Hosted by NECA Podcast Network
Episodes
130
Latest episode
Aug 2026
Language
EN-US
The NECA Innovation Overload Podcast helps contractors make sense of industry tools and decide what is right for their business. Each week, the NECA Innovation Team and a weekly guest discuss and tackle problems contractors across the country are facing.
In this episode of Innovation Overload, host Steve Rose, Director of Technical Innovation and Facilities at the Los Angeles Electrical Training Institute, discusses how technology and AI are transforming construction training and workforce development. The conversation explores how early exposure to new tools, ongoing learning, and a commitment to quality help prepare apprentices for long-term success in the industry.
In this episode of Innovation Overload, Jesse Chapman, Chief Operating Officer of VECA Electric & Technologies, shares why contractors need a clear goal when pursuing innovation, especially when results take time. Drawing on VECA’s experience advancing VDC and prefabrication, Jesse explains how keeping the end goal in focus can help teams push through challenges and make progress without expecting immediate cost savings. He discusses VECA’s efforts to reduce on-site labor, improve schedule outcomes, and move work into a safer, controlled environment, while emphasizing the importance of clearly identifying what the company stands to gain. The conversation offers contractors a practical perspective on building a case for new ideas and staying committed when innovation requires patience and investment.
In this Contractor Takeover edition of Innovation Overload, hosts Adam Davis, Director of Fabrication & Modular Solutions at Miller Electric Company, and Adam Rude, Vice President of Construction Support Operations for ERMCO, discuss how contractors can turn innovation into measurable business results. From preconstruction and VDC to fabrication, logistics, and tool management, the conversation explores how new technologies and processes can improve project execution when paired with strong planning and commitment. Listeners will gain practical insight into evaluating new ideas, managing change, and staying the course when implementation challenges arise.
In this episode of Innovation Overload, hosts Dorin Nicorici, President and CEO of Dynalectric Oregon and Arizona, and Joe Barnard, President of National Installation at ArchKey Solutions, speak with Pruthvish Shah, Segment Leader for the Electrical Market Division at 3M, about how they develop technologies that address real-world contractor challenges. Shah discusses 3M’s approach to innovation, the role of customer feedback in product development, and how emerging grid-monitoring and sensing technologies are improving visibility and reliability across electrical systems. Contractors will gain practical insight into evaluating new technologies and identifying where innovation can create measurable value in the field.
In this episode of Innovation Overload, host Adam Davis, Director of Fabrication & Modular Solutions at Miller Electric Company, talks with Brian Yetter, Prefabrication Manager at Hatzel & Buehler, about building a prefab operation that drives real project performance. Yetter shares practical lessons on creating feedback between the field and shop, involving teams in problem-solving, and developing younger workers to think critically and improve processes. For electrical contractors evaluating prefab or refining existing operations, this conversation highlights how strong preconstruction planning, workforce development, and a culture of continuous improvement can turn innovation into measurable results.
"Innovation is order born from chaos." In this episode of Innovation Overload, host Todd Grossweiler of Allison-Smith Company talks with Cameron Binegar from Gerke Electric about embracing the messy moments, growing through the challenge, and turning effort into real progress. Innovation is simple—it’s what you put in that defines what you get out.
"Find your champions. You find the people that want to push the envelope, you find the folks on the cutting edge." In this Contractor Takeover edition of Innovation Overload, Eric Spaeth of Southland Industries and Nathan Zelenock of Miller Electric Company discuss how contractors can adopt new technology by empowering internal champions, aligning tools with field needs, and building momentum through early success.
“The people in this industry are special and they love to mentor and bring others up.” In this episode of Innovation Overload, hosts Todd Grossweiler of Allison-Smith Company and Tom Adamson of Custom Electric speak with Christy Phillips of Southwire about the culture that makes the electrical industry unique. Phillips shares her unexpected path into the industry, the mentors who helped her learn the business, and how Southwire supports contractors through education, training, and workforce initiatives like Southwire Solutions University. The conversation highlights how mentorship and industry partnerships help contractors develop talent and build a stronger workforce for the future.
"I'm not keeping track of when these subscriptions renew or how many copies we actually have." In this Contractor Takeover edition of Innovation Overload, hosts Sean Lazarian and Jared Christman discuss a growing challenge for electrical contractors: managing the expanding number of software subscriptions used across the business. As companies add tools for estimating, project management, accounting, and field operations, it becomes harder to track what the company is paying for and who is responsible for each system. Sean and Jared share practical ideas for organizing technology ownership, gaining visibility into existing subscriptions, and avoiding unnecessary software costs. For more on the episode, visit: https://sparkys-soapbox.com/
"We need innovative minds. We are energy producer providers." This episode of Innovation Overload we are joined by Teila Allmond, Pre-Apprenticeship Manager, Instructor for Rosie's Girls, and a member of IBEW Local 98. Tune in as we dive into the creative strategies that are shaping the future of our industry.
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Dave Wood
Valerie Hail
Player2.net.au
MSP Radio
