04/15/2026
NECA EMERGE Conference Highlights - April 13-15, 2026
Session was held at the Atlanta Marriott Marquis Hotel in Atlanta, GA.
NECA EMERGE Conferene
April 13-15, 2026
Atlanta, GA
The NECA EMERGE Conference was held April 13–15, 2026 in Atlanta, GA. This marked the second time this groundbreaking conference took place. Designed to happen every other year, EMERGE was created to address the evolving ways NECA contractors do business. Nearly a dozen Chicago Chapter members were able to attend the Conference, as well as participate with a special Chapter Dinner event.
NECA EMERGE brought together multiple industry-favorite meetings into one power-packed, three-day experience. The Conference included Pre-Conference Sessions, General Sessions, Breakout Sessions concerning Limited Energy & Systems Integration, Service & Maintenance, Emerging Opportunities, Business Development, and Prefabrication. The Conference had a Trade Show and a number of networking receptions.
We thank Rick Jamerson, President Emeritus, Jamerson & Bauwens Electrical Contractors, Inc. and Tim Moylan, Gurtz Electric Co. for their assistance with the Business Development Breakout Session, "Recognition That Works: Leveraging Project Excellence Awards for PR & Growth."
We, again, thank the Chapter members for their participation with the Conference.
Listed below are the many sessions that were offered:
Pre-Conference Sessions, included:
Fault Managed Power Systems for Electrical Contractors
PoE Lighting and Automation for Electrical Contractors
NECA Training Professionals Symposium
General sessions, included:
CAPITALIZE: From High Performer to High-Performing Leader, Rennie Curran
AI in Action: What You Need to Know Now, Noelle Russell, AI Leadership Institute
Leading Forward: Vision, Transition, and the Future of Our Industry:
Danna Stone, Graybar, Josh Bone, ELECTRI International, Mark Bates, Bishop & Brogdon, and Ganesh Ramaswamy, Southwire
Creativity, Storytelling, & Innovation, John Ondrasik
Breakout Sessions, included:
Limited Energy & Systems Integration
The Contractor's Role in Cybersecure Infrastructure: Power, Policy, and Performance
Data Center of the Future: Powered by Electrical Contractors
Building Smarter: Deploying FMP, PoE Lighting, and IoT Systems for the Workplace of the Future
The Future of Limited Energy Systems: Evolving Requirements for the 2026 NEC
Powering the Future Job Site: The Rise of Fault-Managed Power Over Traditional AC Systems
The Next Wave in Fiber Optics: Hollow Core, Multi-Core, and Intelligent Sensing
Service & Maintenance sessions, included:
Building and Scaling a Service Division: Five Costly Mistakes to Avoid
Service Excellence Made Simple
In Data We Trust: Emerging Tech is Transforming Electrical Maintenance
Practical Technology for Service and Maintenance Moderated Roundtable
Best Practices for Service and Maintenance: What Are People Doing Right? Part 1
Best Practices for Service and Maintenance: What Are People Doing Right? Part 2
Who Owns the Future of Electrical Service?
Emerging Opportunities sessions, included:
Emerging Trends: Partnering Over Competing
Shifting from Commodity to Consultant: Energy Management Solutions
Cybersecurity Compliance for a Competitive Advantage
Blue Ocean Market Opportunities for Electrical Contractors
Modernization Opportunities: Remodeling Systems
Emerging Opportunities Roundtable
Business Development sessions, included:
Contractor Check-In: What's Happening in Your Market?
Building a Workforce Brand That Works: Using Social Media to Attract and Retain Talent
What's Coming Next: Trends That Will Shape the Next Decade
Navigating the One Big Beautiful Bill Era: New Energy Business Opportunities
Addressing the AI Bubble: Shifting from Data Centers to AI Factories
Getting a Seat at the Table: Building Influence with Local Leaders and Your Community
Building Business Development from the Inside Out: How to Launch, Embed and Measure BD
Recognition That Works: Leveraging Project Excellence Awards for PR & Growth:
Speaker(s): Rick Jamerson, Jamerson & Bauwens Electric, Tim Moylan, Gurtz Electric
Business Development Think Tank & Q&A Lab
Prefabrication programing, included:
Prefabrication Best Practices Town Hall
Prefabrication Next Steps Town Hall
We hope you will be able to attend the next EMERGE Conference in 2028!
Pictured above is Peter Mastrorocco, NECA Senior Vice President, Education, Events and Partnerships,
as he opened up the EMERGE Conference.
Pictured toward the leftside of the photo is Elbert Walters, III, Powering Chicago Executive Director, commenting during a Breakout Session.
Pictured above is Mark Walter, NECA President, during his remarks.
Pictured above is Noelle Russell, AI Leadership Institute, as she began her General Session presentation,
"AI in Action: What You Need to Know Now."
Pictured above is Karyn Charvat, PowerForward DuPage,
as she presented a Business Development Breakout Session.
Pictured above is Jef Fagan, NECA Chief Operating Officer as he introduced an Opening General Session.
Pictured above is Josh Bone, ELECTRI International Executive Director,
as he facilitated a Breakout Session.
Pictured from left to right are the panelists & moderator for the Business Development Breakout Session:
"Recognition That Works: Leveraging Project Excellence Awards for PR & Growth."
Eichelle Thompson, Marketing Director, Lemberg Electric,
Tim Moylan, Director of Design Development, Gurtz Electric Co.,
Max Gallaway, Vice President, Max Electric, Inc., and
Rick Jamerson, President Emeritus, Jamerson & Bauwens Electrical Contractors, Inc.
Pictured above are the panelists and moderator for the
"Recognition That Works: Leveraging Project Excellence Awards for PR & Growth."