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Tee Off at IEC Georgia’s 1st Annual Augusta Golf Tournament

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Tee Off at IEC Georgia’s 1st Annual Augusta Golf Tournament

IEC hosted its first annual Augusta Golf Tournament on September 15th at The River Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia.

This event garnered 16 teams of contractors, partners and guests to enjoy the lavish greens, drinks, raffle prizes, food and fun.  The day was gorgeous and the competition was impressive. 

Winners were celebrated and raffle prizes were awarded.

Congratulations to first place winners, team Blanchard & Calhoun Insurance.  Winners are Preston Moss, Robbie Moore, Stephen Poole and William Weston.  Stephen Poole is not only part of the first place team, but he is also the winner of Closest to the Pin!  Excellent job gentlemen!

2nd place winners were team Mayer Electric / Industry Special with Jeff McFadden, Trevon Wheelers, BJ Thompson and Brian Jones.

3rd place winners were team Southwire/ CED with Bill Fowler, Chris Ainsworth, Donald Cockerham and Shawn Johnson.

Finally Austin Helfrich of Square D took home a trophy for the Longest Drive.

It is clear that he Augusta Golf tournament was a success and IEC will return again!  What helps to make an IEC tournament a success?  The support of its event sponsors.  The highest level of golf sponsorships is Tournament Sponsor.  Tournament Sponsors for the 2022 Augusta Golf tournament are Ireland Electric, Graybar and Blanchard and Calhoun.  At this level, sponsors are visible throughout every part of the function.  Thank you for participating!

Lowe Electric Supply sponsored the food, Bensource sponsored Putting Green and Smart Lighting Solutions sponsored the Driving Range.  There are so many to thank.  Click here to see link of full list of hole and prize sponsors.

Thank you for golfing with us!  Click here  to attend upcoming events.  See pictures from Augusta Golf Tournament below.

 

Papers with the Inflation Reduction Act and US flag.

Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 — Overview of Labor Requirements

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Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 — Overview of Labor Requirements

Signed into law on August 16, 2022, the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (IRA) imposes new/modified tax incentives for clean energy projects (bonus tax credit) and energy efficient commercial buildings (179D tax deduction) that satisfy new labor mandates, to include prevailing wage and registered apprenticeship requirements. This tying of labor mandates to tax incentives for private sector construction projects at the federal level is unprecedented.

The IRA requires that at least 15% of total labor hours on a project must be performed by a “Qualified Apprentice” (i.e. a Registered Apprentice) by 2024. This is phased in over three years:

  • 10% in 2022
  • 5% in 2023
  • 15% in 2024 and beyond

Projects must follow ratios determined by the Department of Labor or State Apprenticeship Councils. For eligible projects that require four or more laborers, each contractor and subcontractor must employ one or more qualified apprentices. Below are some exceptions to this requirement:

  • Contractor pays a penalty of $50 multiplied by the total labor hours for which the requirement was not satisfied.
  • Good faith effort – contractor requests qualified apprentices from a Registered Apprenticeship Program and the request is denied or the Registered Apprenticeship Program fails to respond to the request within 5 business days. Contactors must follow established standards and requirements of the Registered Apprenticeship Program. Financial penalty can increase to $500 per hour if the violation was deemed deliberate.

Prevailing wage requirements for bonus credit on eligible projects:

  • To receive the bonus credit, workers must be paid wages not less than prevailing rates (Davis-Bacon wage rates) for the duration of the eligible credit. To satisfy noncompliance and maintain eligibility for the full credit, employers can provide back pay, plus interest and a penalty of $5,000 per worker or $10,000 per worker for violations due to intentional disregard. These appear to differ from penalties under Davis-Bacon and DOL could clarify through guidance.                  More Info Here
 

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IEC Atlanta Celebrates 101 Apprenticeship Graduates

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IEC Atlanta Celebrates 101 Apprenticeship Graduates



By: Marie Thornton, IEC Atlanta/Georgia Chapter Membership and Marketing Coordinator

IEC Atlanta held its 52nd Apprenticeship Graduation Ceremony on July 8th at the Atlanta Evergreen Marriott in Stone Mountain, GA.  101 graduates were celebrated with family, friends, IEC staff and online viewers from livestreaming this joyous occasion.    It was a spectacular event!

Attendees were welcomed by the VP of the Atlanta Board of Directors, Darren Lodge, of Excel Electrical Technologies, Inc.  The audience received a performance of the Star-Spangled Banner by IEC graduate and staff members John Dickerson and Melissa Slate.  Allan Rogers of ECI led the invocation into an evening of music, dining, a motivational message and awards executed especially for the 2022 apprenticeship graduating class.

Thank you to vocalist Gwen Hughes for setting the celebratory energy and to Bill Fowler of Southwire for his inspiring words catapulting the graduates into great careers ahead. 

Congratulations to the following graduates for standing out among their peers with extra commitment to their goal!

Perfect Attendance 4 Year Apprenticeship:

  • Christiaan Albert Boll, Andrew Electric Company, Inc.
  • Rodrigue Murad, Excel Electrical Technologies, Inc.
  • Tomas Felix Rodriguez, Penco Electrical Contractors, Inc.

Academic Achievement Awards- A Average- 4 Year Apprenticeship Programs In-Person, Online:

  • Matthew Akers, Mister Sparky, Inc.
  • Joshua Anderson, J&C Electric Company
  • Daniel Brown, Reinicke Athens, Inc.
  • Paul Cowen, MetroPower, ColumbusPower
  • James Dean, Andrew Electric Company, Inc.
  • Christopher Donogan, Pat Murphy Electric, Inc.
  • Blake Engelman, DC Power Specialist, LLC
  • Jack Fontana, Pat Murphy

Academic Achievement Awards- A Average- Professional Electrician’s Apprenticeship Programs:

  • Robert Wein, Riverside Electric South, LLC.

Academic Excellence- Highest Overall GPA:

  • Christopher Donegan- Pat Murphy Electric, Inc.
  • Robert Wein- Riverside Electric South, LLC.

Apprentice of the Year:

  • Christopher Donegan, Pat Murphy Electric, Inc.

Additional congratulations go out to IEC Instructor Melissa Slates of Slates Electrical on receiving the Mike Gunter Achievement Award!  Thank you for your dedication to the IEC!

Thank you to IEC event sponsors Harbin Insurance, Milwaukee Tool, Southwire and Federated Insurance for your support of this event and the IEC Apprenticeship Program!

 

man-smiling-holding-big-check

Christopher Donegan is IEC Atlanta’s 2022 Apprentice of the Year

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Christopher Donegan is IEC Atlanta’s 2022 Apprentice of the Year

By: Marie Thornton, IEC Atlanta/Georgia Chapter Membership and Marketing Coordinator

Congratulations to Christopher Donegan of Pat Murphy Electric, on earning the title of IEC Atlanta’s 2022 Apprentice of the Year!

Christopher competed in the IEC Atlanta Wire-off during the 2022 PowerShow against 9 other excellent apprentices in April.  He prevailed with the highest number of points from the wire-off and a written exam that covered material from all 4 years of study!  

Congratulations to all the competitors for a job well done! 

  • Matthew Akers, Mister Sparky
  • Joshua Anderson, J&C Electric
  • Jack Fontana, Pat Murphy Electric
  • Austin Jarrell, Luca Electric
  • Douglas Kautenberger, Titan Electric Georgia
  • Daniel Moody, Pat Murphy Electric
  • Cody Oliver, Bannister Electric
  • Alexander Ree, MC Dean
  • Nathan Soloman, Electrical Contractor Inc.

Jack Fontana and Daniel Moody came in 2nd and 3rd place respectively.  If Christopher is unable to fulfill his duties as Apprentice of the Year, Jack Fontana is next in line.

As IEC Atlanta’s Apprentice of the Year, Christopher will travel to Louisville, Kentucky to complete at the National convention representing IEC Atlanta from October 4th to the 8th.  Christopher wins a trip for 2 to Kentucky and $500 in spending money!  Good luck in Kentucky, we know you will do great representing the Atlanta chapter!  Let’s get ready to cheer Christopher on as he competes for IEC’s National Apprentice of the Year!

 

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IEC Georgia Hosts a Colossal Fundraising Columbus Golf Tournament

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IEC Georgia Hosts a Colossal Fundraising Columbus Golf Tournament
By: Marie Thornton, IEC Atlanta/Georgia Chapter Membership and Marketing Coordinator

IEC Georgia Chapter held its Columbus Georgia Golf Tournament at the Maple Ridge Golf Club on Friday June 17th.  25 teams participated with close to 100 golfers, and interactive sponsors posted on multiple holes along the way.  This was IEC Georgia’s largest tournament yet.  Golfers teed off at 8:30am and the competition and comradery was underway. 

Congratulations to the following tournament winners!

  • 1st place- Team Fuller Fire & Safety Equipment, Phillip Psalmond, Michael Wright, Jake Harrelsome and Robin Boyd with a score of 55.
  • 2nd place- Team Interstate Electrical Supply, Andy Robbins, Brandon Summers, Tracy Hurst and Justin Gordon  with a score of 57.
  • 3rd place- Team Metropower, Jason Crowson, Adam Byrd, Ryan Pickrell and Josiah Goodman with a score of 57.
  • 4th place- Team Lighting Associates and Alexander Electric, Andy Smith, Ben Mann, Jacob Wood and Jeff Bates with a score of 58.
  • Longest Drive- Josh Whitehead
  • Closest to the Pin- Ben Snow
  • IEC Golf Poker Hand winner- Blake Jones

This fundraising event supports IEC’s GIFT Foundation that provides scholarships to apprentices in need of assistance for their apprenticeship.  Contractors, partners and guests gather for a good cause. 

Thank you to all the sponsors that supported this engaging event! There were 11 Tournament sponsors stepping in to make the Columbus tournament spectacular!  SM Ellis, Milwaukee Tool, Interstate Electrical Supply, Netplanner Systems, Marsh & McLennan Agency, Acuity Brand, Wesco, Atlanta Lightning Protection, Metropower, Sunbelt Rentals and Jordan Electric Company.  See full list of sponsors here.

men-holding-trophies

IEC Georgia and 22 Teams Golf at the Club at Savannah Quarters

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IEC Georgia Chapter and 22 Teams Golf at The Club at Savannah Quarters
By: Marie Thornton, IEC Atlanta/Georgia Chapter Membership and Marketing Coordinator

IEC Georgia Chaptered hosted its 6th annual Savannah Golf Tournament on May 19th at the Club at Savannah Quarters in Pooler, GA.  This was a new location for the popular Savannah tournament, and the concensus is that it was quite an experience. 

The Savannah golf tournament accommodated 22 teams comprised of IEC contractors, partner members and guests.  Golfers teed off at 8:00 am for a competitive 18 holes on a private Greg Norman Signature Course.  It was a perfect landscape.

The end of the excursion delivered raffle prizes, lunch and trophies to the victors!  Congratulations to the winners of IEC’s 6th annual Savannah Golf Tournament.

  • 1st Place: Team CED/Legrand, Tom Kobe, Dusty Folker and Tom VanDehei -Score 57
  • 2nd Place: Team Saturn Freight SAV, Christian Eaddy, Tyler Muller, Robbie White and Josh Williams- Score 60
  • 3rd Place: Team Southway Crane & Rigging, Trey King, David Koreman, Lyn Leebum and Wesley Peebles- Score 61
  • Longest Drive: Palmer Prescott
  • Closest to the Pin: Trey Wilder

IEC would like to thank the sponsors for their support.  Behind every IEC event are its dedicated sponsors!  An extremely special thank you goes to City Electric Supply for being the Presenting Sponsor.  Tournament Sponsors include the Sack Company, Ralston Electric, and Lowe Electric.  Drinks were brought to participants by Ace Electric, CED/Legrand, Colony Bank and The Sack Company.  Additional sponsors were Driving Range, Longest Drive and Closest to the Pin sponsor- Coastal Electric of Georgia.  See complete list of event sponsors here.  View pictures from this event below.

Thank you to everyone that came out to the green to join IEC!  If you missed this one don’t worry. 
We are heading to Columbus next month at the Maple Ridge Golf Club.  You can register and meet us there June 17th.

AOY Group 2 - Copy (2)

IEC Apprentice of the Year

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IEC Apprentice of the Year Competition

By: Todd Hawkins, IEC Atlanta Associate Executive Director

Thank You to everyone that invested time into the 2022 Apprentice of the Year Competition (AOY).  IEC records indicate that 2022 is the 34th consecutive year that IEC Atlanta has held the AOY competition.

Thank you to Mike Gunter, IEC Atlanta for chairing the competition again this year.  Mr. Gunter was a competitor in the AOY competition in 1994.  Travis Worn, Pat Murphy Electric, Inc. worked as the Co-Chair and he was a competitor in 2017,  the tradition continues!

The competition requires competitors to demonstrate skills in multiple areas such as pipe bending, motor control knowledge and overall knowledge of the IEC 4-Year curriculum.  IEC names the 2022 Apprentice of the Year at the Graduation Gala on July 8 at Stone Mountain Evergreen Conference Center, Register to Attend Graduation

This year’s AOY winner represents IEC Atlanta in the IEC National Apprentice of the Year Competition in Louisville, KY, October 5-8.

Thank You to the AOY Judges: 

Pipe Bending: Simone Adcock, RBG Electrical, LLC & Casandra Light, MetroPower, Inc.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Motor Control: Bruce McCart, Putzel Electrical Contractors & Melissa Slate, IEC Atlanta, Instructor

 

 

 

 

 

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2022 Power Show Provides VIP Experience to Attendees

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2022 Power Show Provides VIP Experience to Attendees

IEC held its 2022 Power Show at Wills Park Equestrian Center in Alpharetta on Tuesday, April 26th.  IEC’s annual Power Show ignited its audience!  This open outdoor venue was filled with over 50 vendors set up to inform attendees;  Nearly 200 Contractor VIPs and guests, over 300 IEC apprentices and friends, family and the community all came out to experience the Power of the Power Show!

IEC’s Power Show features the top 4th year apprentices competing in the 2022 Apprentice of the Year (AOY) competition.  This year there were 11 participants working hard Pipe bending, working Motor Controls wiring diagrams, and completing comprehensive written tests. Guests looked on as these candidates worked diligently to become IEC’s 2022 AOY.

Attendees enjoyed the barbecue, mac & cheese and peach crisp,  while prizes provided by many exhibitors were raffled throughout the day.  VIP Contractors checked in, enjoyed their barbecue early and were able to have some quality time with Power Show vendors.  Congratulations to Lem Mathis, who won the $500 VIP drawing.  VIP access is a new addition to the Power Show and it will only get better as we work to make a special experience for our IEC Contractors.  Don’t miss what VIP status will offer in 2023!

There was so much to see, learn and experience.  It is always exciting to have IDEAL Industries competition on site, giving attendees the opportunity to test their competitive edge!  Ideal never disappoints! 

A special thanks goes out to our sponsors for making the 2022 Power Show a memorable event. 

  • Show bags- Square D & World Electric Supply
  • Lanyards- Atlanta Electrical Distributors
  • Beverages- Eaton, Milwaukee and Smart Lighting Solutions

Great job on the grill, by Chad Brooks, Mike Sasser, Mike Disharoon and Justin Mercer!

Additional thanks to Mike Gunter – AOY Project Manager and Kevin Ward and his leadership class for managing food service and overseeing the set and tear down of the show.   IEC appreciates all the dedication and hard work to put on an amazing show.

A special thanks goes out to IEC National President Troy Corrigan, who flew in from Louisville to meet our guests.

Take a moment to enjoy shots from this fabulous event and we can’t wait to see you next year! 

Ist place

IEC Atlanta Contractors and Partners Bring in Big Catch at the 2022 Fishing Tournament

IEC Atlanta Contractors and Partners Bring in Big Catch at the 2022 Fishing Tournament

1st Place-Sean Duyvejonck and Jesse Hyde

IEC Atlanta along with ABC held its annual fishing tournament on March 26that Lawrence Shoals Recreation Area in Eatonton, Georgia.  They hosted 32 boats as they were launched from Lawrence Shoals boat ramp.  Attendees had competition with more than their fellow anglers, they also contended with aggressive winds on what was still a beautiful day. 

Congratulations and cash prizes were awarded to the following winners;

  • First place was awarded to Sean Duyvejonck and Jesse Hyde of team T.H. Mize Electric with a total weight of 15.75lbs.
  • Second place went to team Rexel/ Thrower Electric. Members Zachary Thrower and Chris Ford hauled in 14.77 lbs.     
  • Third place was team Titan Electric of Georgia with team members Andy Lopez and Raul Lopez weighing in with 12.27lbs.
  • Fourth place winners were team Berkel & Company Contractors, with Johnny Freeman & Johonny M. Freeman with a catch of 10.53lbs.
  • Our “Big Fish” winner was Mike Freeman of Berkel & Company Contractors with a catch of 4.83lbs.

Well done to the winners and all the fishermen participating!  The event was fun and the food was delicious!  Networking and connecting our members for the best experiences and opportunities is what happens during an IEC event.

Thank you to our Event Sponsors- Titan Electric of Georgia, Atlantic Workforce, ESSE, Lighting Associates, Concentra, Mayer Electric Supply and Smart Lighting Solutions.  It’s always a pleasure to work with you to make a fantastic event.

There are more upcoming events.  Check the event page for information on the 2022 Power Show, and Golf tournaments in Savannah and Columbus, Georgia areas!

 

Change Ahead with Arrow sign in a busy commuter city center

Pivot With A Purpose

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Pivot With A Purpose

By Niel Dawson, IEC Atlanta/GA, Executive Director

So here we are in a new year when we all thought (or hoped and prayed) COVID, material delays, worker shortage, and price escalation might be in our rearview mirror, but instead, we’re looking at a full-length mirror of these issues.  As we evaluate managing these issues, it is advisable to pause and determine if what we have been doing has been working.  As the old saying goes, “doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results” is the definition of insanity!

On the other hand, ask yourself what you have been doing to get good results?  In that case, make more time to do more of that activity and eliminate unproductive activity.  A method I have recently discovered is “time blocking.”  Instead of making a list of things to do (which I am famous for), block out a specific amount of time on your calendar to accomplish a particular task.  I know we are all reactionary to the outside demands, but the more you can take time to analyze and plan for the results you want, the more likely you are to achieve your goals.

We all feel there are so many issues outside of our control that it just seems exhausting.  However, we all have control over how we react to these outside pressures.  For example, at our recent IEC strategic planning session, the Board of Directors readily acknowledged the number one issue of a vast majority of our membership is workforce shortage.  Not only is the electrical industry in dire need of workers, but it appears no industry is not clamoring for more workers.  The “great resignation” is upon us like we’ve never seen, and it doesn’t seem to be subsiding anytime soon.

IEC’s new strategic plan calls for both implementing new and creative solutions and increasing the resources for those activities that have been beneficial to finding and training new workers for the membership.  Here are a few strategies in our 2022-24 plan that you can do for yourself as you pivot and tackle purposely to find more workers:

  1. Contract with an ad agency to develop or upgrade your recruitment marketing material (who of us is a marketing expert?)
  2. Adopt a look high school with an emphasis on the trades (contact IEC’s Recruiter, Kevin Ward for a school and contact – ward@iecatlantaga.org)
  3. Expand where you’re looking for workers, i.e., Hispanic, female, churches, sporting clubs, racing organizations, and other groups that are likely to have similar interests that match our industry.
  4. Contract with a person or agency, or hire part-time staff, solely with the task of recruitment.
  5. Evaluate your pay scale and benefits package. IEC is currently conducting a wage survey; be sure to complete it by January 31st.  IEC is now offering a discounted health insurance program through Humana, and don’t forget our 401k retirement program.

These are just a few examples you can do, and you will also see IEC rolling out more new methods in the coming months.  The point is not to react in the same ways to the same issues (they’re not going away) but instead purposely pivot to new strategies that create better results.

 

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