Tag Archives: NECA-IBEW







VEC provides voice of “Apprentices as Future Leaders” at NECA Convention


For the last five years, the VEC, Inc. team has attended annual NECA Conventions across the country to learn and grow as a company while also presenting their own expertise to peers on a national level through breakout session speaking opportunities. This past October, Mike Reiser, vice president for the Industrial Division, and Bruno Frate, […]

VEC wins NECA Project Excellence Award for Ultium Cells work


Member-contractor, VEC has been awarded a National Electrical Contractors Association Project Excellence Award for its work on the Ultium Cells battery plant in Lordstown, Ohio in 2021. Mike Reiser, VEC Vice President for the Industrial Division, says the team, was “responsible for the switch yard, which is a 138,000-power volt, as well as the substation, […]

Satterlee represents IBEW Local 64 at 25 Under 35 awards dinner


At just 30 years old, Scott Satterlee is being recognized for his role with IBEW Local 64. The electrical worker union’s business manager, along with colleagues and friends, attended the Mahoning Valley Young Professionals 25 Under 35 awards dinner at Stambaugh Auditorium in Youngstown as a nominee; the only building trades representative being honored. He’s […]

Tri-Area Electric truck is outside the Ohio One Building in Youngstown.

Tri-Area Electric settles into new North Jackson home


The last couple of years have been quite the journey for Tri-Area Electric. Formerly located on Wayne Avenue in Youngstown, the company officially calls Rosemont Drive in North Jackson home now. “It was the right time, at the right place with some hard work,” said Bill Leone, founder and president of the company. He started […]

Electricians discuss a task at TJX.

Making the leap to the union side provides new IBEW Local 573 members job security, work closer to home


Last year, two local journeymen electricians made a decision they both agree has been a great move. John Martinelli and Mike Keleman, both represented by IBEW Local 573 in Warren, joined the union in June 2021. They’ve been part of a 12-person team working at the TJX warehouse in Lordstown, most recently working on installing […]

electricians at Ultium

Business Journal Growth Report: Ultium Battery Plant Energizes NECA-IBEW


[As printed in the Business Journal Growth Report 2022 …] Heading into 2021, local electrical contractors and union electricians were hopeful the year would lead to steady, solid work. Driven by one particular project, the NECA-IBEW electricians experienced “the largest number of man-hours that anyone can remember,” says Tom Lipka, executive director, Mahoning Valley NECA […]

A look back on the year’s biggest stories from NECA-IBEW


As this year comes to a close, there are a handful of stories about our local electricians that still have us buzzing with excitement. Ranging from a shift in union leadership in Mahoning County to women blazing their trail in the workforce, here is a look at the top five stories from 2021. Youth movement […]

Local electrical legend, CR Electric member, celebrates birthday and work anniversary between holidays


This week isn’t just the height of the holiday season. It’s Marc Rubin’s 78th birthday, but also his 50th anniversary of being in the electrical industry on Dec. 29. “It’s a joy to work with who I work with, and the customers are great to work with. We’ve established friends throughout the years,” Marc said. […]

electricians and PD staff

Electricians deliver gifts to Potential Development School for Autism


Development Director Crissi Jenkins said the NECA-IBEW Electricians gift card donation will make the holidays brighter for families-in-need who have children at Potential Development School for Students with Autism. A group of representatives from IBEW Local 64, IBEW Local 573 and Mahoning Valley NECA toured the Elementary/Middle School and presented $1,000 in grocery and gas […]

Tom Lipka stands in office.

No bluffing. NECA’s Tom Lipka out-plays 90% of the WSOP field


Leveraging 20 years of experience as an attorney, Tom Lipka has developed a set of people-reading skills that have proved useful both inside and outside the office. The executive director of the Mahoning Valley NECA chapter practiced law before transitioning to the electrical industry in 2019. “The ability to maintain an emotionless appearance and to […]