The long days of summer have come to a close and fall is upon us. Through 2009 we’ve tracked the condition of our marketplace here and now seem to have come through the roughest period. All data from housing, manufacturing, lending and Wall Street show a turn upward. It’s a small upward tick but it seems clear that most economic factors have found their bottom. Fall is a good time to be optimistic.
Like your business, the chapter is also gearing up for the last four months of the year. A special Midwest IEC open house is planned for Thursday, September 17 from 6 to 7:30. The purpose of the meeting is to invite all merit shop owners in our region to come see what we have to offer. Chapter Exec Kevin McNulty has been reaching out to our list of prospects, specials emails will remind all members and non-members AND WE NEED your assistance.
If you know a contractor that is not a member of IEC please let us know. It’s possible they are already on our list. But next chance you get, jot down a list of companies that come to mind and give Kevin a call with the name(s). He’ll take it from there. We also have a standard invitation that goes to each prospect and one that can be formatted from you. We will send them the letter and ask you to also call with a reminder of our meeting on the 17th. The Board of Directors will be calling a list of assigned names, as well. So if you know one or two prospects, give us a call and invitations will go out.
Our October membership meeting will feature a speaker on “Green” electrical. What is it? Well, there is a lot of new technology coming to the marketplace that presents electrical contractors new opportunities for work. It’s not a fad but a growing sector. In many parts of the country, electrical contractors have failed to get involved in this work and electrical work is being done by carpenters, engineers and crane companies. Everyone in the IEC should become familiar with the opportunities in this sector. Mark your calendar for October 15!
The Annual Convention in St. Louis is upon us. The dates are October 21-24, 2009. There will be some strong presentations designed to help contractors find new opportunities, increase your service offerings and increase margins through operational efficiency. It’s a drivable distance and a great opportunity to attend our national convention close to home.
One final note, I have been serving as chairman of the national membership committee over this past year and there are some new IEC chapters being created in areas of the country where merit shop owners seek the support and networking of a solid local chapter. Even in tough years like this one, contractors are seeking to form chapters to provide support services to their companies. It’s a demonstration of the importance of IEC programs and services. It is also a hopeful sign that we’ve come off the mat and, as has happened many times before, our industry will be strong again soon.
Gary Dykstra, President - Midwest IEC
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