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Contractor Connect Training by Leviton

William Attardi on September 18, 2026

The #MoreWithLeviton Contractor Advantage, Future‑Ready, and NextGen learning experiences give contractors a powerful edge by helping them Learn More, Do More, and Sell More through deeper knowledge, modern installation skills, and forward‑looking insight across residential, commercial, and industrial applications. These programs combine expert‑led instruction, demonstrations of the latest electrical infrastructure technology, and practical guidance spanning applications, codes, customer motivations, whole‑home optimization, smart technologies, EV readiness, and energy management. Contractors walk away with enhanced expertise, stronger project outcomes, and new opportunities to grow their business and meet evolving customer expectations. Register for in-person events at Leviton LIVE experience centers in Lake Nona, FL or Chicago, IL to connect with contractors across the country, share what’s new, and help you grow your business with practical, hands-on experience. Contractor Connect Training

Data is a New Currency for Electrical Contractor Operations by Jim Romeo

William Attardi on October 25, 2025

Construction runs on decisions, and better data helps to make better decisions. When field measurements, schedules, costs and submittals data converge, managerial confidence is strengthened. Foremen spot risks early, and managers spot problems before they occur. Real-time telemetry from equipment, automated progress capture and clean cost codes transform guesswork into measurable productivity. The payoff is fewer delays, tighter change control, safer sites and predictable closeout—turning data into days saved and margins protected. Wipfli, a national accounting and business consulting firm, published a 2025 State of Technology in Construction report, which surveyed 308 executives. It shows there is an appetite for technology and the data it yields. Firms that turn field data into shared insight—securely and in real time—will move from tools to tangible labor savings, safer job sites and faster closeout. What does this mean for projects and job site management?  – Data is a New Currency for Electrical Contractor Operations – Electrical Contractor Magazine

 

It’s Back to School – How Some of Our Most Acknowledged Universities Got Their Name – Who were the true visionaries who would donate half of their estate to sculpting the minds of the future. These stories are monuments to history and culture. Let’s take a stroll through academia’s memory lane and uncover the origins of these storied university names!

  1. Ah, Harvard! The Ivy League giant was once a small college in the Massachusetts Bay Colony settlement called New Towne. But where did “Harvard” come from? Enter John Harvard, a clergyman who, in 1638, decided to bequeath half his estate and his library (a whopping 400 books!) to the fledgling college. Grateful for this generous gift, they promptly named the institution after him.
  2. A gem of New Haven, Connecticut, Yale is another Ivy League powerhouse known for its prestigious law and drama schools. It owes its name to Elihu Yale, a wealthy merchant who, in 1718, donated a modest shipment of goods (including portraits, books, and textiles) to a struggling collegiate school. Those goods were auctioned off, raising a much-needed £562 –a small fortune at the time.
  3. Dartmouth is renowned for its beautiful rural setting, nestled in the picturesque town of Hanover, New Hampshire. It was named after the Earl of Dartmouth, William Legge, a British nobleman who supported the college’s founding –despite never actually setting foot in America!
  4. Brown, this Rhode Island Ivy University, known for its open curriculum and emphasis on student choice, was founded with a mouthful of a name – the College in the English Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations. It was renamed in 1704 for Nicholas Brown, Jr., a prominent merchant whose family donated generously to the school.
  5. Perched atop a hill overlooking Ithaca, New York, Cornell is celebrated for its diverse academic programs and its stunning natural surroundings. Founded by Ezra Cornell and Andrew Dickson White, this university was unique for its commitment to practical education, allowing students the freedom to choose their own course of study. It was a revolutionary notion at the time, which would guide a curricular reform across the country.
  6. Located in the heart of Silicon Valley, Stanford is renowned for its entrepreneurial spirit and its close ties to the tech industry. But this California powerhouse has a touching origin story. Leland Stanford, Jr., the founder’s son, tragically died young from typhoid fever. His father Leland Sr., railroad magnate and former state governor, and his mother Jane, founded the university in his memory, ensuring his legacy lived on through the pursuit of knowledge.
  7. This North Carolina research giant, known for its strong medical and law schools, underwent a bit of a name change in its history. Originally called Trinity College, it was renamed Duke University in 1924 after James Buchanan Duke, a tobacco and electric power industrialist who founded the American Tobacco Company. He established The Duke Endowment, to which he donated throughout his life and left half his estate after his death.
  8. Nestled in Nashville, Tennessee, Vanderbilt is a renowned research university with a vibrant campus life. It owes its name to “The Commodore,” Cornelius Vanderbilt, a shipping and railroad magnate, who provided the initial gift to establish the university.
  9. Texas businessman William Marsh Rice provided the initial funding for this Houston university, but did not live to see its opening. He was murdered by his valet as he slept, in a plot to forge the man’s will. Despite the unfortunate circumstances, Rice University flourished through the years, becoming an institution known for its strong engineering and science programs.
  10. Who was Harvard named after? Origin of university names