NAEC – National Association of Elevator Contractors Membership drive

 

November and December the NAEC is having a membership drive.  If you are not a NAEC member and are reading this, get to know NAEC.

The National Association of Elevator Contractors is the premier association representing the elevator industry. National Association of Elevator Contractors serves the interests of the elevator, escalator and accessibility equipment industry by promoting safe and reliable vertical transportation through education, networking with peers, and exposure to new technologies.

Here are the recruiting benefits

-More Suppliers and booths on our Annual Tradeshow floor offering new products!

-More Contractors and Associates attending our Annual Tradeshow and shopping the latest and greatest products!

-Creating new and diverse contacts through NAEC networking events!

-New members will bring new and fresh ideas to help NAEC grow as an association to better help and serve our members!

I will tell you why I think you should be part of the NAEC.

Networking – The events the NAEC have bring the people who you email and talk to on the phone together in person, “hey! Nice to meet you in person!”.  I still tell the story of how we were having a problem with a GAL Galaxy controller and met someone from GAL and explained it to them, they told me to go downstairs and talk to someone, I met up with the person the directed me to tell the mechanic to do X, Y & Z, the mechanic did X, Y & Z and the problem that had been haunting us for weeks went away just like that.  I have many other stories where the people I meet at the conferences and conventions give me their cards and when I have a challenge, I call them and they make my life easier and help solve our problems.

[Gary from Midwest Elevator & Craig from Colley Elevator]

[Frank Automatic Elevator/Quality Elevator and Ray Colley Elevator]

New products – We cannot be on top of every release of a new product, at the convention you see things and go “wow this is a good idea”.

[GAL's Westinghouse door solution]

[Siemens branded shunt/disco]

[Newer buttons from Innovation Industries]

Education – NAEC has both big group education and small group round tables to brush up on things you probably already know, because elevator people know everything, just ask us.  NAEC also has a great program called the VTMP which is for elevator techs moving into the office and non-elevator people to learn the field side of the business so they can be competent.

[Large group education about visual/text A17.1 2019]

[Small group discussions about safety programs and processes]

Opportunities – I started going to NAEC events professionally in the early/mid 2000’s. I did not go with anyone and I did not know anyone.  I went out and met as many people as I could and introduced myself because if I was going to go, I was going to meet people and learn things.  Fast forward 10-12 years and I had the opportunity to serve on the Board of Directors and eventually become president of the NAEC.  The people I met and spent time with and discussions I had where invaluable. I lean on people in my network and people lean on me when we need help.  The best thing is, I met a lot of great people over the years.

[A picture right before I addressed the Awards Breakfast as president]

Strength in numbers – As an independent company we will never have the resources of the evil intergalactic empire companies who are out smothering and acquiring.  But!  With our strength in numbers and networking power I can pick up the phone and call people from California, Missouri, Colorado, Arizona, Ohio, Michigan, New York, Florida, Massachusetts, the list goes on, if I have an issue with an elevator, with personnel, insurance, 401K, book keeping, anything having to do with running an elevator company.

Young People at your company – Do you have any young people you want to get more involved in the industry and you want them to stick around?  We developed a program called NexGen, it is for elevator industry professionals under 40 to do professional development and encourage them to make their own relationships so they can experience the great things some of the old timers have experienced and experience.  I went on a retreat 10+ years ago and the people I spent time with are still in the industry and it made me pivot from having a job/career to having a passion to be the best elevator person I can be.

Get out of your bubble – A benefit that isn't talked about much is when you go to these events you can concentrate on your business and not be in your business.  Sometimes we need to see some other scenery and get some fresh air in order to see the forest from the trees.

Look into it, get into it, become a better elevator person!  The movers and shakers are going to be at the NAEC events and they are looking to meet you.

Please reach out to Danielle Miller at danielle@naec.org with any questions!

If you have any questions or would like additional information feel free to contact me at CraigZ@colleyelevator.com or 630-766-7230 ext. 107.

Also check us out on Instagram @Colleyelevator see what we have been up to.