In this episode of EC&M On Air, Editor-in-Chief Ellen Parson discusses some of the most pressing topics facing the electrical industry with a couple of special guests: Jeff Thiede, president and CEO of Everus Construction Group, and Greg Padalecki, president and CEO of Alterman. They are executives from two of this year's EC&M Top 50 Electrical Contractors, recognized in our annual special report.  Greg, Jeff, and Ellen share electrical industry insights, including how leading electrical contracting firms are navigating the current economic climate, material price increases, the skilled labor shortage, AI usage, and what to look forward to in 2026 and beyond.   

In Episode 86, Editor-in-Chief Parson reads an audio-only version of a popular past article. This time, she is highlighting an article of safe installation of IT equipment for electrical professionals, originally an online-only article by Mark Lamendola, a subject matter expert for EC&M magazine. The original article, "Safe Installation of IT Equipment," can be found on our website. 

Episode 85 features a special interview with Ryan Helsdingen, electrical engineer, PE, LEED AP, with Syska Hennessy Group as part of EC&M On Air's Next-Gen Insights series! Ellen Parson, editor-in-chief, and Ryan discuss what it takes to grow as a leader in the electrical industry, electrical design insights, and technological trends up-and-coming electrical leaders should keep up with.  Read Ryan's original 30 Under 30 profile to learn more about him. 

As the demand for electric vehicle charging stations increases, electrical contractors face mounting challenges—cable damage, site disruption, and labor shortages can slow down project timelines. This episode explores how streamlined solutions can simplify eMobility infrastructure installations, ensuring efficiency and reliability.   Southwire is leading the charge with innovative cables, jobsite calculators, and installation techniques designed to cut costs and accelerate project completion. Learn how electrical contractors can leverage these resources to overcome labor hurdles, enhance sustainability efforts, and confidently meet growing demand. Whether you're in the trenches installing EV chargers or managing large-scale infrastructure projects, this episode delivers actionable insights to keep you ahead of the curve.   Tune in to discover how smarter installations can drive success in the evolving EV landscape.

In Episode 83 of EC&M On Air, Editor-in-Chief Ellen Parson discusses key insights from some of this year's Top 40 electrical design firm executives. This conversation features Darin Anderson, CEO & chairman of Salas O'Brien, and Matt Goss, senior vice president of CDM Smith. They discuss industry trends, secrets to success, and current challenges facing electrical design firms — and how they're addressing those challenges head on. 

On Episode 82 of EC&M On Air, we're featuring an audio-only version of a popular past article, read by Editor-in-Chief Ellen Parson. This article, called "Handling Safety Violations on Client Sites," is by Mark Lamendola and appeared online in May 2025. 

In today's episode, meet the three overall winners of this year's Product of the Year competition, hosted by EC&M magazine! First, Editor-in-Chief Ellen Parson speaks with Sergio Panetta, VP of Engineering at I-Gard Corp., about the overall Platinum-winning product: the i-AVT Plus in the “Protective Devices” category. Next, she discusses the Gold winner, the DCC-9 in the “Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment” category with Léo Viger-Bernard, RVE’s Senior Advisor – Specification and Strategy – USA. Lastly, Ellen learns more about the 2025 POTY Silver winner with Jason Axelson, Product Application Specialist, Routine Maintenance at Fluke, about its iSee Mobile Thermal Camera in the “Cameras & Imaging Equipment” category. You can read more about each of our three winners in this special report by Freelancer Amy Fischbach. All of the submissions and category winners of the 2025 competition are featured in this digital issue. 

In Episode 80, we're featuring another Next-Gen Insights interview, this time with 2024 30 Under 30 honoree Conner Willert. Conner is a project manager for ArchKey Solutions, and he and Editor-in-Chief Ellen Parson discuss his career, practices to help up-and-coming electrical leaders, and more. 

Episode 79 features an audio-only version of a popular gallery that recently ran on the EC&M website called "What's Driving Women Out of Construction?" This gallery offers statistics from a survey conducted by The National Center for Construction Education and Research. The findings offer insights on some of the elements that are keeping women from entering and remaining in the construction industry.  Tune in to the audio-only version of this gallery, read by Ellen Parson, editor-in-chief of EC&M. 

Philip Keebler, technical advisor to PBE Engineers, joins the podcast to discuss the relationship between power quality and electrical safety with Ellen Parson in Episode 78. In this discussion, Keebler explores how poor power quality, such as voltage sags, transients, and harmonics, can compromise electrical safety, increase arc flash and fire risks, and cause critical equipment failures. He also dives into the importance of proactive design, proper grounding, and overcurrent protection coordination to mitigate these hazards.

In today's episode, we're highlighting an audio-only version of a popular past article from Mark Lamendola, long-time EC&M contributor and electrical safety expert, on the importance of check steps when it comes to electrical work and better job-site safety. 

In Episode 76 of EC&M On Air, Editor-in-Chief Ellen Parson sat down with David Lincoln, senior vice president at Rosendin, to discuss some really cool technology they're implementing throughout their solar installations. They have been using robots to increase the efficiency and safety of building solar energy fields. Ellen and David dive into this exciting practice and how robotic technology can help electrical contractors perform work (like solar) faster and more effectively. 

Episode 75 features a special edition of EC&M On Air, where we are highlighting insights from past EC&M Under 30 All Stars! Today's guest is Hazen Ring, account service manager with Vanguard Electrical in Fort Worth, Texas. Hazen and Ellen discuss tips for young folks in the industry, technology worth exploring, and more. 

In Episode 74 of EC&M On Air, we're featuring another audio-only version of a popular piece of past content from the EC&M website. Today, Editor-in-Chief Ellen Parson is highlighting the most unusual power outages of 2024, which was a photo gallery based on data gathered by Eaton. It covers some of the wildest and weirdest causes of power outages in the United States and Canada. Listen to hear about some of these unique electrical instigators, or check out the original gallery. 

In this episode of EC&M On Air, we're featuring an interview conducted at PowerTest 25 in March 2025 by Ellen Parson with Lanny Floyd, adjunct professor (principle consultant, electrical safety and technology), The University of Alabama at Birmingham. They got the opportunity to discuss Lanny's presentation at PowerTest 25, hosted by NETA, entitled "Advanced Risk Factors for Electrical Safety." Topics covered include: Why there has been a steady decline in electrical fatalities in the United States over the past decade. New safety approaches from major organizations like OSHA, NIOSH, and NSC. How human behavior and decision making drive electrical safety outcomes. Strategies for integrating advanced risk factor analyses into existing electrical safety programs. Defining how "expanding our thinking" will lead to improved electrical safety outcomes.

In Episode 72 of EC&M On Air, Editor-in-Chief Ellen Parson reads an audio-only version of a past popular article from the EC&M website. Today, she features "Maintaining Safe Ladders on Job Sites," written by Mark Lamendola, an electrical consultant to EC&M, and originally published in February 2025.

Episode 71 of EC&M On Air features another interview with a past Under 30 All-Star! This time, Editor-in-Chief Ellen Parson interviews Khalid Hachil, an electrical engineer with Stantec. They discuss why Khalid decided to enter the electrical industry, insights from an electrical engineering perspective, and tips for other electrical engineers looking to advance in their career and better understand technological trends.  Check out Khalid's original 30 Under 30 profile for more information about him. 

This episode features Part 2 of EC&M Editor-in-Chief's conversation with Philip Keebler, technical advisor to PBE Engineers. They cover common misconceptions throughout the power quality industry that electrical professionals need to be aware of. In case you missed it, check out Part 1 of this conversation, where Ellen and Philip discussed economic factors of PQ issues.

In Episode 69 of EC&M On Air, Editor-in-Chief Ellen Parson is highlighting a popular past article with alerts from NECA for its members about what impending tariffs will mean for the electrical industry. If you're interested in more insights regarding tariffs, check out this recent article from Tom Zind, a freelance reporter for EC&M. 

Episode 68 features our latest Next-Gen Insights interview with 2024 EC&M Under 30 All Star honoree, Wes Newton, a service technician with Hill Electric Co., Anderson, S.C. EC&M Editor-in-Chief Ellen Parson and Wes chat about Wes's journey into the electrical industry, must-know technology, and other tips for up-and-coming electrical leaders. You can learn more about Wes in his 2024 30 Under 30 Electrical All Star profile.   Follow EC&M On Air for more Next-Gen Insights. These special interviews are released the second Thursday of each month!