Throughout the history of IBEW Local 573, three generations of the Yekel family have made an impact as journeyman wiremen. Tom Yekel has been in the electrical trade for 21 years, following in the footsteps of his grandfather, Thomas J., and father, Thomas E. One of Yekel’s favorite moments as an apprentice was working with…
When Victor Flowers looks back at his first day as a commercial electrician apprentice, he can’t help but crack a smile. “On my first job, I had to use what we call a triple-nickel to bend rigid pipe,” Flowers said. “You don’t learn that until your second year [in the apprenticeship], but my first day…
Whether it’s as a commercial electrical apprentice or behind the wheel of a sprint car, Russ Sansosti excels when putting his mind to the test. “The automobile is something that I love. If it’s got four wheels, it’s for me.” As a youngster, Sansosti’s passion for sprint cars began to shift into gear, thanks in…
Kristen Thompson, a junior at Youngstown State University, was awarded the 2018 Mahoning Valley LMCC Scholarship through the Youngstown State University Foundation. “It’s an amazing feeling,” Thompson said. “Without having scholarships, I don’t think college for me would have been a possibility.” As she enters her third year at YSU, Thompson is double majoring in…
When he’s working on a commercial electrical project, Andrew Lemley has a simple mindset. “I like doing something from the ground floor up.” While employed at General Motors, Lemley was looking for a new career path. He applied and was accepted into the residential electrician apprenticeship at the Youngstown Area Electrical JATC. After completing the…
When Raja Sambandham started Cardinal Electric Power in Salem, he wanted an eye-catching name and logo. “Since the company is based out of Ohio and the state bird is a cardinal, I figured the name would stick in people’s minds,” he said. And it has. Since its start in 2010, Cardinal Electric Power has worked…
It was a night of celebration at the first annual Youngstown JATC apprentice end-of-year picnic. “It’s a time for our NECA and IBEW representatives, apprentices, instructors and everybody involved in the JATC program to get together and appreciate the year we had, and all the hard work the apprentices and instructors put in,” said Jack…
It’s all about the thrill of victory for Bob Magni. Magni has a passion for muscle cars that began to roar while he was in high school. He would race against his large group of friends, going up against the likes of a Pontiac GTO, Plymouth Barracuda or Chevy Camaro. “Back then, we would buy…
“If you don’t learn something new every day, you’re not trying hard enough.” That’s the mindset Jon Herchik brings to the jobsite. After 18 years as a carpenter, Herchik was looking for a career that offered more. He spent some time as a salesman for Freightliner Trucks, and then was guided toward becoming a union…
A recent donation from NECA-IBEW Electricians has helped the Mercy Health police department strengthen its K9 officer program. “We couldn’t do what we do without community support like this,” said Ryan Bonacci, chief of police, Mercy Health. “This donation will help us keep the K9 program going well into the future.” Recently, NECA-IBEW Electricians reps…