federated’s Risk Management Resource Center.
As a native Minnesotan, Laramie appreciates the many opportunities for year-round outdoor activities the state offers him and his family. His wife and son often accompany him on running, biking, hiking, skiing, snowshoeing and other “active” outings. Bowling, softball, MN professional sports enthusiast and involvement in charitable events round out the family’s favorite pastimes.
Help Wanted: Recruit and Retain Your Future
Morning Breakout Session – B • 10:45am-12:15pm
Share with your peers the challenges you are facing related to recruiting and retaining your employees and benefit from Milwaukee Tool’s strong recruiting model. This session will cover how to plan for your employment needs, recruit for your labor and office needs and develop and retain your team to run the business. By the end of this session you will have the tools you need to start getting ahead of this challenge instead of constantly reacting to changes.
TRACK: Safety
Speaker: Jon Finch, Milwaukee Tool
Jon Finch is the VP of Training and Recruiting for Milwaukee Tool. He has spent the last 16 years working on finding the best people to help the company grow over 20% each year. Jon put in place the Pudwill Leadership Center to develop and train these employees to quickly learn the business and be successful in their roles.
Exploiting Mobile Technologies to Run a More Profitable Business
Morning Breakout Session – B • 10:45am-12:15pm
Exploiting mobile technologies has become essential for any field-based business. Cost reduction, accelerated cash flow and tighter operations are among the benefits that many electrical contractors are seeing through the use of mobile devices. This session will discuss devices to deploy and methods to protect your assets and proprietary content. You will also be able to see actual use-cases and understand the best practices for optimal outcomes and minimal staff pushback.
TRACK: Technology
Speaker: Steve Metzman, iBusiness Technologies
Steve Metzman is President of iBusiness Technologies, which is partnered nationally with many trade associations and Apple to help organizations leverage mobile technologies. iBusiness Technologies designs frameworks for organizations of all sizes to deploy mobile devices with precision and for best outcomes and scalability. Steve serves as a speaker and panelist at trade association conferences and technology events across the country. Steve’s expertise lies in helping businesses operate smarter using mobile technologies that deliver fast ROI while conforming to existing operational workflows.
Using Emotional Intelligence to Achieve Workplace Success
Morning Breakout Session – B • 10:45am-12:15pm
Research has shown that the benefits of strong emotional intelligence are many: greater career success, stronger personal relationships, increased optimism and confidence, better health, effective leadership skills, improved communication and better problem solving skills. This session will discuss the crucial role of self-awareness to develop successful relationships and help pinpoint behaviors that impact work performance to more effectively overcome workplace conflicts.
TRACK: Communication
Speaker: Dr. Morgan Hembree, Integrated Leadership Systems LLC
Morgan graduated from the University of Mary Washington with a B.S. in Psychology and a B.A. in Philosophy in 2009. She knew from an early age that she wanted to study human behavior, and fell in love with the analysis and exploration of philosophy during college. She spent her summers doing Applied Behavior Analysis with children and teens on the Autism spectrum, which helped her gain confidence in her decision to pursue a graduate degree in psychology.
Morgan began her graduate studies at the Institute for Graduate Clinical Psychology at Widener University in the Fall of 2009. Though her interest was initially in clinical applications of psychological theory, she very quickly fell in love with the field of Industrial and Organizational Psychology. During her second year of graduate school she began pursuing her Master of Business Administration degree simultaneously, and began the process of integrating her understanding of human behavior with her new knowledge of managerial strategy. In addition to her clinical rotations, Morgan completed a practicum with Organizational Development Services, where she conducted individual assessments, led workshops, and engaged undergraduate leaders in leadership development.
After completing her dissertation, “The Mindful Leader: The Interaction of Mindfulness and Attachment in Predicting Transformational Leadership Ratings,” Morgan graduated with her Doctorate in Clinical Psychology and Master of Business Administration degrees, as well as her Board Certification in Biofeedback, in May of 2014. She hopes to continue to expand her understanding of leadership and management strategy, as well as to explore the utilization of both Mindfulness and Biofeedback techniques in coaching.
Currently, Morgan is working as a Leadership Consultant for Integrated Leadership Systems (ILS) in Columbus, Ohio. Here she assists employees at varying levels of organizations in industries such as health care, energy, law, and construction in optimizing their leadership potential. Morgan provides executive coaching, which incorporates a detailed 360 assessment and debrief. In addition to individual coaching, she provides consulting services, and works with management teams to bring about both individual and company-wide change. Some of Morgan’s clients include: White Castle Systems, ES Wagner Co., Heiberger Paving, Miles-McClellan Construction, Heartland Acoustics and Interiors, Brenner Oil Co., Anderson Concrete/Buckeye Ready-Mix, Asset Strategies Group, Corna Kokosing Construction Co., Mac Murray, Petersen & Shuster.
How to Build a Winning Engagement Strategy for a Distributed Workforce
Morning Breakout Session – B • 10:45am-12:15pm
The year 2020 will be upon us in just three short years, and by that time, reports say an astonishing 50% of workers will be remote. Are you prepared? Luckily, new technology trends are making it easier than ever to engage and communicate with your distributed employees. In this session you will learn how to create a documented employee engagement strategy that tackles some of the biggest problems facing the distributed workforce such as onboarding, retention, adaptability, and alignment.
TRACK: Communication
Speaker: Santiago Jaramillo
Santiago Jaramillo is the co-author of Agile Engagement, an Amazon best-selling book that provides employers with a framework for improving employee engagement and achieving unprecedented business value.
A nationally recognized expert and keynote speaker on employee engagement, Santiago has spoken to thousands of business leaders at industry events like Vistage Executive Summits, Future of Work, CEB’s ReimagineHR, and Evanta CHRO Summit. In 2013, he was named to Inc. magazine’s 30 Under 30 list, as well as TechPoint’s Young Professional of the Year. He was also invited to the White House by the Obama administration for recognition of his entrepreneurial contributions through the Champions of Change program. Most recently, he was named to Indianapolis Business Journal’s “Forty Under 40” list in 2015 as one of the youngest honorees in the program’s history, and was named the 2016 Indiana Latino Businessman of the Year.
Business Ethics
Morning Breakout Session – B • 10:45am-12:15pm
Business ethics and corporate social responsibility are an essential component within the electrical construction industry. This session will discuss proper business policies and practices including; codes and standards, performance liability, safety liability, payment games, bid shopping, reverse auctions, over-billing and change order games.
TRACK: Safety
Speaker: Craig Bodette, Weber O’Brien
Craig is a Senior in Weber O’Brien’s accounting and auditing department with his primary focus in the construction industry. His accounting career includes several years in the public accounting sector with an emphasis in the construction and service industries. He has also held positions as Controller and Treasurer of small to medium-sized, privately-held, companies in Northwest Ohio.
Craig received his Bachelor’s Degree in Business Services from the University of Tole-do. Craig is a certified public accountant and a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, and the Ohio Society of Certified Public Accountants.
Craig is also a member of the Home Builders Association (HBA) of Greater Toledo, the Ohio Contractors Association, Chapter Construction Industry CPA’s Consultants As-sociation (CICPAC), and the Construction Financial Management Association (CFMA). Craig draws upon his experience, education and knowledge to speak at the Construction Industry Group Conferences as well as other organizations in Northwest Ohio.
The Future is Now: Digital Supply Chains Drive Profitability, Efficiency and Visibility
Afternoon Breakout Session – C • 1:30-3:00pm
Digitalization is changing how we navigate the landscape of our supply chains and embracing the correct digital platforms can drive profitability, efficiency and visibility. This session will explore some of the available digital solutions in the supply chain and how the right solution can enhance human performance. How digitalization fits into your business and how to prepare your supply chains for the future will also be discussed.
TRACK: Safety
Speaker: Steven Horst, Graybar
Steven Horst is vice president, service and administration for Graybar, a leading distributor of electrical and communications products and related supply chain management and logistics services. In his current role, Horst leads Graybar’s service and administration departments and ensures that the company continues to offer a host of products and services that work to customers’ advantage.
Horst started his career with Graybar in 1994 as a warehouse worker in Tacoma, Washington, and quickly advanced through several branch management roles, including supervisor, customer service. In 2002, he moved to Graybar’s corporate offices in St. Louis to work in Graybar’s IT organization on process and systems development related to the company’s SAP launch. He then advanced through several positions, including the role of manager, customer service in Las Vegas and sales manager for the construction market. Prior to his recent promotion, Horst served as national market manager for construction, helping to drive Graybar’s ESP platform of services designed to enhance contractor efficiency, safety and productivity.
Horst has a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Washington State University. He is also a graduate of the Rutgers-Graybar Supply Chain Management Program and is a member of the St. Louis Better Business Bureau Board of Directors.
He and his wife, Samantha, have three daughters.
Illuminating a New Path to Profits and Preference for Your Business
Afternoon Breakout Session – C • 1:30-3:00pm
All lighting systems look the same before they are “connected,” as do most contractors from their competition at first glance. This session will discuss how to differentiate yourself with the right value proposition, the right vision, and the right partnership to be bold and stand out amongst other electrical contractors.
TRACK: Business Development
Speaker: Jon Zelinsky, Philips
Jon Zelinsky, P.E., Director, Contractor Marketing for Philips Lighting, has more than 25 years of progressive responsibilities working in the building construction industry, creating value for architects, engineers, contractors, and end users / building owners in the areas of energy management and integrated building systems.
With a strong engineering background and business acumen, Jon brings key insight from both the engineering and business perspectives to drive innovation and market adoption of new products and technologies that support energy efficiency and high performing building systems.
Jon holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the New York University Stern School of Business and a Bachelor of Science degree from Purdue University. Jon is currently a licensed professional engineer in PA, NY, and MA.
Using Emotional Intelligence to Achieve Workplace Success
Afternoon Breakout Session – C • 1:30-3:00pm
Research has shown that the benefits of strong emotional intelligence are many: greater career success, stronger personal relationships, increased optimism and confidence, better health, effective leadership skills, improved communication and better problem solving skills. This session will discuss the crucial role of self-awareness to develop successful relationships and help pinpoint behaviors that impact work performance to more effectively overcome workplace conflicts.
TRACK: Communication
Speaker: Dr. Morgan Hembree, Integrated Leadership Systems LLC
Morgan graduated from the University of Mary Washington with a B.S. in Psychology and a B.A. in Philosophy in 2009. She knew from an early age that she wanted to study human behavior, and fell in love with the analysis and exploration of philosophy during college. She spent her summers doing Applied Behavior Analysis with children and teens on the Autism spectrum, which helped her gain confidence in her decision to pursue a graduate degree in psychology.
Morgan began her graduate studies at the Institute for Graduate Clinical Psychology at Widener University in the Fall of 2009. Though her interest was initially in clinical applications of psychological theory, she very quickly fell in love with the field of Industrial and Organizational Psychology. During her second year of graduate school she began pursuing her Master of Business Administration degree simultaneously, and began the process of integrating her understanding of human behavior with her new knowledge of managerial strategy. In addition to her clinical rotations, Morgan completed a practicum with Organizational Development Services, where she conducted individual assessments, led workshops, and engaged undergraduate leaders in leadership development.
After completing her dissertation, “The Mindful Leader: The Interaction of Mindfulness and Attachment in Predicting Transformational Leadership Ratings,” Morgan graduated with her Doctorate in Clinical Psychology and Master of Business Administration degrees, as well as her Board Certification in Biofeedback, in May of 2014. She hopes to continue to expand her understanding of leadership and management strategy, as well as to explore the utilization of both Mindfulness and Biofeedback techniques in coaching.
Currently, Morgan is working as a Leadership Consultant for Integrated Leadership Systems (ILS) in Columbus, Ohio. Here she assists employees at varying levels of organizations in industries such as health care, energy, law, and construction in optimizing their leadership potential. Morgan provides executive coaching, which incorporates a detailed 360 assessment and debrief. In addition to individual coaching, she provides consulting services, and works with management teams to bring about both individual and company-wide change. Some of Morgan’s clients include: White Castle Systems, ES Wagner Co., Heiberger Paving, Miles-McClellan Construction, Heartland Acoustics and Interiors, Brenner Oil Co., Anderson Concrete/Buckeye Ready-Mix, Asset Strategies Group, Corna Kokosing Construction Co., Mac Murray, Petersen & Shuster.
2017: Labor & Employment is in for Major Transition
Afternoon Breakout Session – C • 1:30-3:00pm
With the election of President Trump, it is time to look beyond using government regulations to improve labor relations and productivity. This session will discuss industry led solutions that address specific issues like skilled employee retention, protecting company assets when talented workers leave and managing an aging and increasingly disabled workforce. All in an era of declining labor force participation, companies need to be aware that laws are still changing and as a result, contractors’ engagement at the state level in the regulatory process will be of increasing importance.
TRACK: Safety
Speaker: John Cruickshank, Alaniz-Schraeder
John is a Board Certified attorney in Labor & Employment Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. John focuses on helping the firm’s clients identify legal risks and eliminating them before a lawsuit is ever filed. As a result, John stresses the importance of house calls – visiting clients at their place of business to understand how they operate and what their individual needs are. He is a lot more comfortable in a hard hat and steel toed boots than a suit and tie.
John represents a wide-spectrum of clients in the food manufacturing, building management, vehicle fleet leasing, steel manufacturing, and construction industries. His goal in studying these industries is to identify legal issues and help the firm’s clients resolve them before they become the next wave of class action lawsuits or government investigations.
For example, his wage and hour audits have saved the firm’s clients hundreds-of-thousands of dollars in liability by identifying flaws in their practices and correcting them before a lawsuit was filed. Similarly, John was an early advocate of arbitration agreements and class action waivers to avoid costly litigation. John also advises clients on the emerging threat of negligent entrustment liability and what they need to do to protect themselves.
John is the Deputy Industrial Relations Counsel for the North American Meat Association and a speaker at numerous trade associations affiliated with the food manufacturing, transportation, and building management industries. His employment law training ignores legal minutiae in favor of giving supervisors easy and practical solutions to managing work place issues. He also produces regular newsletters for his clients to keep them up to date on what they need to do to stay out of trouble and prevent lawsuits.
John is an Eagle Scout and avid outdoorsman. In his free time, he enjoys camping and backpacking in some of the world’s most remote places.
How to Build a Winning Engagement Strategy for a Distributed Workforce
Afternoon Breakout Session – C • 1:30-3:00pm
The year 2020 will be upon us in just three short years, and by that time, reports say an astonishing 50% of workers will be remote. Are you prepared? Luckily, new technology trends are making it easier than ever to engage and communicate with your distributed employees. In this session you will learn how to create a documented employee engagement strategy that tackles some of the biggest problems facing the distributed workforce such as onboarding, retention, adaptability, and alignment.
TRACK: Communication
Speaker: Santiago Jaramillo
Santiago Jaramillo is the co-author of Agile Engagement, an Amazon best-selling book that provides employers with a framework for improving employee engagement and achieving unprecedented business value.
A nationally recognized expert and keynote speaker on employee engagement, Santiago has spoken to thousands of business leaders at industry events like Vistage Executive Summits, Future of Work, CEB’s ReimagineHR, and Evanta CHRO Summit. In 2013, he was named to Inc. magazine’s 30 Under 30 list, as well as TechPoint’s Young Professional of the Year. He was also invited to the White House by the Obama administration for recognition of his entrepreneurial contributions through the Champions of Change program. Most recently, he was named to Indianapolis Business Journal’s “Forty Under 40” list in 2015 as one of the youngest honorees in the program’s history, and was named the 2016 Indiana Latino Businessman of the Year.
Fraud Awareness & Prevention
Afternoon Breakout Session – C • 1:30-3:00pm
Fraud can have a significant impact on an electrical contractor’s bottom line. This program will focus on common types of fraud in the electrical construction industry and discuss steps small business owners can take to help prevent and/or detect fraud.
TRACK: Safety
Speaker: Craig Bodette, Weber O’Brien
Craig is a Senior in Weber O’Brien’s accounting and auditing department with his primary focus in the construction industry. His accounting career includes several years in the public accounting sector with an emphasis in the construction and service industries. He has also held positions as Controller and Treasurer of small to medium-sized, privately-held, companies in Northwest Ohio.
Craig received his Bachelor’s Degree in Business Services from the University of Tole-do. Craig is a certified public accountant and a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, and the Ohio Society of Certified Public Accountants.
Craig is also a member of the Home Builders Association (HBA) of Greater Toledo, the Ohio Contractors Association, Chapter Construction Industry CPA’s Consultants As-sociation (CICPAC), and the Construction Financial Management Association (CFMA). Craig draws upon his experience, education and knowledge to speak at the Construction Industry Group Conferences as well as other organizations in Northwest Ohio.
Game On! An innovative Strategy for Developing Frontline Leadership
Wednesday Morning Breakout Session – A • 8:30 – 10:00AM
Research suggests that the existing shortage of qualified workers, worker quality, and lack of skilled workers could have a profound effect on frontline leadership within the industry and may impact safety in the workplace. This session will discuss ways to create an exciting culture of frontline leaders that are truly engaged and excited about leadership development. Ultimately becoming more productive at work and home, helping develop future leaders and the profitable of your company.
TRACK: Communication
Speaker: Alex Willis, Thomas & Betts
Alex Willis is a native of Jacksonville, Florida. He has a beautiful wife, Sabrina Willis of fifteen years and two little girls, Alexis and Aubrey. He graduated from the University of Florida with a Bachelor degree in Business Administration. He also received a Master’s degree in Entertainment Business from Full Sail University, where he was the Salutatorian of his class.
Alex was a walk-on player for the Florida Gators and member of the 1996 National Championship football team. He later received a full scholarship and was elected team captain in 2000. He also played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers under Coach Tony Dungy.
Alex has excelled in Financial Services, Pharmaceutical Sales and Business Development. At Northwestern Mutual, Alex ranked 3rd in sales production for the Southern Region. He ranked 5th in the nation for Eli Lilly in marketing total portfolio sales. Alex has successfully raised over $1.5 million for startup companies and has been instrumental in setting strategy and vision for leadership within these companies. He has spent the last 15 years working with companies to improve the leadership culture within organizations. His company Leadership Surge values people over process, and focuses on a holistic, strengths-based approach to leadership. They create a fun, interactive, experiential learning environment for emerging leaders.
Managers, Millennials and Misfits
Wednesday Morning Breakout Session – A • 8:30 – 10:00am
What is the greatest organizational challenge managers face? Competitive economic conditions? Regulatory oversight? Unstable financial environments? No. Managers often overlook or even ignore the greatest potential challenge as it matures before their eyes-the need to select and prepare the next generation of employees and leaders. This session will focus on very real, very practical, strategies to guide and influence Millennials, Baby Boomers, GenXers and other “new breed” employees coming up in the ranks.
TRACK: Communication
Speaker: Phil Van Hooser, Van Hooser Associates, Inc
A former FORTUNE 500 Human Resources executive, Phillip Van Hooser’s depth of practical leadership experience in manufacturing, banking and the boardroom equips high potentials, emerging leaders and managers to: Motivate a multi-generational workforce,manage conflict and change, improve communication skills between employees and superiors, build high-performance work teams and create a culture of continuous leadership growth.
Phil is a Hall of Fame speaker, author and leadership development expert for top U.S. companies. His subject matter expertise includes personal leadership, employee motivation, team building and communication skills.
2017- The Year of the Rooster: Did We Get a Wake-up Call?
Wednesday Morning Breakout Session – A • 8:30 – 10:00am
We knew this was going to be an interesting year, and it has been. This session will focus on the economic challenges we are currently experiencing, and haven’t seen for a while, including higher interest rates, inflation and a far stronger dollar.
TRACK: Safety
Speaker: Chris Kuehl, Armada Corporate Intelligence
Dr. Christopher Kuehl (PhD) is a Managing Director of Armada Corporate Intelligence and one of the co-founders of the company in 1999. He has been Armada’s economic analyst and has worked with a wide variety of private clients and professional associations in the last ten years. He is the Chief Economist for the National Association for Credit Management and is on the Board of Advisors for their global division – Finance, Credit and International Business. He prepares NACM’s monthly Credit Managers Index. He is the Economic Analyst for the Fabricators and Manufacturers Association and writes their bi-weekly publication, Fabrinomics, which details the impact of economic trends on the manufacturer.
Chris is the chief editor for the Business Intelligence Briefs, distributed all over the world by business organizations and he is one of the primary writers (with Keith Prather) for the Executive Intelligence Briefs. He also makes close to a hundred presentations each year to business and industry associations in the US and overseas. He is on the Board of the Business Information Industry Association in Hong Kong and serves as a resource for the media and for many trade publications.
Chris has a doctorate in Political Economics and advanced degrees in Soviet Studies and Asian Studies and was a professor of international economics and finance for over 15 years prior to starting Armada.
What’s the Value of Your Attitude?
Wednesday Morning Breakout Session – A • 8:30 – 10:00am
There is an old saying that “attitude is everything,” but really, attitude is the START of everything! Attitude determines your thoughts and ultimately your actions. This session will discuss why being positive as often as possible helps you become more successful at what you do.
TRACK: Personal Development
Speaker: Matt Booth, MattBooth
Matt’s humor, quick wit, and ability to connect with your people will create meaningful attitude changes. Matt has enjoyed getting to share his message throughout the United States and with international audiences around the world.
Matt grew up on a farm in Southwest Wisconsin in the heartland of America. He lives in Dubuque, Iowa on the banks of a small creek that feeds into the mighty Mississippi with his lovely wife Joie and their sons Carter and Graham. He received his undergrad at University of Wisconsin and then graduated with his Master’s Degree in Communication from University of Dubuque.
Exploiting Mobile Technologies to Run a More Profitable Business
Wednesday Morning Breakout Session – A • 8:30 – 10:00am
Exploiting mobile technologies has become essential for any field-based business. Cost reduction, accelerated cash flow and tighter operations are among the benefits that many electrical contractors are seeing through the use of mobile devices. This session will discuss devices to deploy and methods to protect your assets and proprietary content. You will also be able to see actual use-cases and understand the best practices for optimal outcomes and minimal staff pushback.
TRACK: Technology
Speaker: Steve Metzman, iBusiness Technologies
Steve Metzman is President of iBusiness Technologies, which is partnered nationally with many trade associations and Apple to help organizations leverage mobile technologies. iBusiness Technologies designs frameworks for organizations of all sizes to deploy mobile devices with precision and for best outcomes and scalability. Steve serves as a speaker and panelist at trade association conferences and technology events across the country. Steve’s expertise lies in helping businesses operate smarter using mobile technologies that deliver fast ROI while conforming to existing operational workflows.
Energy Leadership: Energy Storage Systems and Microgrids
Wednesday Morning Breakout Session – A • 8:30 – 10:00am
The NEC is expanding to include requirements and there are many terrific opportunities that exist in large-scale photovoltaic systems, energy storage systems and DC microgrid systems. This program will discuss the forces driving these changes, the evolution of the infrastructure landscape and how energy storage and microgrid applications are quickly becoming the means to address demand response.
TRACK: Business Development
Speaker: Mike Johnston, NECA
Michael Johnston is NECA’s executive director of standards and safety. Mike holds a BS in Business Management from the University of Phoenix. He served on NEC CMP-5 in the 2002, 2005, and chair of CMP-5 representing NECA for the 2011 NEC cycle. Mike is the Chairman of the NEC Correlating Committee. Among his responsibilities for managing the codes, standards, and safety functions for NECA, Mike is secretary of the NECA Codes and Standards Committee. Johnston is a member of the IBEW and is an active member of ANSI, IAEI, NFPA, ASSE, the NFPA Electrical Section, the UL Electrical Council, and National Safety Council.
Latest Trends in Firestopping, Personal Safety, and Underground Cable Locating
Wednesday Morning Breakout Session – B • 10:45AM – 12:15PM
Many common dangers in and around electrical construction projects can be easily addressed. In 2015, there were more than 500,000 structural fires in the U.S., causing $14.3 billion in property damage. More OSHA violations were written for fall protection than anything else in 2016. Each year, 350,000 damages occur to underground utilities. This session will discuss the latest trends in fire stopping, personal safety equipment and underground asset management and provide resources to help identify and solve these problems.
TRACK: Business Development
Speaker: George Yoshida, 3M
George Yoshida has worked in 3M Fire Protection Products for 18 years in various business development roles. He is currently Business Development Manager responsible for the commercial, industrial, oil & gas and nuclear segments as it relates to the fire protection of electrical raceways that supply power to these segments. He is past vice-president of the International Firestop Council.
Speaker: Ed Scott, 3M
Ed Scott is a Business Development Manager for 3M’s Electric Material Division, with an emphasis on natural gas and telecommunications asset location solutions. He has been with 3M 28 years serving in a variety of sales, marketing, and business leadership roles globally. Before his current role, Ed was a leader in the occupational health and environmental safety businesses.
Speaker: Phil Redding, 3M
Phil Redding is a Strategic Account Development Manager with 3M’s Personal Safety Division. He has been with 3M for 35 years serving in multiple Sales, Sales Management and Business Leadership Roles. His primary emphasis covers, Transportation, Construction and Manufacturing Segment Markets.
Expanding Your Capabilities for Your Customers
Wednesday Morning Breakout Session – B • 10:45am – 12:15pm
Your customers are relying on you to provide more solutions and expertise to fulfil their needs and doing so can help you fulfil those gaps and open new doors for opportunities. This session will explore the benefits of a strong consultative customer approach to meet your customers’ needs, increase your manhours by leveraging capabilities and assure your customers that qualified professionals are completing work in a safe and experienced manner.
TRACK: Safety
Speaker: Philip Santoro, Schneider Square D
Santoro has over 22 years of experience in field sales, operations, price management, and segment marketing with a specific focus on the construction industry. Santoro is the Electrical Contractor Segment Manager with Schneider Electric, where he is responsible for leading programs and initiatives that develop, strengthen and support relationships with electrical contractors and electrical contractor organizations across different markets. He also serves as a mentor to Schneider Electric’s construction and industrial sales force on product, innovative solutions, strategy, and business climate.
Earning the Right to Be Heard
Wednesday Morning Breakout Session – B • 10:45AM – 12:15PM
Many great ideas fall by the wayside because individuals don’t know how to “sell” an idea appropriately to a decision maker. This session will explain a five-step process specifically designed to earn the attention and respect of your decision makers while you “earn the right to be heard.”
TRACK: Personal Development
Speaker: Phil Van Hooser, Van Hooser Associates, Inc
A former FORTUNE 500 Human Resources executive, Phillip Van Hooser’s depth of practical leadership experience in manufacturing, banking and the boardroom equips high potentials, emerging leaders and managers to: Motivate a multi-generational workforce,manage conflict and change, improve communication skills between employees and superiors, build high-performance work teams and create a culture of continuous leadership growth.
Phil is a Hall of Fame speaker, author and leadership development expert for top U.S. companies. His subject matter expertise includes personal leadership, employee motivation, team building and communication skills.
2017- The Year of the Rooster: Did We Get a Wake-up Call?
Wednesday Morning Breakout Session – B • 10:45am – 12:15pm
We knew this was going to be an interesting year, and it has been. This session will focus on the economic challenges we are currently experiencing, and haven’t seen for a while, including higher interest rates, inflation and a far stronger dollar.
TRACK: Safety
Speaker: Chris Kuehl, Armada Corporate Intelligence
Dr. Christopher Kuehl (PhD) is a Managing Director of Armada Corporate Intelligence and one of the co-founders of the company in 1999. He has been Armada’s economic analyst and has worked with a wide variety of private clients and professional associations in the last ten years. He is the Chief Economist for the National Association for Credit Management and is on the Board of Advisors for their global division – Finance, Credit and International Business. He prepares NACM’s monthly Credit Managers Index. He is the Economic Analyst for the Fabricators and Manufacturers Association and writes their bi-weekly publication, Fabrinomics, which details the impact of economic trends on the manufacturer.
Chris is the chief editor for the Business Intelligence Briefs, distributed all over the world by business organizations and he is one of the primary writers (with Keith Prather) for the Executive Intelligence Briefs. He also makes close to a hundred presentations each year to business and industry associations in the US and overseas. He is on the Board of the Business Information Industry Association in Hong Kong and serves as a resource for the media and for many trade publications.
Chris has a doctorate in Political Economics and advanced degrees in Soviet Studies and Asian Studies and was a professor of international economics and finance for over 15 years prior to starting Armada.
What’s the Value of Your Attitude?
Wednesday Morning Breakout Session – B • 10:45am – 12:15pm
There is an old saying that “attitude is everything,” but really, attitude is the START of everything! Attitude determines your thoughts and ultimately your actions. This session will discuss why being positive as often as possible helps you become more successful at what you do.
TRACK: Personal Development
Speaker: Matt Booth, MattBooth
Matt’s humor, quick wit, and ability to connect with your people will create meaningful attitude changes. Matt has enjoyed getting to share his message throughout the United States and with international audiences around the world.
Matt grew up on a farm in Southwest Wisconsin in the heartland of America. He lives in Dubuque, Iowa on the banks of a small creek that feeds into the mighty Mississippi with his lovely wife Joie and their sons Carter and Graham. He received his undergrad at University of Wisconsin and then graduated with his Master’s Degree in Communication from University of Dubuque.
Transforming the Future of Construction
Wednesday Morning Breakout Session – B • 10:45am – 12:15pm
The population of the world’s urban areas is increasing by 200,000 people per day – each one needing affordable housing, transportation and utility infrastructure. Our transformation will affect the environment and it will also affect the economy. This session will take a closer look at: markets and customers, sustainability and resilience, society and workforce and politics and regulation. Discover opportunities and challenges posed by each megatrend as NECA seeks to identify and implement optimal transforming responses.
TRACK: Technology
Speaker: Joey Shorter, NECA
Joined NECA as Staff Associate August, 2014; served as NECA Director of Workforce Development; currently serves as NECA Director of Research; prior to that – teaching, coaching, primarily administration in private and public institutions (pre-K-12th; college, university and seminary settings)
NECA Now focuses on leadership development with presentations by top business experts. Other sessions cover a variety of current topics including business development, operations, financing, and personal development. And, there will be time to establish new relationships and learn from your peers.
2 PLENARY SESSIONS
James Benham • Jonah Berger No reports, no speeches. NECA Now plenary sessions begin and end with the professional and personal development information you need, delivered by nationally-known experts in the field.
3 INTERACTIVE BREAKS
Short, small group sessions on the most current topics affecting you. Each break offers multiple informative, small-group sessions from subject matter experts for a variety of topics. This is your chance to ask questions and get specific information on topics that matter to you.
31 BREAKOUTS
Tracks: Business Development • Technology • Communications • Operations • Personal Development
31 classes broken down into 5 tracks offer you the opportunity to concentrate your learning in one segment, or to pick and choose across the disciplines. Create your experience to meet your needs!
LOCATION:
JW Marriott Hill Country, San Antonio, TX
DRESS:
Resort Casual
For questions or more information about NECANOW 2017, contact Staci Blue • 301-215-4508 • staci.blue@necanet.org
FEEs & Registration Information
Registration Opens: January 11, 2017
EARLY REGISTRATION RATES:
Member- $900
Spouse – $500
Child(+7) – $75
REGULAR REGISTRATION RATES:
(beginning February 17, 2017)
Member – $975
Spouse – $550
Child(+7) – $75
HOTEL: JW Marriott Hill Country
ROOM RATE: $285.00
Suites by request, based on availability
Register for the conference and book your hotel in San Antonio through CMR – Convention Management Resources. Hotel rooms are available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Hotel reservation deadline is February 17, 2017.
REGISTRATION CANCELLATION:
Full refunds will be issued on or before February 23, 2017
REGISTRATION REFUND CUTOFFS:
Cancellation requests received by February 23, 2017 will receive a full registration refund. Cancellation requests received between February 24,2017 and March 20,2017 will receive a refund less a $100 administrative fee; Requests received after March 20 (no refund) All attempts will be made to process refunds within 4-6 weeks of cancellation.
Cancellation requests must be made in writing via fax to (415) 293-4745 Attn: NECA Registration, or by sending us a messagethrough the NECA Now Registration & Hotel Support Center.
NOTE: This is a member and premier partner event only. Non-members and invitees will not be registered. Contact CMR for more information at (800) 368-6322 or click here for more information »
James Benham•Plenary Session•Monday, March 27•5:00 pm
Future Forecast: How Drones, Sensors and Integrated Apps are Rewriting all the Rules
Everywhere you look, there’s a new mobile, drone or wearable device. How are these technologies evolving construction projects? How are top contractors running research and development on emerging technologies? Get ahead of the learning curve and hear about the up and coming technology solutions your peers in the industry are already utilizing. In this dynamic session, James Benham sorts through the latest trends, solutions and devices in building technologies and how they will rewrite the rules for construction projects. Mr. Benham will also discuss the statistics behind the the annual Construction Technology Report, a survey of thousands of construction professionals on how they are employing and integrating technology on building projects.
Discuss real companies who are researching and implementing the latest technologies and how they are impacting their construction projects. See demos of the next generation of technology that are keeping developers busy. And review the technology tools and strategies you can implement today to be ready for the tech of tomorrow.
While growing up in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, James Benham began writing code at the age of 11 and by 14 had developed his first application. Three years later, he co-managed an internet services provider (ISP), providing dial-up Internet to over 4,000 users. James went on to complete a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting and a Master of Science in Information Systems while in the Corps of Cadets at Texas A&M University. During his final year at Texas A&M in 2001, James established his second company, JBKnowledge, Inc. James is now the Chief Executive Officer of JBKnowledge, Inc. James has led JBKnowledge to become a premier provider of technology solutions for the construction and insurance industries, with clients across North America, the Caribbean and the Middle East.
Technologist, Entrepreneur, Professional Speaker Specializing in Construction, Insurance, and Risk Management
NECA Now speaker James Benham found his calling early in life.
Growing up in Baton Rouge, LA, he began writing code at the age of 11. By 14, had developed his first application. And three years later, he co-managed an internet services provider, providing dial-up Internet to more than 4,000 users.
Now, with extensive experience in the design, development and use of technology to improve efficiency, Benham is a sought-after speaker across the United States, Canada and abroad on business information technology, data security and innovative technology solutions.
This March, Benham will share his knowledge at NECA Now, the electrical construction industry’s premier executive leadership conference, in San Antonio.
Benham’s keynote address, “Future Forecast: How Drones, Sensors and Integrated Apps are Rewriting all the Rules,” will help electrical contractors get ahead of the learning curve and hear about the up-and-coming technology solutions their peers in the industry are already utilizing.
Benham sorts through the latest trends, solutions and devices in building technologies and how they will rewrite the rules for construction projects. He also will discuss the statistics behind the annual Construction Technology Report, a survey of thousands of construction professionals on how they are employing and integrating technology on building projects.
Benham will also be leading a breakout discussion, titled “The Big Cloud, Local Data Threats and Managing Risk in 2017.”
In the presentation, Benham will highlight the risks of cloud technology then identify the resources and best practices to manage those risks. Learn the basics of converting processes to the cloud and how to secure proprietary data along the way.
Benham, a graduate of Texas A&M University, currently serves as the CEO of JBKnowledge, Inc. The company is headquartered in Bryan/College Station, TX, with offices in North America and South America.
He has led JBKnowledge to become a premier provider of technology solutions for the construction and insurance industries, with clients across North America, the Caribbean and the Middle East. JBKnowledge is the also the maker of the SmartBidNet, SmartCompliance, SmartReality, and SmartInsight cloud, mobile and wearable solutions.
As a rapidly growing business year after year, JBKnowledge is a seven-time recipient of the Aggie 100 award and a six-time Newman 10 recipient, and it was recently named to the LSU One Hundred for the second time.
Through the years, Benham continued to stay involved with his alma mater. He joined the Texas A&M faculty as an adjunct professor in the Department of Construction Science.
Transportation & Area Attractions
Visit the Riverwalk in San Antonio!
Riverwalk Shuttle
March 27-29
11:00am – 4:00pm (Departs every 30 minutes.)
Shuttle service departs from the JW Marriott Hill Country with drop offs TBD.
Closing Shuttle
Knibbe Ranch, San Antonio, TX – 8pm
Shuttle service departs from the closing plenary session starting at 7:40pm. (NOTE: Dessert Party is from 8:00-10:00pm)
Why do some things catch on while others fail? What makes online content viral? And why do some products, ideas, and behaviors get more word of mouth than others? Professor Jonah Berger examines the behavioral science that underlies these questions. He examines how people make decisions, how ideas diffuse, and how social influence shapes behavior.
Berger is a Marketing professor at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. He has published dozens of articles in top-tier academic journals, and popular accounts of his work frequently appear in popular outlets like the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, NPR, Science, Harvard Business Review, Sloan Management Review, Wired, Business Week, The Atlantic, and The Economist. His research has also been featured in the New York Times Magazine’s “Year in Ideas.” Berger has been recognized with a number of awards for both scholarship and teaching, including various early career awards and being named Wharton’s Iron Prof (an award for awesome faculty research).
Dr. Berger has helped all sorts of companies and organizations get their stuff to catch on. From Fortune 500 companies to small start-ups, and multinationals to non-profits, Berger has helped drive new product adoption, sharpen effective messaging, and develop marketing strategies.
Why do some things catch on while others fail? What makes online content viral? And why do some products, ideas, and behaviors get more word of mouth than others? Professor Jonah Berger examines the behavioral science that underlies these questions. He examines how people make decisions, how ideas diffuse, and how social influence shapes behavior.
Berger is a Marketing professor at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. He has published dozens of articles in top-tier academic journals, and popular accounts of his work frequently appear in popular outlets like the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, NPR, Science, Harvard Business Review, Sloan Management Review, Wired, Business Week, The Atlantic and The Economist. His research has also been featured in the New York Times Magazine’s “Year in Ideas.” Berger has been recognized with a number of awards for both scholarship and teaching, including various early career awards and being named Wharton’s Iron Prof (an award for awesome faculty research).
Dr. Berger has helped all sorts of companies and organizations get their stuff to catch on. From Fortune 500 companies to small start-ups, and multinationals to non-profits, Berger has helped drive new product adoption, sharpen effective messaging, and develop marketing strategy.
Find out why things catch on at his keynote address on Wednesday, March 29.
Bio:
Jonah Berger is a Marketing Professor at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and a world-renowned expert on word of mouth, social influence, consumer behavior, and how products, ideas and behaviors catch on. He has published dozens of articles in top‐tier academic journals, teaches Wharton’s highest-rated online course, and popular accounts of his work often appear in places like The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and Harvard Business Review. Berger is the bestselling author of multiple books including Contagious: Why Things Catch On (hundreds of thousands of copies are in print in over 30 languages) and Invisible Influence: The Hidden Forces that Shape Behavior. Berger is a popular speaker at major conferences and events and often consults for companies like Apple, Google, GE, Coca- Cola, Vanguard, 3M, Kaiser Permanente, Unilever, and The Gates Foundation.
This Hill Country-inspired hoedown will feature a live band, campfires and a Texas tailgate. Late-night bites and dessert and an open bar will be available while attendees enjoy armadillo races, a mechanical bull, trick ropers and a quick draw. And don’t forget to take a picture with the renowned Texas longhorn! Located in the beautiful Texas Hill Country and founded more than 150 years ago, the historic Knibbe Ranch is rich in German heritage and culture reminiscent of the early European immigrants.
Short, small group sessions on the most current topics affecting you. Breaks are a great time to network and catch up with friends and colleagues, but the learning never ends at NECA Now. Interactive breaks will offer you the chance to explore new topics and get insight on what’s important to you.
Why do some things catch on while others fail? What makes online content viral? And why do some products, ideas, and behaviors get more word of mouth than others? Professor Jonah Berger examines the behavioral science that underlies these questions. He examines how people make decisions, how ideas diffuse, and how social influence shapes behavior.