Endurance Swimmer Diana Nyad Speaks About Her Journey at NECA 2015

Endurance swimmer shared her insights and a firsthand account of her record-breaking swim, after four failed attempts, from Cuba to Florida during the Closing General Session at NECA 2015 San Francisco last week.

“It looks like a solitary sport, but it takes a team,” she said, adding: “Never give up on your dreams.”

Nyad’s dreams from an early age involved swimming. Her Greek-Egyptian father and French mother supported her, but her focus eventually became very intense after that.

“That’s how people get ahead in life – they’re fanatics,” she said.

Words of wisdom came from a fellow teenage swimmer, who talked about this importance of discipline and focus. “It’s the moment that produces the dream, not the big picture,” she said.

Nyad implored NECA members to embrace life as if they could not have done it “a fingernail better.”

And that’s what she did from that point forward.

After failing to qualify for the Olympics, Nyad was introduced to the world of endurance swimming, which would take her around the world. The Cuba swim represented Mount Everest to Nyad.

For about three decades, Nyad focused on other ventures such as broadcasting, but she always kept her eye on Cuba. Feeling more like a spectator than a doer and having turned 60, and despite some very public failures, she set her sights on the island nation again.

Support and attention ebbed after her fourth failed attempt, but she kept telling herself to remember the importance of the power of the human spirit. That carried her until Labor 2013, when she finally reached her 110-mile goal in about 53 hours.

“It was never about the sport,” he said. “It was bigger than that.”

Before Nyad took the stage, NECA CEO John M. Grau talked about the value of NECA membership and cited the conventions as one of the benefits.

“We’re really one big family, and this is our over-the-top reunion,” he said.

He emphasized that members don’t necessarily buy things from NECA, but they belong to NEC. “Working together makes us special,” Grau said, pointing to issues such as workforce shortages and multiemployer pensions.

“We’re becoming more proactive and less reactive,” he said. “2015 is turning out to be a great year, and we are ready to take on the challenges of 2016.”

ELECTRI Council Chairman Greg Long also presented an update on the group’s research progress.

NECA later recognized several award winners after before Grau spoke, including George Adams (McGraw Award), Dennis Quebe (Comstock Award), Wilson Yancey (Coggeshall Award), David Mackay (Wendt Award), and Brian Damant (Distinguished Service Award). Federated Insurance won the Industry Partner Award.

Thousands Gather in Bay Area for NECA 2015 San Francisco

The National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA) 2015 Convention and Trade Show was deemed another rousing success, with more than 6,000 members and Chapter staff attending this year’s events in San Francisco. 

The annual gathering continues to be an exciting mix of opportunities for education, inspiration, networking, and fun!

“Every year, they get better and better,” said Sonja Rheaume of Christenson Electric in Portland, OR.

NECA kicked things off by hosting the opening reception at the world-famous Exploratorium where conventioneers and guests danced the night away with music from the Milwaukee Tool band. Located at San Francisco’s Pier 15, the Exploratorium is internationally recognized as the premier museum of science, art and human perception containing over 650 interactive exhibits ranging from mechanical contraptions to “physical phenomenon” artworks to high-tech computerized displays. Attendees were able to explore museum exhibits, enjoy specialty cocktails, fortune telling, karaoke and much more!

On Sunday, the NECA Show opened with the ceremonial ribbon cutting by NECA executive director, Beth Ellis. The NECA Show is the #1 trade show of it’s kind in the electrical construction industry presenting the largest gathering of manufacturers and distributors showcasing thousands of solutions contractors need to save time and money on the job, and grow their business.

Highlights of NECA 2015 San Francisco, which concluded Tuesday, included dynamic speakers such as education visionary Sal Khan who shared his global vision of learning and the creation of the Khan Academy. Learn more »

The second general session speaker was endurance swimmer Diana Nyad, who talked about her historic swim from Cuba to the United States and the importance of having a dynamic and amazing team. Learn more »

Read more about these sessions on the blog

There were also preconvention workshops and educational opportunities throughout the weekend. View full schedule here » 

Other meetings included theNECA Business Development Meeting, the Women in NECA (WIN) Roundtable and the NECA Student Chapters Job Fair and Green Energy Challenge.

Iowa State University was named the winner of the Green Energy Challenge. The student team from Iowa State beat out two other finalists, Penn State University and the Illinois Institute of Technology, for the top spot. Purdue University won the poster contest.

Charles Freeman of Gulf Electric in Mobile, AL and his wife Shaleen said they enjoyed their trip to the Bay Area. They gave rave reviews for all of the presentations at NECA 2015 San Francisco, especially the one about Alcatraz, Life on the Rock.

Chart-topping musician Kenny Loggins had NECA 2015 attendees getting Footloose when he performed an exclusive concert Tuesday evening for the closing celebration at the Warfield.

Education presentations and credit hours are now avilabile, learn more here »

Be sure to check out NECA’s Flickr stream at flickr.com/necanet for photos of everything that went down during NECA 2015 San Francisco — we may even have one of you!

Next year’s convention will take place in Boston, October 7-10 at the Boston Convention & Exposition Center. Save the date and be sure to sign up again when registration opens on June 3.

More information will soon be available on necaconvention.org.

See you in Boston!

Panel of Alcatraz Experts Talk About ‘Life on the Rock’ at NECA 2015 San Francisco

NECA 2015 San Francisco attendees heard about the history and some common misconceptions surrounding Alcatraz, one of the most infamous prisons in the world, from a panel of experts at a special session held on Monday.

The panel included a former prisoner on the Alcatraz, a former guard, a daughter of a former guard and an expert on the island.

The former prisoner, Robert Luke, was released from Alcatraz 56 years ago (and has been married for 42 of those years).

As he described his experiences on the island, he mentioned that one of the downsides of Alcatraz was the smallness of the prison.

“There was no place to go,” he said.

He struggled with violent tendencies and was moved around several times during his stay. But he worked jobs and read every chance he got, sometimes two or three books a week.

As the daughter of an Alcatraz warden who moved to the island at age 7, Jolene Babyak had fond memories of the place. She went to school in the city, and friends could come to visit.

“It was a fabulous place to live,” she recalled. “People sacrificed careers to stay there because it was so beautiful.”

Most escapes happened at the other side of the island during the day, when she and her peers were at school. Her family moved away and then back when she was 15 in 1962. It was then that she experienced dealing with a prison escape – she and her family were safe – and her first kiss.

Georgie De Vincenzi, a former prison guard on the island, said he had pleasant memories as well.

But some memories were also very violent, as he described at the panel. He witnessed two murders within his first few years on the job and dealt with well-known inmates such as Robert Stroud, George “Machine Gun” Kelly and Billy Cook.

John Martini delved into the history of the island, which closed in 1963. It was occupied by Native Americans for a year and a half before coming part of the National Park Service. Approximately 1,500 men were incarcerated there.

Martini said movies have created a “mythological Alcatraz” because of its isolated nature. “The real Alcatraz is a far cry from that,” he said.

Luke agreed. “It’s either very exciting or very dull, mostly dull,” he said.

There was very little gang activity or drug use, he added, and the underground units stopped being used in 1938.

So why did Alcatraz shut down?

“It was very expensive,” Martini said. “It’s a rock. By the 1960s, it lost its reason for being.”

Education Pioneer Sal Khan Talks About His Global Vision for Learning

Sal Khan, founder and CEO of Khan Academy, a global nonprofit with the mission of providing free, high-quality education to “anyone, anywhere” in the world, shared his vision for learning at the Opening General Session NECA 2015 San Francisco on Sunday.

The impetus of Khan Academy started about 10 years ago, when Khan heard from an aunt that his cousin was having trouble understanding certain math concepts.

“She had become convinced she didn’t have the math gene,” Khan said.

Soon, after he got off work, Khan started doing lessons with his cousin through instant messaging and she started to improve. He started tutoring other cousins as well. Scheduling conflicts led Khan to posting lessons on YouTube and it grew from there.

A hedge fund analyst with degrees from MIT and Harvard, Khan ultimately decided to quit his job and pursue his work in education. But it wasn’t without doubts. He received $100,000 from a key backer early on, which helped him get things off the ground.

Then, he got noticed by Bill Gates. And Google reached out. That momentum enabled Khan to get office space and start building a team.

Khan said Khan Academy is set up similar to the way you play a video game. You have to master one level before you can move to the next, and you can’t ignore the gaps in knowledge.

Khan Academy’s website now provides self-pacing software and unlimited access to over 5,100 instructional videos on its YouTube channel covering everything from basic arithmetic to college-level science and economics. It’s the most-used library of educational videos on the web, with 10 million unique users per month, more than 300 million lessons delivered, and over 1.4 billion exercises completed.

Khan Academy is based in Mountain View, California, with about 100 full-time engineers and educators. Some students have become interns and, in some cases, full-time employees.

“In a bizarre way, we’re solving our own labor problem,” Khan said.

Khan said he feels like the world is at a special time in history. Education, he hopes, is becoming more like food and shelter, a “fundamental human right.”

Before Khan took the stage, conventioneers heard from NECA President David A. Hardt. Hardt said leaders have made a lot of progress moving the industry forward and told those in the audience to ask their chapter governors for updates.

Hardt also mentioned the Value of Membership Task Force and the important work it is doing.

“NECA provides tremendous value, but many of our members don’t knoe what’s available to them,” he said.

He added the greater participation will ensure that members’ needs are met.

“We’re a great association,” he said. “Thank you for your support.”

Former NECA President Dennis F. Quebe later provided an update on the Academy of Electrical Contracting and its recent progress. Thirteen new inductees were introduced and installed.

Alex Owen, chairman of NECA’s Political Leadership Council, also shared remarks and encouraged members to be engaged to make sure their voice is heard.

Welcome to NECA 2015 San Francisco!

You have arrived at the electrical construction industry’s No. 1 event of the year — The NECA Convention and Trade Show — an exciting mix of opportunities for education, inspiration, networking, and fun!

For all the information you need, go to www.necaconvention.org.

There, you’ll be able to view a full schedule and get to know your way around San Francisco.

Here are a few things you can look forward to: 

• NECA will kick things off by hosting the opening reception at the world-famous Exploratorium on Saturday night. Conventioneers and guests are invited to gather at a mad scientist’s penny arcade, an inventor’s funhouse, and an experimental laboratory all rolled into one eye-popping, playful place. Enjoy refreshments, delicious nibbles, stunning views of the Bay, camaraderie, and, of course, endless exploration!
• You will also get to hear from several dynamic speakers while you’re here.
• The Opening General Session will feature Sal Kahn, founder and CEO of the Khan Academy, a not-forprofit organization with the mission of providing a free, world-class education to anyone, anywhere. And endurance swimmer, broadcaster and noted swimmer Diana Nyad is sure to impart some valuable lessons during the Closing General Session.
• Preconvention workshops start on Saturday. Other meetings to attend include the NECA Business Development Meeting (Saturday), the Women in NECA Roundtable (Monday) and the NECA Student Chapters Job Fair (Saturday).
• Educational tracks include business management; labor relations (new this year!); leadership and communications; project management; standards and safety; and technology, process and innovation.
• If you’re ready to take in a rousing concert and dance the night away, the Warfield is the perfect spot. Join us Tuesday night at our Closing Celebration for an exclusive concert by chart-topping musician Kenny Loggins. Seating and an open bar will be available.

Don’t forget to share your experiences while in San Francisco, use the tag #NECA15 on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Flickr.

We hope you enjoy your stay in San Francisco and get the most out of NECA 2015 San Francisco. See you around!

Social Media Takeover!

Getting Social at #NECA15

Make the most of NECA 2015 San Francisco by taking advantage of our social networks!

The NECA 2015 San Francisco App, social channels, and official website have tremendously enhanced networking, solutions, and productivity capabilities.

Downloading the app connects you to the full convention schedule (with the ability to sort by education track listing, topic, or speakers), listing of speakers with bios, and access to #NECA15 social media. Additionally, the app offers a customizable on-site planner and an interactive map of the 2015 NECA Show floor. The app is completely free and provides anything you need to know about #NECA15 and/or San Francisco, complete with information on hotels, tours, and restaurants at your fingertips. Scroll over and follow us on our social channels including Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter, to stay up to date before, during, and after the Convention.

#NECA15 will even offer a selfie station where participants are given the opportunity to take fun selfies with all their NECA friends. Posting their chosen picture to Instagram using our hashtag (#NECA15) offers them a chance to win a custom NECA selfie stick.

We’ll see you there!

NECA 2015 San Francisco Sweepstakes; WIN All Access Pass

Enter to Win Free registration to NECA 2015 San Francisco, a $2060 value!

Simply like our Facebook page to enter.

Like NECA on Facebook to Win!

Prize Package Includes full registration package, your all-access pass to:

• Opening Reception at the San Francisco Exploratorium
• two (2) General Sessions: Sal Khan & Diana Nyad
• Special Session: Life on the Rock
• Convention Education
• The Business Development, Safety Roundtable, Women In NECA Roundtable and Student Chapter Job Fair Special Event Sessions
• Technical Workshops
• the Showstopper Showcase
• Daily Prize Drawing Tickets
• Member Spouse Gift
• three (3) days of the NECA Show including lunch
• and the Closing Celebration: Kenny Loggins

Like NECA on Facebook to Win!

Don’t forget to visit the NECA Social Media Lounge in booth #155 on the NECA Show floor!

Use #NECA15 to share your pics, updates and everything NECA 2015 San Francisco!

It’s not too late!

Register today! »

EXPERT ON STRESS RETURNING TO TEACH CLASSES AT NECA CONVETION

When Zack Armstrong attended a new NECA Now class recently, he came away extremely impressed.

Armstrong, who works with McCoy Electric Company, based in Portland, Oregon, said it was the single best class he’s attended with NECA.

The workshop was called “Stress & the Mind Body Connection,” and it was led by Alice D. Domar, a pioneer in the field of mind/body medicine.

“Alice was very present and engaged as a speaker and presented her topic in a meaningful and understandable way,” Armstrong said. “The entire industry would be very well served to have more classes in this genre at future events.”

That will happen this fall. Similar workshops taught by Domar will be offered at NECA 2015 San Francisco, including “Psychological Strategies to Reduce Stress” and “Physical Strategies to Reduce Stress.” These are pre-convention workshops, so it isn’t necessary to attend the entire convention to attend the programs. Additionally, there are many other great pre-convention sessions being offered, including effective leadership communication, preplanning, and risk management.

The main thing Domar wants attendees to take away from her classes is that people understand the harmful effects stress can have on a person’s mind and health and to recognize symptoms and tools to use to combat those symptoms to lead to improved physical and emotional health.

“It’s a very practical, hands-on approach,” Domar recently said, adding she likes to incorporate humor and personal anecdotes into her presentation. “I’m not talking about how to reduce stress. I’m going to be showing people how to do it.”

Some of the most common symptoms of stress include insomnia, headaches, neck and back pain, irritability, digestion and intestinal problems, fatigue, sadness, joint pain, and increases in alcohol use. Our instincts to control our stress levels tend to be wrong: highly stressed men tend to watch more television and drink more alcohol, while highly stressed women tend to eat more junk food and exercise less. None of those four behaviors are able to decrease stress levels, and actually can lead to more distress.

Domar conducts ongoing ground-breaking research which focuses on the relationship between stress and various medical conditions and the impact of lifestyle habits on mental and physical health. Domar has compiled an impressive list of accomplishments as a best-selling author, media authority and sought-after public speaker.

Added Armstrong: “The mechanics of running our businesses are very important, but the mechanics of taking care of ourselves so we can fire on all cylinders should be our first priority. Alice’s class helped point this out in a very beneficial way.”

Register for NECA 2015 San Francisco »