A “small but mighty” chapter is making big waves yet again on the national scene.
Jeff Barber, the executive vice president of projects at VEC in Girard, has been inducted as a Fellow into the National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA) Academy of Contractors.
He was honored during the annual NECA convention in San Diego, Calif. in September. The designation highlights his significant contributions to the electrical contracting industry and his deep involvement with NECA.
“It’s very humbling that someone thought enough to nominate me,” Barber said.
The nomination required recommendations from other Academy members, including Dave Dickey, of “Joe” Dickey Electric, and Rex Ferry, VEC’s owner, Barber’s father-in-law and former NECA national president. Ferry was also awarded the prestigious Pritchard Electrical Industry Award in 2014.
That process took two years from review to approval.
Local influence on NECA leadership
Barber started with VEC in 2001, and that’s when Ferry encouraged him to get involved with NECA by attending conventions and serving in leadership roles. He also was on the Board of Directors for the Mahoning Valley NECA chapter before ascending to board president.
“Now, I’m the governor for our local chapter, which is ultimately an officer’s position for NECA national. Each chapter across the country has its own governor,” he said.
Over the years, Barber’s held positions on several committees, including national workforce development and political action board in NECA’s District 2, among other roles.
The reputation of Mahoning Valley NECA has been elevated because of its strong history of leadership.
“We may be a small chapter, but we are mighty in the NECA arena,” Barber said.
Jack Savage, NECA District 2 director, and Tom Lipka, the Eastern Region field representative in District 2, both served as executive director of Mahoning Valley NECA before taking on NECA national positions.
“It’s amazing to see how much our chapter has contributed nationally.”
Adding vitality at VEC
Barber continues the tradition of leadership. In addition to his involvement with NECA, he’s been a driving force in the evolution of VEC.
One of his most notable achievements is the creation of the systems integrator department.
“It’s the installation of technology, network cabling, computer systems, audio-video systems, and sound and paging systems,” he said. “This department has become a vital part of VEC’s service offerings.”
His company is centered around teamwork and collaboration and emphasizes putting “people first.”
“We do a lot of planning, prefabrication and scheduling to make sure projects run smoothly.”
Barber attributes a lot of his success to earlier experiences in the Marine Corps, being an F-18 electrician and serving with the Navy Blue Angels.
“It was 100 percent a team environment. The attention to detail and ‘get it done’ attitude were top priorities. If the planes didn’t fly, you had a million people that couldn’t see an airshow.”
Amped up for what’s ahead
As for the electrical industry, the 2024 NECA convention saw record attendance with an array of new technologies on display – specifically for project management.
“There’s more software out there than you can shake a stick at,” Barber said.
Although he’s hit a significant milestone in his career, Barber says it’s still an opportunity for further growth and service.
“It’s very humbling to be recognized by my peers, but there’s still a whole lot of work I’ve got to do.”
VEC is a member contractor of NECA-IBEW Electricians, an association consisting of IBEW Local 64 in Youngstown, IBEW Local 573 in Warren and signatory electrical contractors throughout the Mahoning Valley.