Wednesday, October 5, 2011

Explore the IEC Mobile App

App Sponsored by:

Are you constantly on your smartphone or tablet? Do you suffer from what some refer to as “appdiction?”  If so, then you will be happy to know that IEC is feeding in to your love of your smartphone/tablet and has created a FREE official convention application!

Scan this code to download the app.
To start, hold your phone up to the QR code on the screen and scan it. This will automatically upload the app to your phone. If you don’t have a QR scanner or camera on your device then you can either pull the app up on your app store/market, and search for “IEC Convention,” “2011 IEC,” “IEC Electric Expo,”54 IEC Convention,” etc. Or, plug this URL into your mobile browser: http://m.core-apps.com/IECCONV11. This will automatically detect your operating system and download the app for you. It’s that easy!
Once the app has successfully downloaded to your phone, go ahead and open it up. Your first step will be to create a login. Create a user name and password, and submit the information to be taken to the dashboard of the app. After that has been set-up, create your profile; this will help you connect with other app users.

Play Around!

There are many features on the app that will help guide you through your convention experience. The best way to learn about what they do is to poke around and play with them.

Alerts:
Your app will send you alerts that notify you of important upcoming events, changes, or other important/urgent information.

My Schedule: This will give you a blank schedule of each day of the convention. This is where you enter in your own personal schedule. If you have an appointment to meet with a vendor at 3:00 p.m. on Wednesday, you would enter that into the timeslot for that day. This is a convenient way to keep track of meetings, classes, and events onsite.
Exhibitors: Once clicked, you will be presented with a current list, in alphabetical order, of IEC Electric Expo 2011 Exhibitors. Select a specific exhibitor to view their booth number and contact information. You can also easily schedule an appointment with an exhibitor, read any of their handouts, or write notes about a vendor…all using this function of the app.

Maps: Need help navigating the expo floor or the hotel ballrooms? Just use this function to look at various venue maps.

Events: We know it’s hard to keep track of everything that is going on during the convention. This function will act as your quick reference for all events, education sessions, and more. Click on the category you wish to look up (luncheons, education sessions, committee meetings, etc) to get event date/time, room number, and a description. This will be especially helpful for the education sessions, which will be segmented by topical track. This function even allows you to take notes and rate a session!

Speakers: You can also look up sessions by speaker name. Select a speaker to view their session, along with a brief bio. You can go one step further and click on their session, which will take you to that session’s page.

Photo Gallery: Document the great time you are having at the convention by taking and uploading pictures to our gallery. You will also see pictures other attendees have taken.

Twitter: If you tweet (and you should), then this will be your favorite function. Use this to send out tweets on the IEC National Convention, while also keeping up with the conversation on what’s being said about the convention. When you click to tweet, your type screen will automatically be populated with the official convention hash tag, #IECconv. Want to tweet about the expo? Use our expo hash tag, #IECexpo.  Tweet about anything, whether it’s about how much fun you are having, or if a session room is too cold…tweet it!

Friends: Connect with other convention attendees. To do this, you must first create your profile. This function allows you to add other convention attendees who are also using this app. Connect with peers by entering their friend code (everybody has a code, which is listed in your profile). This will give you access to their profile information and will act as a digital rolodex. 

Show Documents: Browse this function to see a list of official convention downloadable material. Education session hand outs, important flyers, and more will be available to view.

Downloads: View a short video by the official convention app sponsor, Graybar.



The best way to learn about the app is to simply poke around and explore each function; this may be the only convention where you are encouraged to play with your phone! 

Friday, September 16, 2011

I’m Not Tailgating, I’m Drafting

Every year, the Platinum Partner Party has been a convention highlight and every year, the themes keep getting better and better. In 2010, attendees donned their favorite football attire for our Platinum Partner Tailgate Party. This year, we won’t be tailgating…we will be drafting. Get your trucker hats, jean shorts, and #8 tee-shirts ready because this year you will be attending the NASCAR themed Platinum Partner 500.

Join us Thursday evening, October 13, for a fun night of games, delicious food and drinks, great music, and prizes! Here are some event highlights.

Games

The best part of any Platinum Partner Party is the games. If you thought last year’s games and activities were fun, your expectations will surely be exceeded. Besides the Platinum Partner staple game of corn hole, we have a variety of fast-paced activities that will make you feel like an official Sprint Cup Series driver.

If your favorite part of a race is the pit stops, you are in luck. You will have the opportunity to play pit crew, and quickly (the challenge is timed!) replace tires on a stock car. If you think the pit crew has an easy job, this challenge will surely change your mind. Do you know what it feels like to sit in the driver’s seat and go over 150 miles an hour? For safety purposes, we hope the answer to that question is no, but you can safely try out the virtual reality race cars. You will be able to race a virtual NASCAR stock cars with fellow attendees…try not to crash! Document your time at the Platinum Partner 500 by posing in front of a green screen and get an official party photo taken; you will have a choice of various backgrounds to choose.
Courtesy of funny-business.com

Remember going to amusement parks and racing tiny stock cars on little tracks? Well we will have a micro-reality track and stock cars at this party. There will be various heats throughout the party, where you will be able to remotely drive your mini-stock car around the track, while competing with seven other attendees. Like all the other activities listed above, winning gets you ticket prizes!




­Food

Bring your competitive edge AND your appetite to this party. We will have various stations with all of your favorite foods: sliders, wings, nachos, hot dogs, mac and cheese, BBQ, BBQ, and more BBQ. Try and save room for desert because there will be a warm brownie sundae bar…need we say more. If you are more thirsty than hungry, there will be a bar with various wine and beer selections. You will have drink tickets for this event, but once you run out of drink tickets, you can still buy more.

Prizes

Courtesy of nascar.com
One of the best parts of the Platinum Partner Parties is the prizes. Each partner donates awesome prizes for attendees to claim, should they be so lucky. Increase your chances of winning prizes by collecting as many raffle tickets as you can from the Platinum Partners (who will be wearing special NASCAR attire). How do you do this? By winning games! It pays to play so be sure to collect as many tickets as you can.
Before the party on Saturday, you will also have a chance to win a special prize, simply by attending the IEC Electric Expo 2011. You will be given a “bingo card” with every Platinum Partner’s logo. Get all the logo’s stamped and return your card to the IEC booth in the expo hall. The drawing will take place at the Platinum Partner 500 so if you participated in this game, be sure to attend the party.

What to Wear

If you have any NASCAR attire, pack it! If you don’t have any official racing apparel , casual dress is suggested.
    Go crazy and get creative with this theme! If you want to wear an entire jump suit, we applaud you. Does your company want to make matching pit crew tee-shirts? Go for it! Our main concern is that you have fun.

    Courtesy of USA Today

    The Platinum Partner 500 will take place at the Marriott Louisville Downtown Hotel on Thursday, October 13, at 7:00. See you at the finish line!

    IEC National Platinum Partners



















    Monday, September 12, 2011

    Time’s a Wastin’

    We are now less than a month away from the 54th Annual IEC National Convention & Electric Expo. We’ve been telling you about all the great learning opportunities, networking, and good times you will receive if you attend our event. The real question is, have you registered yet?

    If not, do it NOW. IEC has extended the regular registration rates and the hotel room block! You now have until the end of Friday, September 16, to save money on regular registration rates and discounted hotel rooms. After this deadline, the IEC hotel room block will no longer be available to attendees, and registration rates will increase.

    You know what they say…time is money; and it couldn’t be truer when making travel arrangements. The longer you wait, the more it’s going to cost you. After you read this post and immediately click here to register, then click here to reserve your hotel room, don’t forget about other travel arrangements!

    Are you within driving distance? Lucky you! If not, chances are that you will need to purchase airfare. The longer you wait to make these travel arrangements, the more it’s going to cost you. Bing Travel is perhaps the most convenient tool when booking airfare. It tells you when to book and when to wait. Here is what Bing has to say about booking flights out of some of our member-populous cities:

    San Antonio - $255; 82% chance prices will rise in 7 days.
    Denver - $279; 76% chance prices will increase.
    St. Louis - $161; 50% chance prices will increase within 30 days.
    Atlanta - $298; 80% chance prices will rise within 7 days.
    Portland - $364, 74% chance prices will rise within 30 days.

    Moral of the story? Don’t hesitate when it comes to making travel plans. Set some time aside today to register for our convention (because you won’t want to miss it), reserve a hotel room, and book your travel method (plane, train, or automobile).

    See you in a month!

    Friday, September 2, 2011

    It's in the Hole!








    It wouldn’t be a business trip if golf wasn’t involved. Show us your swing while helping future electricians at the annual Tom Jones Memorial Golf Tournament.

    After much consideration, the chosen course for this event is the Covered Bridge Golf Club in Sellersburg, Indiana, which is just minutes away from our host city, Louisville (transportation provided). This particular course was designed by Masters, U.S. Open, and Senior PGA winner, Fuzzy Zoller.

    Play 18 holes of golf on one of the most beautiful courses in the Midwest.  If you are a golf enthusiast, here are some interesting facts about the course:

    Course set-up


    • It’s a par 72 circuit
    • Features five lakes and a meandering creek
    • Includes contoured hills and trap placements that will make the course challenging; we know our attendees love a good challenge
    • Each hole offers a choice of four separate tees, which match the course to your skill level


    This annual golf tournament is the perfect way to start of the convention. Meet and mingle with other convention attendees over a bloody mary, while sharing best practices and stories from the field. Whether you’re a veteran to the IEC convention or a first time attendee, this is the perfect venue to meet new acquaintances and reconnect with old friends.

    Philanthropy:

    Proceeds from this event help strengthen the future of the electrical industry. A majority of the funds raised from this event go towards the IEC Foundation Scholarship Fund, which helps young electricians afford their education.

    Another portion of the funds raised from the golf tournament will go towards a charity in the Louisville area. Last year, funds went towards a Phoenix youth program.
    So not only can you have fun with your peers on the links, but you will also be helping future electricians and others in need.

    Logistics:

    When: Tuesday, October 11
    Buses leave the host hotel at 6:45am and will return at 3:00pm
    Where: Covered Bridge Golf Club in Sellersburg, Indiana
    Cost: $175 per person, or $600 per foursome. Prices increase after Friday, September 9.
    Register: Fill out an online form by clicking here, and return to the IEC National Office.

    Thursday, August 18, 2011

    “Leadership and learning are indispensable to each other”





    You may/may not have agreed with his politics, but John F. Kennedy had a valid point: leading and expanding your knowledge go hand in hand. To be a leader, you must constantly stay on the cusp of new and relevant information.

    Since our members and convention attendees pride themselves on being leaders not only within their business, but in the electrical industry itself, they are always eager and enthusiastic about learning new things. That is why the education sessions at the IEC Annual National Conventions rival those of any other electrical conference.

    This year, IEC University will host more than 35 education sessions, led by some of the brightest people in the industry. The 35 education sessions are divided among six tracks: Emerging Technologies, Industry Topics, Operations, Business Management, Instructors, and Leadership. With an array of different topic areas, attendees will receive a holistic educational experience.

    As stated above, it’s hard to lead without knowing the newest trends, business practices, or breakthrough innovations within the electrical or business management world. At the convention, you can learn how to break into the EV charging station installation market, and then move on to learning how to effectively implement change and new ideas to your organization.

    Our education sessions also come with great networking opportunities. Between sessions, attendees gather in the refreshment break area to nibble on some snacks and discuss with other attendees or even the speakers what they just learned. These breaks can provide the best opportunities to share new ideas and best practices with peers.

    To see a full list of the education sessions to be presented at the 54th Annual IEC National Convention, visit the IEC National Website.

    Want a sneak peek?

    IEC University will present several FREE pre-convention webinars, which will preview certain educational sessions at the upcoming convention.

    Here is a preliminary schedule of dates/presenters for the webinars. Stay tuned for more information!

    Monday, September 12:
    Leveraging Your Competitive Advantage   Presented by Lee Smither

    Tuesday, September 13:
    Innovations in Solid State Lighting and Low Voltage Distribution
    Presented by Steve Crimi

    Thursday, September 15:
    Building a Better Business in any Economy
    Presented by Duane Shover

    Friday, July 29, 2011

    It's Electric!




    Visit the Electric Expo 2011!
    Each year attendees flock to the exhibit hall to see new products and services, network with vendors, and mingle with not just industry peers, but friends that have been made through various IEC conventions and events. It’s no secret that the exhibit hall is one of the liveliest parts of the convention. This year, enjoy a packed expo hall full of meaningful business opportunities, new information, and special events.

    “I attend the Electric Expo because I enjoy the opportunity to meet new people and I get a chance to see new products and talk to the vendors, as well as see old friends.” – Marty Lyts, Beneco

    With more than 60 exhibitors (and the numbers are steadily rising!) to visit, you will have a multitude of products and services to browse, such as:
    • Wire, cable, and conduit manufacturers 
    • Insurance Providers
    • Training programs
    • Safety products
    • Signaling and signage companies
    • Construction equipment
    • Tools
    • Light bulb manufacturers
    • Telecommunications providers
    • And other electrical equipment manufacturers and service providers 
    “I love the camaraderie with everybody and the ability to learn every time I come to the tradeshow. I enjoy seeing new products and technologies that I can bring back to my company and implement.” – Stephen Borrelli, All-Brite Electric, Inc.

    Besides buying new products and networking with suppliers, there are also opportunities to have a good time while walking the expo floor. The Apprentice of the Year Wire-Off Competition will be held in the middle of the expo. An attendee favorite, come watch IEC’s top fourth-year apprentices compete in this hands-on leg of the competition.  If your chapter’s apprentice is in the running, stop by to show your support and cheer him/her on!

    If you want to shop for a good cause, be sure to visit the LiveWires Silent Auction. Browse different products and bid on your favorites. Last year, the LiveWires raised well over a $1,000 to benefit the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. Remember, it’s not considered “spending money” if it’s for a good cause!

    Get your taste of Kentucky. We are planning on having some fun, Kentucky-themed activities for you to participate in while visiting the Expo. If you can’t make the Kentucky Bourbon Tours (or can’t get enough), then stop by the bourbon tasting table. Do you enjoy a good cigar? Then be sure to stop by the Kentucky tobacco cigar presentation.

    To learn a bit more about the IEC Electric Expo, view this short video below: 



    If you haven’t been to the IEC Electric Expo before, you are in for a great experience. Here are some helpful tips to keep in mind before your trip:

    1. Be sure to bring your business cards; you will want to pass them out when meeting vendors.
    2. Know your numbers! Have an idea of price points you have in mind for specific products and services. Also know how much money you have in your budget if you wish to make a purchase directly at the expo hall.
    3. Come with something to write with/on. If you are serious about purchasing new items for your company, it’s best to take notes to review when you get back to the office. If you plan on making a purchase directly at the trade show, make sure you have your company’s method of payment.
    4. Save room in your suitcase. Exhibitors like to give out fun prizes and freebies so be prepared to bring home some SWAG!
    5. Here is a piece of advice from IEC member Steve Denier of Denier Electric, “Get to know people; don’t be afraid to go up and talk to someone!”
    6. Have fun! As we've stated before, who says you can’t have fun while you learn? Make new friends and business partners. Who knows, they may be a huge help to your career one day. 


    Expo Location/Dates:
    The expo will be located at the Kentucky International Convention Center
    October 13, 12:30 pm – 5:30 pm
    October 14, 12:30 pm – 4:00 pm

    Interested in exhibiting?
    The IEC Electric Expo is a great way to meet the top electrical and systems contractors in the country. For more information on exhibiting opportunities, visit the IEC National website, or contact Rich Ryan at (330) 686-0353. 

    Thursday, July 21, 2011

    And the Award Goes to….


    Each year, IEC members and chapter staff dress to the nines to honor the best and brightest within the association at the convention’s President’s Reception and Awards Gala. Last year in Arizona, we couldn't ask for a nicer setting or a more talented group of winners.

    This year will be no different as we are preparing an even better reception and gala for attendees. Since our host city, Louisville, is the horse racing capital of America, we invite you to the “Kentucky Derby Winner’s Circle!” With good food, lively entertainment, and a unique atmosphere, you will surely get a taste of what it feels like to be a winner at the Kentucky Derby.

    The President’s Reception and Awards Gala celebrates members, chapters, and apprentices who have truly shined this past year. The IEC National Chapter of the Year Award, Industry Achievement Award,  IEC Humanitarian Award, and the Awards of Excellence in Electrical Construction are all presented at this event.
    Also announced at the gala is the crowd favorite, the Apprentice of the Year. For the duration of the convention, fourth-year apprentices from a range of IEC chapters gather to compete for the one coveted title, the Apprentice of the Year. After several days of written tests and a live Wire-Off competition (sponsored by Schneider Electric and The Home Depot), the student with the highest score is announced and receives a generous monetary gift from The Home Depot. 

    The President’s Reception and Awards Gala is included in the convention registration price. You will receive your tickets in your registration packet and get your seat assignment at the registration desk upon checking-in to the convention. If you have not registered for the convention, register either online or use the registration form.

    What to Wear

    The gala is a black tie optional event. Men often wear nice suits to the event, and some will even be wearing tuxedos. Women normally wear nice dresses, long or short, to the gala and some type of shawl or wrap…it can get cold in the ballroom! We encourage you to wear whatever makes you feel comfortable, whether it’s a suit or a tux, your favorite cocktail dress, or that bridesmaid gown you’ve been dying to recycle.

    Award Nominations

    If you want to see your chapter staff or your electrical project receiving an award in the “winner’s circle,” you need to submit a nomination today! The deadline for all nominations is Monday, August 8, 2011. Being that this is the end of July, you better get started on your application!  If you would like to see a list of award categories, download the IEC National Awards Brochure