This year’s NECA Innovation Zone, just outside the show entrance, featured the new Creator Circuit, which included podcast booths (including the Innovation Overload Podcast), a ring light recording booth and the NECA Ted Talk Stage. Tauhira Ali, NECA’s executive director of industry innovation, said, “NECA is the voice of the industry, and the Creator Circuit is the voice of the influencers of the industry.”
The Innovation Overload Podcast, which has been recording live this week at the show, hit 28,000 downloads this year. Ali said that the topics discussed are “not just [about] technology. It’s people and process.”
Todd Reed at Graybar speaks to Steve Rose, director of innovation: technical/facilities/labs at the Los Angeles Electrical Training Institute on the Keepin’ the Lights On podcast.
Other notable features this year include the new Ask an Expert area, the Exhibitor Market Map and the Innovator of the Year Hall of Fame! Ask an Expert enables contractors to sit down with industry leaders, innovators and contractors who have successfully tackled the challenges facing electrical construction today and discuss their specific questions and concerns.
Experts and guests discuss strategies for continuous improvement at the Ask an Expert booth.
The Exhibitor Market Map, back from last year, categorizes exhibitors and contains contact and location information. It’s up online all year. This year, however, there’s a great new update for the 2026 Show: Schedule a Meeting. Anybody can go in, select a date and time, and meet with an exhibitor here at the show. Users can also favorite booths and see those favorites marked on the show map.
David Sims, NET Electric Inc., explored the Exhibitor Market Map
The Innovation Zone is also the gathering place of the NECA Innovation Institute (NII). Chase Fairfield of Fairfield Communication Systems in Indianapolis, Ind., said, “The Institute’s incredible. It unlocks resources in the industry: people who are willing to help, people who have solved problems, people who have already experienced this. You can just reach out and ask, even competitors … we’re all dealing with the same problems. Now we’re all partnering and everyone’s winning.”
About The Author
Tabitha Brower
Production EditorTabitha Brower is the production editor at ELECTRICAL CONTRACTOR Magazine. She studied screenwriting and media arts and has worked as a screenwriter and content writer. At ELECTRICAL CONTRACTOR, she edits feature articles and columns, creates the ISC products and featured products sections, and keeps an eye out for green energy news. Send her your ideas at [email protected] or reach her on LinkedIn. Off-duty, you can find her reading by the river, driving in the woods or meeting friends at the movies.
