NECA Boston Members Meet the Challenge and Open Doors to Innovation and Opportunity
Summer is officially underway, and as I look through this month's newsletter, I'm struck by how many different ways our members continue to shape the future of our industry.
Our Contractor Spotlight on Riordan Brothers Integration highlights something I often hear from successful contractors: growth often comes down to one’s capacity to problem-solve. A curveball request from a homeowner three decades ago prompted two master electricians to broaden their skill sets and rethink their business trajectory. Today, Riordan Brothers is a nationally recognized automation and integration company serving commercial and residential clients from Boston to Chicago to New York. As technology continues to transform the built environment, companies like Riordan Brothers demonstrate how electrical contractors can adapt, innovate, and create new opportunities.
That same spirit of innovation is helping drive important conversations across the Commonwealth. This month, NECA Greater Boston joined a coalition of construction industry organizations that successfully opposed a proposed statewide rent-control ballot initiative. We also expanded our voice in public policy discussions through our new membership in the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation, ensuring our industry remains part of key conversations around infrastructure, workforce development, and economic competitiveness.
We also strengthened our deeply valued partnerships. At the IBEW Progress Meeting, NECA Boston joined labor and utility leaders from across New England to discuss workforce needs, grid modernization, and major energy infrastructure projects throughout the region. At the New England Affordable & Workforce Housing Summit, we participated in conversations with labor leaders, trustees, policymakers, and investment professionals focused on expanding housing opportunities while supporting strong retirement fund performance and union-built construction.
A strong workforce pipeline is essential to the future of our industry. This month, NECA Boston marked two milestones that illustrate our impact on keeping the pipeline robust and moving. First, we congratulated 273 JATC graduates, whose dedication and hard work have prepared them to join the ranks of journeymen electricians and technicians. We also welcomed more than 230 incoming apprentices who are beginning their own journey. Finally, I was pleased to see our newly established Franklin Cummings Tech Student Chapter visit the JATC this month. Inspiration, opportunity, and follow-through – the NECA-IBEW partnership nurtures the workforce pipeline at every stage of the journey.
Lastly, let me thank everyone who joined us for our June Chapter Meeting at Dorchester Brewing Company. Events like these remind us that one of the key benefits of membership is the opportunity to build relationships with fellow contractors, associate members, and industry partners. Those connections and shared ideas set the stage for the next project, the next collaboration, and the next solution to that unexpected challenge.
Thank you for your continued support and engagement. Have a safe and successful summer.
Kristen Gowin
Executive Manager
NECA Greater Boston