10/09/2025

ECA Membership Meeting Highlights - October 8, 2025

The program was held at INTECH in Alsip, IL.

ECA Membership Meeting
October 8, 2025
IBEW-NECA Technical Institute (INTECH)
Alsip, IL

The Electrical Contractors’ Association of City of Chicago (ECA) held its October Membership Meeting on Wednesday, October 8, 2025 at the IBEW-NECA Technical Institute (INTECH) in Alsip, IL.  The luncheon program featured industry updates, and a guest presentation from Mr. Don Finn, Local 134 IBEW Business Manager.  This session was open to all signatory contractors.   There were nearly 100 registrants who took the opportunity to meet and network with their peers in the industry. 

We thank the Chairs of the various ECA Committees and Industry representatives that highlighted the many Association / area industry activities:

Bob Fimbianti, ECA President, Linear Electric, Inc.
Kendra Dinkins, ECA Vice President, Taylor Electric Company
Rick Jamerson, NECA Governor, Jamerson & Bauwens Electrical Contractors, Inc.
Mark Thomas, ECA Executive Vice President
Neil Parish, ECA Director of Operations
Jerry McGlynn, ECA Safety Committee Chair, McWilliams Electric Company, Inc.
Mike Meyer, ECA Student Committee Chair, Continental Electrical Construction Company
Mallory Gurtz, ECA Young Professionals Committee Chair, Gurtz Electric Co.
Erin Keane, EIT Director
Gene Kent, INTECH Director
Don Finn, Local 134 IBEW Business Manager

Topics discussed including the following:

• The ECA Safety Committee’s sponsored seminar, “Mental Health / Suicide Prevention" that was held Thursday, September 25, 2025 at INTECH had nearly 30 attendees. The seminar was facilitated by Matt Blair, CEO & Co-Founder of The Well Resource Center, NFP.
  
  
• NECA Safety Professionals Institute is being held on October 28 – 30, 2025 in Washington, D.C.
  
  
• The NFPA 70 NEC 2026 Softbound Booklets have been shipped - one book per ECA member firm.
  
  
• The Young Professionals Committee will be meeting soon to discuss plans for upcoming programming in 2026. Please contact the ECA with any topic suggestions.
  
  
• The NECA-IIT Student Chapter won the “Student Chapter of the Year” Award. It was officially announced at the 2025 NECA Convention & Trade Show in Chicago. Five students and Dr. Tomal attended the full NECA Convention. Dr. Dan Tomal, IIT Facilitator  encouraged that his entire class register to utilize the Trade Show Only portion of the Convention. A number of ECA members were asked to participate with the NECA/ELECTRI Buddy System for students during the NECA Convention.  He thanked all who were able to assist, especially, Scott Block, Jon Lumley, Mallory Gurtz, Thomas Pedergnana and Mike Meyer. Dr. Tomal is expanding the Smart Tech Lab; various vendors are contributing. The students are reviewing preliminary information about next year’s ECIC.
  
  
• Dr. Tomal is looking for speakers to close out the semester. Currently, Jon Lumley, a former IIT student and Safety Executive at Aldridge Electric, Inc., presented on October 2^nd.  Matt Kamber of Gurtz Electric Co. will also be giving an upcoming presentation.  Many of the presentations are done remotely.
  
  
• The Research and Education Committee recently met and are working on securing a number of seminars for 2026, including: Crew Level Production Planning and Execution: Set Goals and Win; Leadership for the Field and Office; Effective Client Communication; Basic Estimating of Electrical Construction; Advanced Estimating Strategies; Prefabrication and Preplanning Construction; Managing Work in Progress; and AI In Electrical Construction.
  
  
• 2,500 applicants for the Apprenticeship Program were received; 1,785 took the test. The Apprentice Graduation was held on Saturday, October 4, 2025 at INTECH. The Job Board is now on-line.  Please contact the school at (708) 389-1340 if you have any questions in regard to posting positions on the EJATT website.
  
  
• Please contact the EIT with any Reciprocity concerns.
  
  
• Powering Chicago, in conjunction with The Harbinger Group, were proud recipients of the 2025 received the “Golden Trumpet Award” honoring excellence in public relations, communications, and journalism. Powering Chicago encourages all contractors to participate with the “Power of Better” video series.
  
  
• The NECA Convention & Trade Show that was held in Chicago had the largest attendance of 10,300 and the largest vendor-participation ever for a NECA Convention! Please CLICK HERE for information regarding the many Chapter member award winners / acknowledgements made during the Convention.  Congratulations to the many award winners!
  
  
• Congratulations to Frank Gurtz, Gurtz Electric Co., as he is being inducted into the Electric Association’s (EA’s) “Hall of Fame” on November 6, 2025 at the EA’s Membership Awards Dinner at the Carlisle in Lombard, IL.
  
  
• Congratulations to Red Hawk Security Systems as they were acknowledged during the meeting for celebrating 25 years in NECA!
  
  
• Don Finn, Local 134 IBEW Business Manager discussed a number of issues, including: the ECA and Local 134 IBEW are working together to enhance Continuing Education options; manpower concerns are a high priority; and the ECA and Local 134 IBEW, as well as numerous area Trade Associations, are working together regarding the recent Illinois Department of Labor (DOL) issue concerning Prevailing Wage projects in which all Apprentice Benefits are to be paid at the JW rate. The ECA and Local 134 IBEW will continue to work on this issue as meetings with DOL and State representatives are being arranged. 

We hope that you join us at the next Membership Meeting being held on Wednesday, November 12, 2025 at Gibsons Steakhouse in Oak Brook.  This Breakfast Session will feature a guest presentation by Shane Yount, President and CEO of Competitive Solutions, Inc. (CSI). Shane Yount is a leading expert in business transformation, executive coaching, and leadership development with nearly three decades of experience. As the President and CEO of Competitive Solutions, Inc. (CSI), Shane has pioneered innovative approaches to organizational effectiveness and process-based leadership. He looks forward to presenting, “Beyond IQ and EQ – Discovering the Superpower of PQ (Process Intelligence) in High Functioning Leaders.”

CLICK HERE FOR REGISTRATION INFORMATION.

We, again, thank Don Finn, Local 134 IBEW Business Manager, as well as all the  presenters for their assistance at the October session!

Pictured above from left to right are:
Kendra Dinkins, ECA Vice President, Taylor Electric Company,
Don Finn, Local 134 IBEW Business Manager, and
Bob Fimbianti, ECA President, Linear Electric, Inc.

Pictured is Bob Fimbianti, ECA President, Linear Electric, Inc., as he opened the meeting.

Pictured is Kendra Dinkins, ECA Vice President, Taylor Electric Company,
as she began the Research and Education Committee report.

Pictured is Mike Meyer, ECA Student Committee Chair, Continental Electrical Construction Company,
as he gave the ECA Student Committee update.

Pictured from left to right are:  Bob Fimbianti, ECA President, Linear Electric, Inc., and
Nancy Brannigan, Red Hawk Security Systems

Pictured from left to right are:  Bob Fimbianti, ECA President, Linear Electric, Inc.,
and from Red Hawk Security Systems:
Nancy Brannigan, Shelly Brannigan, Patrick Daly and Craig Traina.

Pictured above is Don Finn, Local 134 IBEW Business Manager, as he began his presentation.

Pictured is Don Finn, Local 134 IBEW Business Manager, as he concluded his presentation.

Pictured above is the extensive Q & A session.