Outsource continued to be a major presence at the IEC Electric Expo, which was held October 22 – 25, 2014 in Baltimore, Maryland at the Baltimore Convention Center & Hyatt Regency. The Expo brings together electrical professionals from around the country and is a once-a-year opportunity is a chance for manufacturers, distributors, and service providers to showcase their products and services to IEC members.

The IEC Electric Expo is full of ways to interact with electrical professionals from across the country and featured high-level speakers and educational sessions filled with new ideas, timely information, and relevant concepts. Attendees were able to learn about current topics such as Using Technology to Maximize Profitability, Communication Between Generations, OSHA Electrical Regulations and NFPA 70e, Analyzing Your Financial Statements, The Future of the Construction Industry, and Financial Benefits of the 2014 NEC.

Tatum Maddux, an Account Manager representing Virginia, Maryland, and the D.C. area gives an excellent account of the Expo: “We were able to meet a good amount of interested electrical contractors and he feedback on our services was all excellent! The clients pointed out our positive differences between us and the other staffing firms that were there. They recognized that Outsource really values the skill sets of the people we are finding for them and that we don’t just look for laborers or construction workers.”

Some highlights of the conference included the IEC Foundation Golf Tournament/Fishing Trip, the Apprentice of the Year Competition, an opportunity to network at the First Time Attendee Orientation, the Emerging Leaders Happy Hour, and the President’s Awards Gala.

Also representing Outsource at the vendor exhibition by Account Managers Rocky Montoney, Mike McKeaige, Jory Rubenstein, and Inside Sales Manager Ben Weimer, who provided the photos. With over 120 exhibits to see, it was tough to get around to all of them, but Outsource appreciates all of our clients that stopped by to say hello, and those new faces that we met for the first time.

Founded in 1957, the Independent Electrical Contractors (IEC) is a national trade association for merit shop electrical and systems contractors. IEC believes in developing and fostering a stronger economy through the level of quality and services its members provide to the industry.

The 2014 BICSI Fall Conference & Exhibition was another huge success for Outsource. Held this year at the Anaheim Convention Center on September 28 – October 2, 2014, it is one of the key shows in the information technology systems and structured cabling industry. Because Outsource is the only national provider of staff and technicians for the a number of industries represented at the event, including Security, Electrical, Audio/Visual, Data Center, and Cabling, we are a regular presence at both the West Coast and East Coast shows.

BICSI is a professional association that supports the structured cabling installation industry, its technicians, and vendors. Exhibits covered the range of voice, data electronic safety and security, as well as A/V technologies. With technical pre-conference seminars, countless breakaway sessions to attend, on-site examinations for those looking to get their BICSI credentials, and every attending company’s booth to visit in the exhibition hall, these were a packed five days for BICSI Conference participants.

With an average of 150 exhibitors per conference and an attendance of 3,800 participants, the BICSI Conferences are an excellent opportunity for participating Outsource Team members to meet, exchange ideas, and interact with thousands of prospective clients one-on-one, and to check in with current clients. Traveling to trade shows is a great opportunity to learn from veteran employees, and we always send a balanced group so that the senior staff can mentor while junior members get hands on experience.

Click here to see video highlights of the 2014 BICSI Fall Conference & Exhibition.

Outsource will be headed back to next year’s events, including the 2015 BICSI Winter Conference & Exhibition, held February 22-26 in Orlando Florida, and the 2015 BICSI Fall Conference & Exhibition, which will be held September 20-24 at the Mandalay Bay Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas.

If you work in the Los Angeles office or have visited there recently, you have probably noticed the work of local artist Ryan Graeff, whose studio is located in El Segundo. Outsource CEO John Lowell recently began acquiring his work and, because the subject matter of Graeff’s paintings are often cityscapes and iconic visual language, commissioned him to create works that represent the different cities where Outsource offices are located. To assist in the creative process, the company enlisted Outsource employees to suggest buildings and landmarks that are representative of their cities for Graeff to include in each piece. Ryan looks at the Outsource project as a “great opportunity to be exposed to some of the architecture of cities I haven’t visited.” He says, “I’m having fun with it and trying to take the medium to new places.” Here’s a video of Ryan working on a piece commissioned by the LAPD 77th St. Division.

Graeff trained under Master Printer Tony Zepeda, and today, his artwork combines traditional silkscreen printing techniques, photography, and painting with strong imagery that offers a subjective look at the cities that are represented in each piece. His work was featured in Hancock (starring Will Smith) and his list of collectors also include Shaquille O’Neal, baseball star Brady Anderson, and actor Robin Riker, just to name a few. In addition to the series for Outsource, Ryan is also collaborating with commercial and fine art photographer David LaChapelle by incorporating the famed photographer’s images into Graeff’s art.

Outsource is proud to support the artists in the communities that the company calls home and we greatly appreciate the work environment that their work helps to create. Below are a few photos of Ryan’s work that we proudly display and enjoy in the L.A. Office.

This past weekend the corporate office had a team participate in the annual El Segundo Relay for Life event. Relay for Life is a 24 hour organized community fundraising walk. All of the funds raised go directly to the American Cancer Society to help support cancer research.

This was the first year Outsource has participated in this event. We had a team of 7 participants and raised $1,420.00 at the time of the event, exceeding our team goal by more than $400! The event had 11 teams participate, comprised of 63 participants and raised over $28,663.

Our thanks go out to everyone who donated or asked your family and friends to donate! A special thanks also goes out to all of the team participants for working so hard to make this a successful event!

If you missed the chance to donate to our team, there is still time! Online donations are accepted 24/7 through the team page link below.

http://main.acsevents.org/site/TR?fr_id=56757&pg=team&team_id=1657666

Outsource exhibited at the Spring Data Center World Global Conference in Las Vegas this week. Data Center World is the top educational conference and expo for data center and facilities management professionals. The show brings in over 1,000 attendees from around the world and is a great resource & opportunity for keeping up with trends and skills in the data center arena.

Outsource specializes in supplying a range of data center talent, from data center architects, analysts and technicians, to network engineers, systems administrators and NOC technicians, as well as critical facilities managers and engineers. The show was a great opportunity to catch up with existing clients that currently utilize our temporary staffing, and to meet new companies that haven’t yet heard about how we can help them by supplying skilled data center talent on a contract, contract-to-hire or direct hire basis. Our team at the expo reported back that they were kept busy throughout the show and met many company representatives interested in our services.

Outsource is exhibiting at the International Security Conference (ISC) and Expo show this week in Las Vegas. The Spring show is held in the West, and the Winter show is held in the East. For the west show we’ve sent a team of our Business Development Managers from some of our western branches: Jake Durkee from Los Angles, Hunter Schmidt from Austin, Garrett Reid from Los Angeles and Ben Weimer from Denver (not pictured).

ISC West attracts over 26,000 security industry professionals and has over 1,000 exhibitors. Outsource has technicians, programmers and installers that specialize in access control, fire/life safety, networked systems, remote monitoring and video surveillance systems. So ISC is a show that’s tailor-made for us to meet the companies that require our staff for their project needs. We always meet plenty of prospective clients, and it’s also a great chance to catch up with current customers as well.

If you’re at the show, come say hello at booth 9136.

It’s only January, but Outsource is already in top gear as we continue to grow. Coming right out of the Holidays we had two development classes for employees that have been promoted into new roles, and we’ve just wrapped up a Foundation training class for newly hired Sourcing Specialists. Foundation training is an immersive week and a half spent at our corporate offices in Los Angeles learning all the ins & outs of what we do, how we do it, and who we are as a company. It’s a great opportunity for these employees to return to their branch offices with all the skills they need to immediately get to work and contribute to their team. This class featured nine new Sourcing Specialists from across the country. In addition to putting in long days in the classroom, they also spent time with the leadership team, as well as shadowing recruiters in the L.A. Office to see what the daily pace looks like. Welcome to the team, and we know you’re going to do great!

(From Left to Right) Stephanie Price (PHX), Drew Mahoney (DEN), Jessie Miller (JAX), David Molina (PHX), Bryan Astemborski (PHX), Trace Baker (DAL), Carlie Stone (SEA), Rocky Montoney (HOU), Mikaela Williams (AUS)

The team got to explore Los Angeles in their down time. Here they are at Griffith Observatory with the Hollywood sign in the background.

Outsource has been working on a large scale, long term project with one of our national electrical contractors.  The project was for ballast/lighting installation for a new Amazon.com distribution center in San Bernardino, California.  The project begin in early 2013 with about 30 apprentice and journeymen electricians, which Outsource supplied to the project.  The project stretched to about 9 months with everything going smoothly.  Then in October a call came from the contractor requesting an additional 25 electricians, needed that same week for a short term stint.  We were able to walk all 25 in to the project on the day requested (see photo below).

The logistics, planning and management of this project have demonstrated our endurance and flexibility. It’s required a complete team effort, and while it hasn’t always been easy, it’s been rewarding to see it all come together.  Kudos to all the internal staff that have played an integral part in this project’s success.

No matter if you need one electrician for a week or fifty for an unspecified period of time, we can help you out.  Contact us for more details on this project as well as many others that we’ve played an important role in. 

The Outsource corporate office again gathered together to hold our own pre-Thanksgiving celebration. This event has outgrown our break room, so we now hold it across the street at the Doubletree hotel. This year we had both turkey and ham along with all the sides and fixings, and an open bar with beer and wine. Several pies and a bread pudding finished off the meal. Thanksgiving is largely about getting together with family, and the Outsource culture is a very close knit group where everyone gets along with each other both at work and after hours. It’s an Outsource tradition that we all look forward to each year, and the ideal holiday for our team.

Outsource enjoying Thanksgiving dinner.

From Left to Right (Arlie, Cole, Jordan and Chris)

Outsource is hosting a special payroll workshop for Business Development Managers this week. This is an opportunity for our corporate management team to sit down & discuss where BDM duties and responsibilities intersect with payroll, in order to better communicate & manage issues in the field. Payroll problems that affect our field personnel are a prime concern, and being able to rapidly assist clients and technicians alike with timecard issues or missing checks is an essential part of everyone’s job at Outsource. For this week’s training we have Shannon Paule from Austin, Taylor Hoover and Jessica Brown from Houston, Brian McShane from Dallas and Dana White from Phoenix, joined by their Regional Manager, Lou Zuniga. Chris Moss, Payroll Manger, and Savannah Johnson, Director of Human Resources, were the primary corporate representatives participating in the discussion.

Savannah Johnson leading a discussion on the payroll process.

The BDM team spent two full classroom days discussing the issues and working on solutions with the corporate team.