IECRM Annual State of the Industry Dinner & Board of Directors Election
This important annual gathering of the IECRM community brought together members and partners for a “State of IECRM and State of the Industry” presentation, as well as the election for the 2020 IECRM Board of Directors.
IECRM Board President David Scott, Operations Director Mary Beth Armbruster, Training Director Paul Lingo, and other key speakers recognized notable accomplishments in our industry during the year including continued growth, implementation of a new system to better serve our members and apprentices, the new partnership with CSU Global Campus, and highlighted business opportunities in the upcoming year.
Special guest speaker, Dave Tabor, Senior Vice President for Business Partnerships with the Colorado Chamber of Commerce, emphasized that business is virtuous and that virtuous business attracts great people who work hard, take initiative and create opportunities.
Key takeaways…
Tabor prefaced his remarks by saying that there has been a huge disconnect between the 2019 Colorado state legislature and the business community. He asked, “Where and why is there such a disconnect? The 2019 legislative session was the worst Colorado has seen in a long time.”
He pointed out the lack of trust between legislators and business, and that as business owners it is our job to make sure that lawmakers come to know more about us. “Only four of Colorado’s 100 legislators have ever run a business,” Tabor said. “Our legislative leaders do not understand how hard business owners work, how and why we take risks, and the way we create opportunity.”
Along with trust, Tabor espouses a formula, B.B.H.K. — Brave. Bold. Honorable. Kind. “As business owners, we need to demonstrate what we do to be more honorable, kind, and lead with values,” he pointed out. “It is about connecting with others on the level of ‘why we do what we do’ and ‘what we mutually believe in’, making where we are headed relevant and meaningful to those we communicate with.”
Tabor commended IECRM on its IEC National Legislative Chapter of the Year win earlier in October and urged the organization and its members to do more with state legislators to change attitudes. “We need to change attitudes about the value of business owners and tell our whole story,” he said. “What’s important is the human element of businesses and engaging at that level with lawmakers to emphasize that business is good for Colorado and that we want to engage more and create a real connection.”
Early in the evening, guests enjoyed a full cocktail hour with passed hors d’oeuvres and signature cocktails, allowing time to connect with industry colleagues and take in the ambiance and nostalgia of Denver’s historic Wellshire Inn. During the steak dinner, members heard brief speeches from the 2020 Board of Directors nominees and then cast their votes.
See the IECRM Announces its 2020 Board of Director’s story for election results.
Another big thank you goes out to the sponsors of the event!
Premier Sponsor: Federated Insurance
Cocktail Hour Sponsor: Milwaukee Electric Tool
Table Wine Sponsor: Corey Electrical Engineering, Inc.
Bar Sponsor: Ludvik Electric
Dinner Sponsor: EATON
Dessert Sponsor: Graybar
Registration Sponsor: MATSUO Engineering
