The Electrical Connection: sparking positive change for the area’s business, education and civic communities

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REBUILDING TOGETHER: IBEW Local 1 apprentices Princeton White (left) and Anthony Norwood prepare to install a vent in a home bathroom as part of this year’s Rebuilding Together St. Louis project. Since 2003, the Electrical Connection has donated more than $800,000 in labor and materials toward efforts to improve more than 450 homes for low-income, disabled and elderly St. Louisans. – IBEW Local 1 photo
REBUILDING TOGETHER: IBEW Local 1 apprentices Princeton White (left) and Anthony Norwood prepare to install a vent in a home bathroom as part of this year’s Rebuilding Together St. Louis project. Since 2003, the Electrical Connection has donated more than $800,000 in labor and materials toward efforts to improve more than 450 homes for low-income, disabled and elderly St. Louisans. – IBEW Local 1 photo

The IBEW/NECA partnership has served St. Louis area for more than 100 years

While IBEW Local 1 and members of the St. Louis Chapter of the National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA) have teamed on projects for more than 100 years, both strengthened their bond in 1993 with the creation of the Electrical Connection.

Since then, the Electrical Connection IBEW/NECA partnership has grown economic opportunity, advanced pacesetting skills and safety to meet the demands of the construction consumer and donated countless hours and resources to strengthen the communities it serves.

BUSINESS, CIVIC INVOLVEMENT

The labor-management partnership is an invaluable member of several local and statewide civic and business organizations. The Electrical Connection has dedicated Executive Vice President Jim Curran to providing the electrical industry’s perspective and expertise though active board service to these organizations:

  • Hawthorn Foundation (board secretary);
  • U.S. Green Building Council-Missouri Chapter (USGBC);
  • Missouri Partnership;
  • Tech 44;
  • St. Louis Regional Chamber Energy and Environmental Committee;
  • Missouri Energy Initiative (vice chair);
  • Univerdant Sustainability Network, LLC;
  • Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI) – Gateway Chapter;
  • Construction Forum Education Foundation STEM Committee;
  • the Economic Development Center of St. Charles County incubator advisory board.

Meanwhile, IBEW Local 1 Business Manager Frank Jacobs serves on the board of the Emergency Communications Commission (ECC), which administers St. Louis County’s emergency communications system and is on the advisory board for the Saint Louis Science Center. Both Jacobs and St. Louis NECA Chapter Chief Executive Officer Doug Martin serve on the board of the Saint Louis Construction Cooperative.

GUIDING WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT

In addition, the Electrical Connection provides support and expertise to guide workforce development statewide. This includes STEM education partnerships with the St. Louis Cardinals, Saint Louis Science Center, Partners for Progress of Greater St. Charles, Mathews-Dickey Boys and Girls Club and numerous school districts. For more than seven years, the Electrical Connection has engaged more than 9,000 students in how STEM subjects translate into electrical careers.

GIVING BACK TO THE COMMUNITIES IT SERVES

The Electrical Connection also has an enduring legacy of giving back to the communities it serves: Its effort includes:

  • Rebuilding Together St. Louis – Over the past 13 years, the Electrical Connection has donated more than $800,000 in labor and materials to improve more than 450 homes for low-income, disabled and elderly St. Louisans.
  • Habitat for Humanity – Since 2004, the Electrical Connection has donated services to safely wire more than 233 new homes, a value of more than $1.5 million.
  • Francois County “Shop with a Cop” – Since 1993, the Electrical Connection has donated more than $54,000 to support a trust-building program where police take disadvantaged children holiday shopping for gifts.
  • National Night Out – The Electrical Connection has made neighborhoods more safe and secure by donating more than $450,000 in materials and services to install security lighting in more than 850 homes in 30-plus St. Louis neighborhoods.
  • Scoreboards for Schools – The Electrical Connection has donated services to install new scoreboards for several schools.

And in times of urgent need, the Electrical Connection has acted to help. This year, it donated services to help restored power to Ride on St. Louis in Kimmswick, Mo., after it was damaged by flooding, and it provided a generator to Stray Rescue of St. Louis during power outage in the heat of July.

COMMITMENT TO CIVIC CAUSES

The Electrical Connection’s commitment to civic causes is further highlighted by its sponsorship of the Saint Louis Science Center’s James S. McDonnell Planetarium lighting. It also supported the inaugural “Light up St. Louis” architectural lighting event in February 2016.

SPONSORSHIPS

In 2015, the Electrical Connection sponsored the return of outdoor professional soccer to St. Louis and is a major sponsor of the St. Louis Football Club this year. The Electrical Connection also sponsors St. Louis Cardinals baseball and St. Louis Blues hockey.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

 For more information on the Electrical Connection, call 314-781-0755 or visit electricalconnection.org.

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