The National Electrical Contractors Association has selected industry veteran Skip Perley as the 2018 recipient of the James H. McGraw Award.
Perley is the CEO of TEC-Corp, which is the parent company of Thompson Electric Company. Thompson Electric has offices in Sioux City, Iowa; Sioux Falls, S.D.; and Omaha, Neb.
Perley’s involvement with NECA involves stints as president (2003-2005) and governor (2006-2010) of the Iowa Chapter. He was a member of the Management Development Committee from 2006-2008 and led the Business Development Task Force from 2015-2016. He also served on the Council of Industrial Relations in 2013-2014 and was the co-chair in 2016. Perley recently chaired NECA’s Vision 2020 Task Force during his final year as District 7 Vice President.
“The mission of the Vision 2020 Task Force was the prepare NECA for the future, and Skip’s role over the past few years has been central to that aim,” NECA CEO John M. Grau said.
The James H. McGraw Award was established to encourage constructive thinking for the advancement of electrical construction. The award recognizes the members’ most important personal contribution of to the industry. It was sponsored by McGraw-Hill empire beginning in 1925 before the McGraw family granted NECA permission to assume sponsorship of the award in 1991.
“Skip’s many contributions to NECA will have a lasting effect on our industry,” Grau said. “His dedication to what we do is admirable.”
Also announced, NECA selected Southwire as the 2018 recipient of the NECA Industry Partner Award.
“Southwire has built innovative products that make electrical contractors more productive and safe,” Grau stated. “It is a leader in the industry when it comes to cutting-edge solutions that simplify installation while saving customers time and money.”
Southwire’s reach stretches beyond business as well. In Carroll County, Georgia, where one in three students in a first-grade classroom will not graduate from high school, Southwire and the county’s school system created 12 FOR LIFE educational services. The program provides classroom and work-study opportunities and has been recognized for its impact on the community.
“Southwire is making a difference in the community where it counts: preparing kids for the future,” Grau said. “The company is doing phenomenal work.”
Since 1996, the NECA Industry Partner Award is presented to individuals or organizations allied with the electrical construction industry. Southwire, which is headquartered in Carrollton, Ga., has been a NECA Premier Partner since 2015 and a Platinum Training Partner of the electrical training ALLIANCE.
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