NECA Convention 2009 Seattle: The Blog

by Nate S. Oland, National Account Executive, Federated Insurance

I’m really looking forward to the upcoming convention in Boston! It sounds like NECA has some great activities planned, and I intend to participate in as many as I can.  September 15, 2010, marks the one-year anniversary since Federated was chosen as an Official Partner of NECA. We’re very proud of our relationship with such a respected organization.

One thing I especially like about NECA 2010 Boston is the “Connecting the World” tagline that was chosen for this year. The electrical contracting industry is constantly evolving to keep up with the latest technology and regulations.

At Federated, we recently introduced Federated’s Shield Network, an online resource which is designed to help our clients connect to the latest in a wide range of risk management tools and services. Stop by our booth #1101, whether you’re currently insured with Federated or just looking for more information on our programs or Federated’s Shield Network. We want to connect with you!

We’re thrilled to announced that our first-ever NECA Show Construction Zone will be sponsored by Rexel, a leading distributor worldwide of electrical supplies .

The Construction Zone will be the prime location for catching your breath and taking in all that’s available on the NECA Show floor. This central networking lounge will be decked out in the familiar signs of a working jobsite, but the Construction Zone will actually be the best place at NECA 2010 Boston to take a break.

“We’re very excited that Rexel is making the Construction Zone a reality for NECA Show-goers this year,” said Beth Ellis, NECA executive director, convention/exposition. “It’s going to be great for people to have a place to catch up on business or just relax and catch up on the Sunday game scores.”

The Construction Zone will be the perfect spot to grab something cool to drink at the cash bar, check email with free wi-fi, have a quiet conversation, catch up on the scores from Sunday’s NFL games, or tweet about your favorite NECA Show booth. During exhibit hours on Monday, Oct. 4 and Tuesday, Oct. 5, the Construction Zone will display product DVD’s, demos  and other excellent features.

Rexel is making a splash with their sponsorship of the Construction Zone at the 2010 NECA Show, returning as an exhibitor after several years and requests from Show-goers to share their latest services. Rexel will also have a full display at NECA Show booth #141.

“NECA contractors are extremely important to Rexel, and the Construction Zone is a great way to demonstrate our company’s commitment to the work they’re doing,” said Doris Chumley, marketing projects manager for Rexel. “Rexel is focused on providing innovative electrical solutions and equipment to improve comfort, performance, and energy efficiency, and our customers are professionals who understand their clients’ demands for excellent electrical construction. We’re looking forward to making new connections and renewing old contacts at the 2010 NECA Show.”

>>Learn more about Rexel at the 2010 NECA Show

You told us what you wanted, and we listened! NECA 2010 Boston will reflect many great suggestions that will make it an even better event – for you and your company!

1. More family-friendly.
The 2010 NECA Show will be open to all children accompanied by an adult. All they need is a badge for admission!

2. More peer-to-peer networking.
The new NECA Women’s Peer Group and Safety Roundtable are just a few of the opportunities for special groups within the association to meet and discuss the special concerns they face.

3. More opportunities for your entire company.
Newly launched by NECA President Rex Ferry, the “Contractors Challenge: Motivate, Reward, Recognize” is a program any NECA member can customize to help bring talented employees to NECA 2010 Boston. More details can be found online!

4. More access to innovation.
Find more energy solutions across the entire exhibit hall. Companies offering green energy innovations will be identified with NECA Energy Solutions logos on their booths, in the Show Guide and on www.necaconvention.org. Attendees will also be asked to vote for their favorite exhibitors for the first time as part of ELECTRICAL CONTRACTOR’s Show Stoppers awards.

5. First-Timer Orientation
Will NECA 2010 Boston be your first time at NECA’s annual convention and trade show? Don’t get lost or overwhelmed. First-time attendees will have a special orientation session from NECA and Boston chapter staff about determining and following a path that makes the event work best for you.

If you missed the action, NECA tweeted during the Seattle Convention & Trade Show – right from the show floor! Click here to check it out – or to catch up on what you missed!

Here is a helpful step-by-step guide on Social Media, how to get started and what to do – download it now!

For more information on NECA in Social Media, visit our website.

Everyone at the airport yesterday seemed to be a face I recognized from the past four days at NECA 2009 Seattle. We were all sporting bags from NECA Show exhibitors (ELECTRICAL CONTRACTOR’s bag seemed to be the most popular), and we all looked pretty tired, but happy.

NECA 2009 Seattle closed out on Tuesday with an awesome performance by Cirque Dreams at McCaw Hall. There were lots of “ooo’s and ahhh’s” and spontaneous applause during their gravity-defying feats and high-energy performance.

Thanks to all the NECA members and chapters who joined us in Seattle and on the NECA Convention blog this year. But don’t take us off your RSS or Twitter feed just yet! We’ll have more video and photos from Seattle, along with copies of presentations for downloading. Don’t forget to retrieve your CEU certificate either!

If you have any questions about anything we covered in the NECA 2009 Seattle blog, you can always reach me by email. And check out the new site we’ve already launched for NECA 2010 Boston, Oct. 2-5, 2010.

[To answer the question, “what is that group of words thing over there in the right column?” That’s called a “tag cloud” and it’s generated by the “tags” or keywords we assign to each post. As more posts with certain tags are written, that tag shows up as bigger within the cloud, so you can tell at a glance what we’ve written about the most.]

Please click on “Share your thoughts” and tell us your favorite part of NECA 2009 Seattle! Thanks for helping us make it a great event!

The NECA Show featuring over 240 exhibitors with products and services specifically for electrical contractors was unveiled today immediately following the Opening General Session. The Northwest Naval Band, sponsored by Helmets to Hardhats, opened the Show floor today with great fanfare, and thousands of attendees flooded the halls to see the latest and greatest.

Couldn’t make it to Seattle? Check out over 100 products in the virtual New and Featured Product Room online. Ginger Wilson is also tweeting some of the exhibitors that catch her eye on twitter.com/NECAConvention. Subscribe to her tweets today — she gets the first scope on cool prize giveaways at the booths, but you need to be on Twitter first!

With over 240 fabulous exhibitors signed up for the 2009 NECA Show in Seattle, we know it’s going to be tough to see everything in one day. That’s why the NECA Show is open for three full days, to allow Show-goers enough time to meet the manufacturers and try out the products.

Technical workshops will be going out during the NECA Show as well, so it’s a good idea to plan your schedule in advance. Use our interactive Show floor guide and 2009 exhibitors list to see what companies and products will be at the 2009 NECA Show — including first-time exhibitors like Galaxy Control Systems, Candels Consulting, Black Rhino, PEDOC Power Solutions, and DYMO/RHINO (sponsors of our 2009 NECA Show water bottles!).

Don’t forget the New and Featured Product Room opens an hour before the Show floor each day. It’s a great chance to browse new items and updated services at your convenience, and follow up one-on-one with the exhibitors at the Show.

The New & Featured Product Room at The NECA Show focuses exclusively on new and outstanding innovations in electrical construction. It’s the ideal platform to showcase technological advances – and Show-goers report they never miss it! Click here for your online preview!

Did you know many of our exhibitors have put up press releases about their products and services on our site for you to view?

Check it out! Go to the NECA 2009 Seattle website, NECAConvention.org, and click on the Press Release tab to view.

Beth Ellis, executive director for NECA’s convention and trade show, recently took the time to answer a few of the questions about NECA 2009 Seattle. See her Q&A on the new Access Seattle page of the 2009 NECA Seattle blog.