This is part one of a three-part series. As she gets ready to wrap up her third year in the residential electrician program, Jordan Palumbo takes an immense amount of pride in how far she’s come. “Day one, I didn’t even know how to cut in an outlet,” Palumbo said. “Now, I am wiring houses…
Eight YSU students are putting their electrical skills to the test while looking to conserve their strong presence in a national, sustainable energy competition. Members of the YSU Student Chapter of the National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA) are finalizing their proposal for the Green Energy Challenge, which tasks teams to analyze particular electrical construction management…
Being part of a team provides an identity, instills inspiration and offers motivation when times are hard. For Bonnie Esposito, team has taken on another meaning. In 2009, her son Marc was injured while serving overseas in the United States Air Force. She remembers talking to medical personnel at Walter Reed National Military Medical…
“If it ain’t cooked on wood, it ain’t no good!” That’s the motto Mike Reiser has adapted to create and master his wood-fired specialties of chicken, lamb, beef and pork. Between the alchemy of charcoal and wood, Reiser produces tender and mouthwatering treats from the spit. Reiser’s path of crafting meat from the rotisserie started…
This is part two of a two-part installment on Bruce & Merrilees Electric. The motto at Bruce & Merrilees Electric is “Going beyond the expected, since 1948.” For Jay, Justin and Jonathan Bruce, that motto is a way of life. “Throughout our history, we’ve focused on how do we provide a valued service for our…
This is part one of a two-part installment on Bruce & Merrilees Electric. The year was 1948. J. Howard Bruce returned to New Castle, Pa. from Pearl Harbor, where he repaired damaged ships as a civilian electrician. With a family background in the electrical field, he looked to forge his own path. “His brother had…
It’s all about giving back to the community. For Brian Crumbacher, he gives back with a clipboard and a whistle. “I have been coaching football since 1994, with my 24th year coming up this season,” Crumbacher said. “When I graduated high school, I was in shellshock that I was done. So, I started coaching at…
It’s all about the roar of the engine in racing competitions. And for Pat Klingeman, he has been around engines since he was a child. “I can remember being involved with an engine dynamometer at four years old,” said Klingeman, a member of IBEW Local 573 in Warren. “My father built two-cycle engines, so I’ve…
Having a good memory is a requirement in the electrician field. It’s also a big key when playing guitar in a band. For fifth-year apprentice Garrett Chetock, he puts his mind to good use to perfect his electrician craft and musical passion. When he was young, he started to gravitate toward music and his favorite…
Giving back to the Mahoning Valley has been an emphasis for NECA-IBEW Electricians member contractors and IBEW electricians. The association continued its strong presence in 2017 through contributing to scholarship funds and performing community outreach projects, largely to support veterans causes. The 2017-2018 calendar years mark historical milestones for NECA-IBEW Electricians as the national IBEW…