As business leaders, electrical contractors understand something about calculated risk.

You make decisions every day about where to invest, which markets to pursue, what technologies to embrace and where the next opportunity might be. Sometimes that means rolling the dice on something new. But the best bets are never really left to chance. They are backed by knowledge, preparation, experience and the right people around you.

That makes Las Vegas a fitting place for NECA to gather this year. As thousands of us come together for NECA 2026, I have been thinking about the odds that you will leave here with something that makes a difference in your business—a new idea, a new relationship, a new technology, a new approach to an old challenge or simply a renewed sense of excitement about where this industry is headed. 

I like those odds.

In many ways, we find ourselves at a transformational moment today. Artificial intelligence, data centers, energy storage, electrification, integrated systems and unprecedented demand for power are changing both the opportunities available to electrical contractors and the way our businesses operate.

That is why you will see those changes reflected throughout NECA 2026.

We are bringing you leaders such as Nick Saban and Andre Agassi, whose experiences offer powerful lessons about leadership, preparation, resilience and building winning organizations. But some of the most important conversations may happen in a classroom, on the show floor, over dinner or during an unexpected conversation with another contractor.

You will also see us looking directly at technologies such as A.I., which is beginning to find practical applications across our industry—from estimating and project management to productivity, safety and business operations. No, HAL is not coming for your job. But these tools are evolving quickly, and NECA wants our contractors to understand them, evaluate them and ultimately put them to work where they can create value. Because that is our role. 

For 125 years, NECA members have trusted this association to be part of their team—to advocate for their businesses, strengthen our industry, develop their people, connect them with one another and help them prepare for what comes next. That trust is something we never take for granted.

Our founders placed a bet on the future of electrical contracting 125 years ago. Generation after generation of NECA contractors proved them right. Today, with extraordinary opportunities ahead for our industry, NECA is making that same bet. We’re betting on you.

Enjoy Las Vegas. Learn something. Meet someone new. Take a chance on an idea you might not have considered before. And then take it home and put it to work.

The future of our industry is ours to build.

David Long
NECA CEO