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Electrical Industry History Made! IEC Atlanta Chapter Gets SB 180 Bill Signed!

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Electrical Industry History Made! IEC Atlanta Chapter Gets SB 180 Bill Signed!

By:Niel Dawson, IEC Atlanta/GA Chapter Executive Director

On Monday, April 28th, Mahsa Poorak, IEC Government Affairs Chair, IEC Lobbyist Joel Wiggins, and Executive Director Niel Dawson attended the SB 180 billing signing ceremony at the Grand Hyatt, Buckhead, with Governor Kemp. Many other state Senators and Representatives attended, including the Bill sponsor, Senator Clint Dixon, House Speaker Jon Burns, and Chair of the Higher Education Committee Max Burns.

SB 180 is the first bill IEC has introduced, and the legislature praised it. It allows apprenticeship sponsors registered with the US Department of Labor to apply for grant funding. Previously, only employers were permitted to apply for funding from the state.  The Technical College System of Georgia administers the funding, just as all workforce funding flows.  SB 180 was one of three bills signed at the ceremony that support workforce training.

“As the No.-1 state for business, Georgia has seen record-breaking jobs and investment come to communities in every part of the state,” Kemp said. “With the bills I signed today, we’re taking further steps to prepare Georgians to walk through those open doors.”

Dawson expressed that introducing, spearheading, getting this bill signed, and being present for the signing are among the high points of his career.  The next step is working with the legislature and the Technical College System of Georgia to increase funding for the High Demand Apprenticeship Program.

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1,200 Attend the 2025 IEC Atlanta/GA Power Show

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1,200 Attend the 2025 IEC Atlanta/GA Power Show

By: Marie Thornton, IEC Atlanta & GA Chapters Membership and Marketing Coordinator
IEC Atlanta/ GA Chapter held its annual Power Show on April 8th at the Jim Miller Park & Events Center in Marietta, GA from 1pm to 6pm.  It was the largest turnout yet with 1,200 in attendance!  IEC Contractors, partners, apprentices and guests massed at what you could call a “Power Source” for everything electrical.

Those in attendance visited 65 exhibitors that offered information and, or experiences with materials, supplies, industry practices, resources to improve jobs, or even to acquire jobs.  Interactive displays and industry applicable conversations provided attends with a wealth of knowledge and multiple organization’s gifts.

Located in the center of the event, the 2025 wire-off had 11 competitors, 4th year apprentices competing while demonstrating their skills in conduit bending and motor control wiring.  The winner will win $500 and represent IEC Atlanta at the National Apprentice of the Year (AOY) competition in Pheonix, Arizona in September.  We find out the winner during graduation on June 21st.

If that wasn’t enough, attendees could participate in the silent G.I.F.T. auction where some rare finds were available to bid on, and proceeds go to the G.I.F.T. foundation, which provides scholarships for IEC apprentices. Attendees always look forward to the ongoing raffle for prizes during the Power Show, some left with nice prizes. 

Free barbecue was prepared onsite and drinks were available to all.  It was a full house during the 2025 Power Show, and we anticipate next year being even more grand! You can view pictures from this event below.

There is a lot of support and work that goes into the Power Show.  The wine, beer and soft drinks were compliments of Elliot Electric Supply, SESCO Lighting and HESCO Supply. Eaton, Graybar & DeWalt sponsored food, which includes the delicious barbecue prepared by Chad Brooks, Justin Mercer, Mike Sasser and Carlton Eaton.  On Electrical Services and Smart Lighting Solutions sponsored the show bags.   Milwaukee sponsored lanyards, Square D sponsored the VIP gift, Lade & WESCO the cups.  Mike Gunter was project manager for the AOY competition.  IEC is thankful for your contributions.          

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Members Connect and Enjoy Annual Fishing Tournament

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Members Connect and Enjoy Annual Fishing Tournament

By: Marie Thornton, IEC Atlanta & GA Chapters Membership and Marketing Coordinator

On Saturday, March 22nd, IEC Atlanta hosted its annual fishing tournament at the Lawrenceville Shoals Recreation Area at Lake Oconee.  With 27 boats/teams embarking on a morning of competitive fishing, winners would later return with their dominating share of the catch.  Participants receive prizes, food, beverages and let’s not forget the winner’s trophies!

Congratulations to the winners;

1st place- Team Eckart, with Mike Drummond and Elijah Drummond.  Their catch weighed in at a total of 17.14 pounds. 

2nd place- Team Atlantic Workforce, with Joseph Weathers.  Joseph’s catch weighed in at a total of 15.6 pounds.

3rd place- Team NetZeroUSA, with teammates Taylor Keinat and Steven Hardy bringing in 11.73 pounds.

Finally, 4th place- Team WS. Nielsen Company, Inc.  Teammates Michael Nielsen and Frank Ramey weren’t far behind NetZeroUSA with their catch weighing in at 11.16 pounds.

As we celebrate first through fourth places, there is a participant that stands out with accomplishing the feat of catching the biggest fish of the outing.  Congratulations to David Hardin of Atlantic Workforce.  David’s “Big Fish” came in at a whopping 5.56 pounds!

Great job to the top competitors, and a thank you to everyone who showed up to venture out on the lake with IEC.  You can find the winners and more pictures from this event below.

IEC Contractors and members work hard, and IEC events provide a place to connect with the industry, and enjoy themselves.  Of course, a key factor in the success of an IEC event are the sponsors. 

IEC would like to thank the following sponsors for supporting this event, and coming out to get to know the members.  Thank you to Titan Electric Companies, Coastal Electric of Georgia, Inc., NetZeroUSA Commercial LED Lighting, and ABC of Georgia. 

Please come out to our upcoming events.  Savannah golf on May 2nd and Columbus golf on June 13th.  In addition, be sure to register to attend the Power Show if you haven’t done do already and follow our event page for any upcoming events.

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Tort Reform Tightrope

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Tort Reform Tightrope

By:Niel Dawson, IEC Atlanta, Georgia, Executive Director

Cracks have formed in the Kemp-led effort to shield businesses and insurers from big lawsuit payouts amid fierce opposition from crime victims, who turned out in droves this week to slam tort reform and spurred fresh doubts among on-the-fence House lawmakers.

After sailing through the Senate last month, the reform measures outlined in Senate Bill 68, sponsored by Senate Pro Tem John F. Kennedy, R-Macon, hit a wall of criticism and scrutiny that has blocked the bill from advancing to the House floor for a final vote.

Leaders are rushing to shore up support following caucus meetings and whip counts that indicate the bill might not have enough votes to clear the House without certain changes, according to people close to those talks who spoke with State Affairs on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal party matters.

Potential changes to the bill would likely center on so-called negligent security lawsuit protections, which opponents say could shield bad-actor businesses from liability and open the door to attacks from predators at places such as day care centers, assisted living facilities, gyms, apartment complexes and hotels.

Kennedy’s office declined to comment for this story, referring questions from State Affairs to the governor’s office.

Kemp, who has made tort reform his top priority this session, has shown no signs of backing down on those protections, which he and the bill’s supporters have argued would guard businesses from frivolous lawsuits and help lower skyrocketing insurance premiums.

“The governor, he wants this damn thing passed no matter what,” Rep. Alan Powell, R-Hartwell, one of the Legislature’s longest-serving members, told State Affairs.

It is unclear if the governor would support any changes to the tort reform bill. In a statement Friday, a Kemp spokesperson noted that “we look forward to continuing our work with legislators to get meaningful tort reform done.”

“Let’s be clear: The governor has been and is committed to a balanced and commonsense tort reform package that doesn’t prevent any Georgian who has been wronged from getting the justice they deserve,” Garrison Douglas, Kemp’s press secretary, said in the statement. “This issue has been studied extensively, in addition to the robust conversations with stakeholders on all sides, and the governor will continue to be open to conversations and constructive recommendations throughout the legislative process.“

If it remains unchanged, the reform bill would need to pass in only the House to head to Kemp’s desk for his signature. Changes would send the bill back to the Senate for more votes.

The bill must first gain approval from the House Rules Subcommittee on Lawsuit Reform before the full House can vote. The subcommittee’s chairman, Rep. Rob Leverett, R-Elberton, has not yet indicated when he may schedule a vote on the bill.

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IEC Atlanta/GA Hosts Industrial Motor Controls Competition at SkillsUSA

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IEC Atlanta/GA Hosts Industrial Motor Controls Competition at SkillsUSA

By:Hance Joiner, IEC Georgia Workforce Recruiter

On February 20-22, high school students and post secondary students showcased their skills across multiple disciplines and industries like construction, health science, and leadership. For more than 25 years, the IEC hosted the Industrial Motor Controls competition, putting students’ wiring and conduit bending skills to the test. 

IEC staff spoke with middle school students, high school students, post secondary students, instructors, parents, and administrators. We had the opportunity to create new partnerships, while reinforcing existing ones. Staff and instructors also led hands on activities where participants learned how to wire up single pull, 3-way, and 4-way switches, carrying on the IEC’s mission to train and educate the next generation of electricians.  See pictures from this event below.

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Biz Summit Scores Big with Members!

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Biz Summit Scores Big with Members!

By: Niel Dawson, IEC Atlanta/GA Executive Director

In late January, a delegation of 15 IEC Atlanta & Georgia members headed to San Antonio for IEC’s annual Business Summit, where they joined over 270 other members nationwide. The summit included committee meetings, the election of national officers, plenty of training, and a few social events.

Members took advantage of some of the training, including the Use of AI in Construction, Innovative Workforce Solutions, Cyber Security Issues, Top Ten HR Issues, NEC Code Updates, and much more.

IEC’s Niel Dawson, Hance Joiner, Linda Smith, and Alex Stewart presented “Innovative Workforce Solutions” to a packed crowd of over 70 attendees (picture attached). Additionally, both Atlanta and Georgia Chapters were awarded the “Membership Growth Award” with membership growth of over 5% for each chapter.

The next IEC National event is the Apprentice of the Year Competition in Colorado Springs, where our Atlanta Apprentice of the Year, Jesse Bevins, with Georgia Central, will compete with over 30 other apprentices.

The IEC Power Show will be on April 8th at the Jim Miller Park, where our 2025 Apprentice of the Year will take place. Register now to attend and enjoy over 50 exhibitors and great BBQ, all for free!

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IEC Training Creates ROI, Worker Retention and Customer Satisfaction

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IEC Training Creates ROI, Worker Retention and Customer Satisfaction

By: Todd Hawkins, VP of Education and Membership Development

IEC Training is good for your company, customers and employees.  According to SHRM (Society for Human Resource Management) training/ learning and development, 66% of 18–24-year-old employees see job training as one of the most important benefits offered by your company.  Employee retention and new employee attraction are top reasons to train your current employee because employees are 67% more likely to recommend working at your company when they feel valued and productive.

Return on Investment – Many contractors ask what is the return on investment when training my employees?  One way to answer that question is to ask, is the cost of training current employees less than the cost of hiring new employees? If the answer is yes then your ROI is good.  There are even more important reasons to train your employees.  Improving the skills, knowledge and understanding of your employees leads to improved customer satisfaction and less rework.

When considering training for your company you may want to ask employees, supervisors and managers what type of training would be most effective for them.  The goal of training is to identify staff weaknesses and focus your training efforts on improving those weak skills. Look for skills that improve productivity, reduce installation errors and improves communication.   A good way to evaluate the results of your training options is to measure the new skills acquired and how your employee is applying those new skills to completing their job.  After all, you want to see results in performance that are observable and measurable.

IEC Atlanta & Georgia Chapters wants to be an integral part of training your employees.  Choose one or more of our great training classes or Contact Todd Hawkins, VP Education and Membership Development with your requests for personalized training so we can develop and or find the training that helps your company succeed.

You can find these upcoming classes and registration here.

Pre-Apprenticeship Program – Helps new workers gain skills quickly.  IEC Pre-Apprenticeship Certified applicants require less time to get to productivity – March 3 – March 26, Includes OSHA 10 and CPR First Aid Cards

Code by Article – Helps improve Code Knowledge – Tuesdays, Feb – April

Master Class in Prospecting for Federal Dollars – Prepare and Pursue Government Contracts – Feb 26

Macon Lunch and Learn – Code Changes for 2023 – Feb 28

Augusta Lunch and Learn – Code Changes for 2023 – March 7

DOT Approved EV Charging Course – March 11 – March 20

Mastering Financials for Foremen – Boost Profits and Job Performance – March 11

Essential Estimating Skills – Include all costs and boost profits when estimating – March 14 – March 16

Review NEC Articles in Kennesaw GA – A Code Review of Selected NEC 2023 Articles – April 14 – May 12

Foundations of Project Management – Practical Electrical Project Management Course – April 23-25

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IEC’s 2024 Christmas Party and Awards Luncheon

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IEC’s 2024 Christmas Party and Awards Luncheon

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

IEC Atlanta and Georgia Chapters hosted its annual Christmas party at Maggiano’s Cumberland on Friday, December 6th from 11:00am to 2:00pm.  This festive event catered to 170 attendees which included contractor members, partner members and guests.  The annual Christmas party provides an opportunity to share the associations accomplishments and to thank its members who have helped IEC’s success along the way.

Thank you to our 2024 Board of Directors, and the 2025 – 26 Board of Directors were sworn in.


Darren Lodge, President
Nick Young, Vice-President
Greg Holloway, Secretary/Treasurer
Jimmy Nall-VP of Partners
Steve Askea, Past President
Directors:
Charlie Brooks
John Flynn
 Lem Mathis
BJ Thomas
Mahsa Poorak

 It’s IEC Atlanta’s 59th year and there have been some amazing accomplishments along the way.  To show its appreciation, IEC has special awards that represent the recipient’s contribution.

Congratulations to the following;

  • Lifetime Achievement Award- Steve Askea, Ask Kay Electric
  • Industry Award- Derrick Jones
  • President’s Award- Mahsa Poorak, Southern Electric Company
  • Manufacturer Partner of the Year- John Flynn, Hubbell Wiring Solutions
  • Distributor of the Year- Colter Albritton, Mayer Electric
  • Specialty Partner f the Year- Chris Caiaccio, Kilpatrick, Townsend
  • Contractor of the Year- Charlie Brooks of Capital City Electrical Services

Our members make us who we are.  It is only right that we honor those who are with us for the long run.  We acknowledge 22 of 192 contractors who have been members for 5, 10, 20, 30 and 35 years as of 2024.

Those onsite to receive their awards are;

10 Year – Sole Source Electrical Contractors – Keith Haskell & John Morgan
30 Year – Craft Electric & Maintenance – Justin Mercer
35 Year – Georgia Specialty Constructors – Zach Melton & Amanda Strong

The afternoon wrapped up with a vigorous bidding game of Paddle Raffle with Tom LeMay as auctioneer awarding prizes to many in attendance.  A final game of Heads or Tails determined the winner of the highly sought after 70 in television.  It was a fabulous time.  Many were awarded, and all celebrated.  Thanks to the Overall Event Sponsor Federated Insurance.  Your support is greatly appreciated.  Additional thank you’s go out to 35 sponsors.  See full list of sponsors here.   See additional pictures from this event below.

 

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National Apprenticeship Week Provides Opportunity to Celebrate the Future of IEC and the Electrical Industry

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National Apprenticeship Week Provides Opportunity to Celebrate the Future of IEC and the Electrical Industry

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

IEC Atlanta and Georgia chapters participated in the 2024 National Apprenticeship Week, November 17th to the 23rd.  Annually employers, industry representatives, labor organizations and more celebrate industry apprentices.  IEC Atlanta and Georgia chapters joined in to let their apprentices know how valuable they are. 

IEC apprentices were greeted with a welcoming banner hanging outside the building stating “We love our apprentices!”  Fresh popcorn was popped for all apprentices at the main Winters Chapel location, and the satellite locations had their snacks sent to them.  See highlight here. Weeks previously a TikTok contest was executed and participants submitted their videos showing how they get ready for the job site.  The winner was awarded a $100 gift card from Home Depot.  You can find his creative work on IEC’s TikTok page, @IECAtlGa.  It was a pleasant surprise for the students.

In addition to treats and TikTok fun, dependable and high achieving apprentices were presented with perfect attendance and academic achievement certificates.  National Apprenticeship Week is the perfect time to let the hard-working apprentices know that we see them.

Finally, IEC partner member Milwaukee Tool paid apprentices a visit with and informative presentation on the latest industry tools and then gifted them with Milwaukee sharpie pens.  You can never have too many supplies when you are working toward your electrical career. 

On the administrative side, Lana Frye, IEC’s Training Manager, participated in the 3rd Annual National Apprenticeship Week Apprenticeship Excellence Event.  She was joined by IEC Georgia contractor Caroline Ireland of Ireland Electric Corp. for an engaging apprenticeship discussion. Ms. Ireland shared her experience as a 3rd generation contractor having actually gone through apprenticeship and how she has benefited from it.  The event explored registered apprenticeship, the Department of Labor resources and the protections available.  Information that allows IEC to better serve its apprentices.

National Apprenticeship Week is the opportunity IEC Atlanta and Chapters use to make a big deal out of the future of the electrical industry.  We are getting them ready with support, resources and guidance to be skilled professional electrical workers.  None of these matters if you do not have the willing apprentices ready to take the steps to prepare for the industry.  IEC Atlanta and Georgia Chapters appreciates its apprentices!  Happy 2024 National Apprenticeship Week!

 

ATL Clay Shoot (1st Place)

Members are Focused During the 2024 Annual Sporting Clay Shoot

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Members are Focused During the 2024 Annual IEC Sporting Clay Shoot

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

On Friday, November 15th IEC Atlanta hosted its annual Sporting Clay Shoot at Garland Mountain in Waleska, GA.  Garland Mountain is beautifully recently renovated and served as a perfect backdrop for one of IEC’s classic networking events.  18 teams consisting of members and guests had the opportunity to focus and go for their goal!

The day was beautiful and participants enjoyed a continental breakfast, lunch, beverages and prizes.  Thanks to our overall sponsor Lighting Associations for supporting a spectacular Clay Shoot.  You make these events amazing.

Congratulations to some really focused shooters hitting the mark and heading home with prizes!

  • First Place- Team ESU with Latham Moss, Chris Webb, Travis Kellum and Kyle Martin scoring 278
  • Second Place- Team Eckhart with Mike Drummond, Larry McKinney, Russell Shell and Scott Dukinski scoring 271
  • Third Place- Team Atlantic Workforce with Justin Ray, David Harden, Kirk Ellis and Joey Miller scoring 262
  • High Shooter goes to Kyle Martin of team ESU scoring 88!
  • A.L. Shooter was Chris Britton of team Infinity. Literally giving his best shot scoring 14!

See pictures of the winners and those who came out to join us below.  Additional thank you to the Station Sponsors;

Station Sponsors:  ABB Installation Products, Acuity Brands, Atlantic Workforce, BenSource, CED, Commercial Truck & Van, Duvall Agency, Elliott Electric Supply, EMT Electrical Service, Federated Insurance, GEA Integral Solutions, Harbin Insurance, Home Depot, Kojo Technologies, Lade Electric, Legrand, Lighting Associates, Smart Lighting Solutions, Southern Lighting Source, Southwire, WESCO, and World Electric.  It was great having you along!

A special thanks to Excel Electrical Technologies for providing the ammo bag, Milwaukee for the warm-up Sponsor and Hubbell for the Drink Sponsor.

Thank you to everyone who came out to the annual sporting clay shoot and we look forward to seeing you next year.

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