Ten Fellows Inducted as Fellows in Academy of Electrical Contracting
October 7, 2008
The Academy of Electrical Contracting recently marked its 40th anniversary with the induction of ten new Fellows to this exceptional organization.
2008 Inductees to the Academy of Electrical Contracting. Not pictured is Jim Cornelius.
The Academy held its first meeting at Philosopher’s Hall in Boston in 1968 to recognize exceptional and outstanding service to the electrical contracting industry. The first class of Academy Fellows included Robert W. Colgan (NECA president 1974-79) and Robert Higgins (NECA Executive Vice President).
Since that first meeting, the Academy has served as the “voice of experience” for the National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA) and ELECTRI International – The Foundation for Electrical Construction, Inc. Fellows of the Academy are invited to join the organization based on their exceptional service to the electrical contracting industry. Each Academy Fellow authors a white paper on their area of industry expertise, and they participate in issue analysis to determine trends within the industry and make recommendations. Academy members also participate in long-range studies to ascertain future requirements of the electrical contracting industry.
The ten new Fellows chosen to continue their legacy of service are listed below.
- Daniel L. Bollin, President, Transtar Electric, Toledo, Oh. Ohio/Michigan Chapter, NECA. Bollin was recognized for his contributions to his chapter, including establishing a voluntary political action committee that supports statewide political issues related to the industry and his work to improve local apprenticeship training programs.
- Larry David Cogburn, President, Cogburn Brothers Electric, Jacksonville, Fla. North Florida Chapter, NECA. Cogburn has been a member of the NECA Codes and Standards Committee for five years, where he has been charged with reviewing and refining proposals and guiding the revision process to keep the NEC technically updated and workable. In addition to his election to the Academy, Cogburn received NECA's 2008 McGraw Award recognizing his service on National Electrical Code panels.
- James Harold Cornelius, President, Brown & Heim of Baltimore, Md. Maryland Chapter, NECA. Cornelius has been a vocal advocate for a positive working relationship with NECA’s labor partners in Maryland. He has played a key role in shaping labor contract negotiations and settling disputes fairly. He also serves as trustee of his chapter’s pension and health funds, an often thankless job that requires financial acumen and a deep sense of integrity.
- Gregg B. Eisenhardt, President/Owner, Good Electric Company, Milwaukee, Wis. Milwaukee Chapter, NECA. Eisenhardt was recognized for his efforts to diversify the local workforce and bring new talent into the labor pool. He has given specific help to under-employed workers, helping them overcome some of the obstacles that could be preventing them from making the most of their career potential.
- William H. Green, Senior Vice President/Chief Operating Officer, MYR Group/L. E. Myers Company, Rural Hall, N.C. Southeastern Line Constructors Chapter, NECA. Green has represented the high-voltage line contractors at NECA for more than 30 years. He has been a strong advocate for better safety practices and has added his industry expertise to the Council on Industrial Relations for eight years. Green was also elected to the NECA executive committee as District 10 Vice President in 2009.
- Geary Michael Higgins, Vice President, Labor Relations, NECA, Bethesda, Md. NECA National Office. Higgins has represented the rights of management at the national level for more than 20 years with quiet strength and determination. He is skilled negotiator and has worked with NECA's labor partners to find innovative ways to strengthen the workforce and help NECA contractors compete with non-union employers.
- Dale E. Phagan, President/CEO, Prime Electric, Albuquerque, N.M. New Mexico Chapter, NECA. Phagan has been credited with improving with helping to dramatically improve local labor relations in his chapter. He was a strong advocate for adoption of the Construction Wireman/Construction worker classification and his company donated materials and labor to build two assessment booths to test the abilities of electricians who wanted to enter the program.
- David B. Pinter, President/CEO, Zwicker Electric, New York, N.Y. New York City Chapter, NECA. Pinter has played an active role in his chapter's leadership and was recognized for expanding the chapter's diversity initiatives. He has served on the ELECTRI Council, guiding the research foundation goal to improve the electrical construction industry and is recognized as an "ideal corporate citizen" by his peers.
- James Allen Smith, President/Owner, Jordan-Smith Electric Co., Huntington, W.V. West Virginia-Ohio Valley Chapter, NECA. Smith has served his local apprenticeship training program for more than 30 years as an instructor and curriculum advisor. He devoted considerable energy to building and staffing a new training facility that offered the highest quality education available to apprentices.
- Greg E. Stewart,CEO/Owner, Superior Group: A Division of Electrical Specialists, Columbus, Oh. Central Ohio Chapter, NECA. Stewart was recognized for his many accomplishments in the industry, including his leadership on the Columbus Joint Apprenticeship Training Committee. He spearheaded an outreach program to area vocational training schools and developed a student partnership program.
NECA is the voice of the $130 billion electrical construction industry that brings power, light, and communication technology to buildings and communities across the U.S. NECA’s national office and 119 local chapters advance the industry through advocacy, education, research and standards development. For more information, visit www.necanet.org.
Contact Information
Beth Margulies, Director, Public Relations
301-215-4526, beth.margulies@necanet.org
