01/17/2025

ECA Membership Meeting Highlights - January 16, 2025 session

The Membership meeting was held in conjunction with the Electric Association's Annual Conference and Trade Show.

ECA Membership Meeting Highlights - January 16, 2025 session
The Membership meeting was held in conjunction with the Electric Association's Annual Conference and Trade Show.

The Electrical Contractors’ Association of City of Chicago (ECA) held its first Membership meeting of 2025 on Thursday, January 16, 2025.  The event was held in conjunction with the Electric Association’s Annual Conference and Trade Show.  The session was held at the Drury Lane Conference Center in Oakbrook Terrace, IL.

The luncheon program featured industry updates and a guest presentation by Ryan James Boyle, VP and Senior Economist - Global Risk Management Division - Northern Trust regarding a Midwest Economic Forecast.

The meeting opened with Bob Fimbianti, ECA President, Linear Electric, Inc., who gave a brief recap on the Election of Officers and the ECA Committee Chairmen appointments from the ECA Executive Committee meeting held on January 13, 2025.   He noted that the Officers of the Electrical Contractors’ Association of City of Chicago for 2025 are:  Bob Fimbianti, President, Linear Electric, Inc.; Kendra Dinkins, Vice President and Treasurer, Taylor Electric Company; and Mark Thomas, Executive Vice President and Secretary. President Fimbianti also recognized the Executive Committee's newest member: John Hartmann, Hartmann Electric Company, Inc., and acknowledged the rest of the ECA Executive Committee: Scott Block, Block Electric Company, Inc., Dave Chorley, Continental Electrical Construction Company, William Cullen,III, Sharlen Electric Company, Kendra Dinkins, Taylor Electric Company, Mallory Gurtz, Gurtz Electric Company, Rick Jamerson, Jamerson & Bauwens Electrical Contractors, Inc., Jerry McGlynn, McWilliams Electric Company, Inc., Thomas Pedergnana, Malko Communication Services, LLC, Thomas Rivi, G & M Electrical Contractors Company, Nicholas Santoro, JMS Electric, Inc., and William Schult, Super Electric Construction Company.

Other highlights include the following, Kendra Dinkins, ECA Vice President, Taylor Electric Company reported that the Leadership Training is to continue in 2025.  The Second Cohort does have room available for those interested.  She reported that on-line Registration was available for all of the upcoming Research & Education Committee sponsored seminars:  Reasonable Suspicion / Sexual Harassment (Jan. 29, 2025); Managing the Lifeblood of Contracting - Cash Flow (Feb. 13, 2025) Labor Cost - Convert Your Biggest Risk To Your Biggest Advantage; (March 13, 2025); Basic Estimating of Electrical Construction (May 12 – 14, 2025); Advanced Estimating with Calculating Shop Burden – (Oct 6 – 8, 2025); Project Planning for Small Projects (Oct. 16, 2025); Increasing Engagement, Retention, and Development for Employees (Nov. 13, 2025).

We thank Jerry McGlynn, ECA Safety Committee Chair, McWilliams Electric Company, Inc. for the local and national Safety updates, as well as the other Committees & Trusts updates.  We also thank Ryan James Boyle, Northern Trust for his dynamic Economic Forecast presentation.  We look forward to the next Membership meeting on February 12, 2025 featuring Jef Fagan, NECA SVP Labor Relations & Risk Management – topics are to include:  Incentive pay, per diem vs. bonuses, proper payment requirements, among other areas. 

Click below for Registration:  

https://ecachicago.com/aws/ECAC/pt/sd/calendar/362346/_PARENT/layout_details/false  

Pictured above from left to right are:  
Ryan James Boyle and Sandy Sinor, Northern Trust,
Bob Fimbianti, ECA President, Linear Electric, Inc. and
incoming Executive Committee member, John Hartmann, Hartmann Electric Company, Inc.

Pictured above is Kendra Dinkins, ECA Vice President, Taylor Electric Company, as she gave the
ECA Research and Education Committee update.

Pictured is Sue Schaus, Powering Chicago, as she gave the LMCC update.

Pictured above is Ryan James Boyle, Northern Trust, as he gave his presentation.