IEC National President Troy Corrigan signed the approval letter granting provisional chapter status to the Greater Charlotte IEC during SPARK: Power Tomorrow in October. This was the culmination of many months of effort to elevate the opportunities for the merit shop electrical contractors in the area.
One of those steps was a Meet & Greet held in Charlotte in September, which validated the enthusiasm of the local contractors to establish an IEC presence in greater Charlotte area. Dozens of contractors attended to hear the many benefits of starting a new IEC chapter. IEC Vice President of Membership and Chapter Development Walt Czyrnik took the lead and reviewed with everyone how having an IEC chapter can have a positive impact in the electrical industry. Testimonials were provided by Troy. Also in attendance was incoming IEC National President Cecil Leedy and Membership Committee Chairman Tim White. Thayer Long, Paul Dolenc, and Luisa Reyes were on hand to provide information from the National staff office’s perspective. Premier National Partner Scorpion sponsored the event, and Southwire and Milwaukee Tool donated the door prizes.
Pictured: IEC National Board President Troy Corrigan (right) is pictured here with Greater Charlotte IEC President Jason Parks at the SPARK: Power Tomorrow officially announcing the chapter’s provisional status to the IEC membership!
“Key to our desire to build the Greater Charlotte IEC is to have access to the excellent training offered through the IEC,” says Jason Parks, newly named president of Greater Charlotte IEC. “Within 12 months, we would like to have a brick-and-mortar location for the apprenticeship program ready to go.”
Jason, president of M&J Electric also has been involved as a contractor member with IEC of Kansas for more than a decade and understands the value of using the IEC National curriculum to groom well-trained electricians. In addition to access to education and training, he feels it is equally important that the Charlotte area electrical contractors have the chance to add their voice to help choose the direction of their industry.
Jason is joined on the inaugural Greater Charlotte IEC Board of Directors by representatives from four additional electrical contractors (see below). This Board will work diligently with the IEC National staff to move from its current provisional status to become a fully operational chapter. This involves applying for 501(c)(6) status, hiring an executive director, securing access to IEC National curriculum, hiring instructors, recruiting members, setting up internal operations including a website, and more. The goal is to be able to offer apprenticeship and training for the fall 2023 cycle through the Greater Charlotte IEC.
“Becoming a successful chapter takes a great deal of ongoing effort,” Jason adds. “We will start by addressing immediate training needs and building relationships with contractors in the surrounding area to build a strong membership.”
“Starting a new IEC Chapter is like starting a new business,” says Walt. “Their Board of Directors are focused and as electrical professionals, they are driven and know how to succeed in today’s marketplace. I am confident they will lead Greater Charlotte IEC to a level of success others will want to emulate. It is an honor and a privilege to help our network grow. Moving forward, we can help the hard-working merit shop electrical contractors in the Greater Charlotte IEC!”
Interested Charlotte area contractors are invited to email Walt at wczyrnik@ieci.org to become involved with the Greater Charlotte IEC.
Greater Charlotte Inaugural IEC Board of Directors: Dale Wright, Vice President, Whisonant Electrical Services; Jonathan Honeycutt, Treasurer, Romanoff Group; Jason Parks, President, M&J Electric; Derek Benfield, Secretary, Evergreen Innovation Group (EIG); Mike Whitson, Board Member, Phillips Energy Systems.