NECA 2026 in Las Vegas marked my sixth year attending the show — excluding the pandemic year, I have had the opportunity to go to the show on behalf of EC&M every year I have been working with the magazine. And after a few days at the Mandalay Bay, one of the themes that really stuck with me was the importance of relying on our relationships to tackle the industry's top challenges. 

In this year's opening session on Oct. 13, several speakers graced the stage (emceed by David Mead) to share remarks and not only kick off this year's event, but also celebrate 125 of NECA as an organization. Sitting in the audience, I was wowed by the energy of the speakers and the crowd's tangible enthusiasm.

NECA President Mark Walter and Graybar CEO and President Kathy Mazzarella both spoke on some of the biggest challenges driving the industry in the coming years — including data center construction, grid modernization, electrification, etc. And while these technological advancements are both exciting and intimidating, Walter and Mazzarella shared one common thing that is necessary in order for the industry to tackle them head on: a spirit of collaboration within an electrical industry driven by the power of its relationships. 

This was even echoed by guest keynote speaker Nick Saban, famed former head coach of the University of Alabama football team and current ESPN College GameDay commentator. Despite all of his success on and off of the football field, Saban reiterated the importance of having compassion for others and having both individual- and team-level accountability, noting that it is part of "the process," his recipe for sucess.

Relationship-building was also evident on the show floor, as I met and talked with many EC&M readers, apprentices, and both new and long-time NECA show attendees. I spend a lot of time at our booth, and I love the buzz of the show floor, as attendees snake their way through aisles or stop in the middle to catch up with new or longtime friends. It's a perfect picture of what fostering relationships looks like in action — exactly what so many industry leaders said is going to be needed to power America today and in the future. 

It was a great show, and I look forward to what next year brings in Indianapolis as we continue to learn and grow together as an industry.