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NAED, IDEA Launch ProjectNexus From ‘Where’s My Stuff?’

William Attardi on June 3, 2026

NAED has selected the joint venture of IDEA and Pull Logic to build ProjectNexus, the first industry-owned middleware solution giving the electrical channel real-time visibility into order status, from manufacturer to job site. Tracking material across the electrical supply chain still means phone calls, emails, and endless spreadsheets. Frontline teams spend their days fire-fighting instead of moving projects forward. A first-of-its-kind, industry-owned middleware solution that lets manufacturers, reps, and distributors share trusted order and shipment information directly between systems. ProjectNexus – IDEA

  • Real-time PO Status – Every order, every line. Confirmed, in production, shipped, or delayed.
  • Proactive ESD alerts – Slips flagged before the call comes in. From reactive to proactive.
  • Secure and role-based – You decide what to share and with whom. Role-based controls give every partner access to exactly what they need, and nothing more.

NAED Invests in New Electrical Career Outreach Effort

William Attardi on May 14, 2026

National Association of Electrical Distributors launches “Careers with Power” campaign to strengthen workforce pipeline. A strong workforce doesn’t happen by accident — it begins with awareness. Yesterday, the National Association of Electrical Distributors (NAED) announced the launch of Careers with Power, a comprehensive industry branding campaign designed to position electrical distribution as a dynamic, rewarding, and future-ready career destination. Careers with Power is built with a clear purpose: to introduce the electrical distribution industry to the next generation of talent and connect interested candidates directly to distributor career opportunities. Through a strategic mix of digital tools, social media outreach, and partnerships with leading workforce development organizations, the campaign meets potential employees where they are — and guides them toward meaningful careers in the industry. NAED Invests in New Electrical Career Outreach Effort | Electrical Wholesaling

NAED Opens Registration For The 2026 Marketing Summit

William Attardi on May 1, 2026

The race has begun for the 2026 NAED Marketing Summit, as registration is now open for the event, August 3-5 in Indianapolis, IN. This year’s theme is “Shift, Accelerate, Outpace”, which could not be more appropriate as we navigate so much change and at a higher rate of speed. The 2026 Marketing Summit is targeted at Marketers working in electrical distribution, manufacturing, and rep agencies who want to evolve their approach to content strategy, cross-functional alignment, AI, and building marketing programs that can scale. NAED Opens Registration For The 2026 Marketing Summit – tEDmag

Tariff Q&A with NAED Director of Government Relations, Bud DeFlaviis

William Attardi on April 28, 2026

tED magazine talks with NAED’s Director of Government Relations, Bud DeFlaviis, about why distributors usually do not have a direct claim to IEEPA tariff refunds, why unwinding tariff-driven price increases is so difficult, and how distributors can explain that reality to customers. tED Magazine: Bud, what is the biggest misunderstanding in the market right now about tariff refunds? Bud DeFlaviis: We hear a lot that since the IEEPA tariffs were struck down, everyone who absorbed higher prices will easily get money back. That’s not how this works. The Supreme Court’s February 20, 2026 ruling held that IEEPA did not authorize the broad reciprocal and drug-trafficking tariffs, and CBP (Customs and Border Protection) has launched its refund process using a tool called CAPE (Consolidated Administration and Processing of Entries). But that government refund process is built around the importer of record — the party that paid Customs — not every company farther down the supply chain that later paid higher prices.  tED Magazine: So who actually has the legal claim to a refund? Bud: In most cases, the importer of record does.  tED Magazine: Are the tariffs gone? Are they coming back? Bud: The IEEPA tariffs are gone. However, other tariffs imposed under the Trump administration remain in effect and the President has signaled that he wants to continue to find mechanisms to impose additional tariffs. Tariff Q&A With NAED Director of Government Relations, Bud DeFlaviis – tEDmag

NAED Washington Wire: Information and Updates on IEEPA Tariff Refunds

William Attardi on April 23, 2026

The Supreme Court’s February 2026 decision striking down broad IEEPA tariffs has triggered a complex refund process, now centered at the CIT and being implemented by the CBP. The main action items are straightforward. Importers should track liquidation dates, confirm ACH and ACE enrollment, preserve all entry and payment records, and review any contracts that may affect refund sharing. Wholesalers and distributors should check whether their pricing or surcharge provisions address tariff reimbursement. All parties should continue monitoring CBP’s rollout, the CIT’s next orders, and any appeal activity that could affect the scope or timing of refunds. For businesses, the key distinction is between legal entitlement and commercial recovery. Importers of record are positioned to receive refunds directly, provided they maintain proper documentation and system readiness. In contrast, wholesalers and distributors must rely on contract terms to determine whether they share in any recovered duties, making careful review of agreements essential. NAED – Washington Wire

Baird Research: Distributors Expect Growth in 2026

William Attardi on November 30, 2025

In the exclusive tED magazine/Baird research for the 2025’s third-quarter, NAED distributors point to indications of “healthy mid-single digit” growth for next year. 18 distributor companies representing more than $7 billion in annual sales responded to the third quarter survey, which showed revenue growth in the third quarter and a rise in pricing trends. Respondents say they expect to see a 5.4% growth rate in electrical next year, along with a 4.5% growth rate in Datacomm. Those forecasts are generally in line with the broader distribution industry, which anticipates a 4.7% growth rate next year. Baird Research: Distributors Expect Growth In 2026

NAED Attends “Unleashing Alaska”

William Attardi on November 7, 2025

The event titled “Unleashing Alaska,” touched on recent Trump Administration efforts to unleash vast oil, gas, and mineral extraction in the state, and forward-looking efforts to craft durable policy by codifying permitting reform through efforts like the SPEED Act, which NAED supports. According to Citizens for Responsible Energy Solutions (CRES), today’s permitting bottlenecks have been estimated to delay $1.5 trillion in projects that are awaiting final approval.  Further, these delays are responsible for a 30% increase in construction costs for developments and $140 billion in lost annual revenue. These efforts, combined with broad-based permitting reform, have the potential to have significant impacts on America’s capacity to extract more oil, natural gas, and minerals in the future. NAED Attends “Unleashing Alaska” – electrifiED

NAED Backs NEMA Tariff Incentive Proposal

William Attardi on September 9, 2025

Electrical equipment and grid components are the backbone of America’s energy, manufacturing, grid, and AI dominance priorities. To power growing demand for electricity, industrial capacity, and data centers, more of this infrastructure must be produced here at home. NEMA’s tariff incentive framework introduces a three-pronged approach to targeted, time-limited tariff incentives that support the Trump Administration’s industrial policy and energy objectives:

  1. Capital Investment in U.S. Manufacturing Incentive: A tariff offset equal to any capital investments made to build or expand a domestic manufacturing facility, available for up to three years after the facility is operational.
  2. Grid Infrastructure Incentive: A tariff offset for goods or raw materials used to build or operate our power infrastructure essential to global competitiveness, including but not limited to substations, on-site generation, distribution equipment, and data centers.
  3. Domestic Manufacturing Incentive: A tariff offset for manufactured goods that meet federal domestic content requirements.

NAED applauds NEMA’s innovative approach to incentivizing domestic manufacturing and grid expansion. To read NEMA’s tariff incentive proposal, click here.  NAED Backs NEMA Incentive Proposal – tEDmag

Powering the Future: Insights on the Growing Electrification Market

William Attardi on August 14, 2025

As electricity demand continues to grow, the electrical distribution industry is uniquely positioned to help lead the transformation of the energy landscape with the services, materials, and solutions needed to support its customers and drive progress. To help members navigate this shift, NAED’s Education & Research Foundation, in partnership with Ducker Carlisle, presents the research study: Electrification Drivers, Disruptors, and Scaling Your Business. This study delivers valuable insight into:

  • What’s driving electrification—and what may disrupt it
  • The most promising project areas for distributors
  • How to strategically scale and prepare your team

NAED Electrification Research

NAED Statement on House Ways & Means Committee Reconciliation Bill

William Attardi on May 13, 2025

 Wes Smith, President and CEO of the National Association of Electrical Distributors, provided the following statement: The businesses we represent—located in every state and Congressional district—have seen firsthand how the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) has fueled growth across the electrical distribution industry, from small enterprises to large distributors. By lowering marginal tax rates, enhancing expensing provisions, increasing the estate tax threshold, and establishing the 20% small business deduction under Section 199A, the TCJA has been a powerful catalyst for economic progress. We applaud the pro-business, pro-growth tax provisions, including the Section 199A deduction, enhancements to the 179 expensing, modifications to the Estate Tax, and the temporary restoration of Bonus Depreciation.  NAED Statement on House Ways & Means Committee Reconciliation Bill – tEDmag

Remembering the Solemn Purpose of Memorial Day

Memorial Day is a federal holiday in the United States observed on the last Monday in May to honor and mourn U.S. military personnel who died while serving in the armed forces. The holiday traces its roots to the years immediately following the American Civil War (1861–1865), which caused massive casualties—roughly 620,000 soldiers dead, about 2% of the U.S. population at the time. Communities across the North and South began spontaneously decorating the graves of fallen soldiers with flowers, wreaths, and flags, a practice that gave rise to the original name: Decoration Day. On May 5, 1868, Major General John A. Logan, commander-in-chief of the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR)—a powerful Union veterans’ organization—issued General Order No. 11. This proclaimed May 30, 1868, as a nationwide “Decoration Day” to honor those who died in the Civil War. After World War I, the holiday expanded to honor all American service members who died in any war, not just the Civil War.  In 1968, Congress passed the Uniform Monday Holiday Act to create more three-day weekends for federal employees. This moved Memorial Day to the last Monday in May, effective in 1971, when it was also officially named “Memorial Day.” As one 1868 quote put it: “That Nation which respects and honors its dead, shall ever be respected and honored itself.”