One key part of ELECTRI International’s mandate is to make sure EC contractors and their staff members become better educated about running their companies and working more efficiently and profitably.
To make sure as many EC contractors as possible get to take part in educational programs, ELECTRI offers every NECA Chapter the opportunity to apply for an annual Wendt Scholarship Award to use to help pay the costs of running the Chapter’s education for their members. This scholarship is funded through the Al and Margaret Wendt Trust, their $1 million commitment to support ELECTRI’s educational agenda.
For 2019, a total of 16 NECA Chapters each received a $1,000 scholarship. The Foundation recently spoke with three Chapter Executives who described what getting a Wendt Scholarship means for their members.
Finger Lakes New York Chapter Executive, Marilyn Oppedisano, uses the Wendt Scholarship to help the Chapter defer the costs of presenting the Basic Estimating program. Over the years, Finger Lakes NY has received a Wendt grant six or seven times. “Getting a Wendt Chapter Scholarship Award a great benefit for our members. We also open the program to members from neighboring Chapters. We serve as an umbrella and try to make sure each education program reaches as many EC contractors as we can make happen.”
Atlanta Chapter Executive, David Sokolow, notes that every NECA chapter, regardless of size, can benefit from receiving a Wendt Scholarship. He explained, “What Al Wendt did was a great thing. It especially can help a smaller NECA Chapter that might not have the financial resources to put on a solid educational program because of the financial support it can get through ELECTRI International.”
Arizona Chapter Executive, Debra Margraf, sees the Wendt Scholarship as a great help to chapters in putting on top-quality classes. Arizona has used the Wendt funds to help with Basic Estimating classes. “Getting these funds helps us to be able to add classes. We also invite the Southern Arizona Chapter to participate so that our entire region of EC contractors and their staffs can receive critical tools for this important part of their job.”