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NEMA Supports Securing U.S. Power Grid and Strengthening Domestic Manufacturing

William Attardi on August 28, 2026

NEMA supports measures that ensure our nation’s electric grid is secure, reliable, and resilient, particularly as demand for electricity continues to grow. In response to President Trump’s Bulk Power Executive Order 14420, NEMA leadership looks forward to working with the Administration to ensure the shared vision of a secure, reliable grid that delivers affordable electricity for Americans is realized, while balancing the near-term need to expand energy generation, transmission, distribution, storage, and efficiency.  The U.S. electrical manufacturing industry has invested more than $200 billion in domestic production since 2018, advancing manufacturing of components critical to our national security, economic growth, and energy future. The Executive Order’s emphasis on American-made energy infrastructure also reinforces the importance of industry-led programs like NEMA’s Make It American® program, which helps manufacturers demonstrate and verify their commitment to producing electrical products in the U.S. based on the current Build America, Buy America Act.  NAED supports the goal of securing America’s power grid from proliferating threats and supply-chain vulnerabilities. We look forward to working with the Trump Administration as it develops the rules needed to implement the order. NEMA Supports Securing U.S. Power Grid and Strengthening Domestic Manufacturing – NEMA

Texas and Arkansas DOTs Recognize NEMA’s Make It America

William Attardi on August 21, 2026

The TxDOT and ARDOT have become the first state DOTs to recognize NEMA’s Make It American® program as an industry resource, an important step toward giving manufacturers, contractors, and public agencies a clearer and more consistent way to navigate domestic-content requirements. The Build America, Buy America Act established domestic content requirements for federally funded infrastructure projects, aimed at strengthening U.S. manufacturing and expanding the use of domestic products. In practice, though, manufacturers, contractors, and project owners often face significant complexity in determining whether products qualify, assembling the right documentation, and demonstrating compliance consistently across different projects and agencies. Make It American was built to make that process easier. With federal recognition, bipartisan support in Congress, and now leadership from Texas and Arkansas, NEMA’s Make It American program is increasingly becoming part of that solution. Texas and Arkansas DOTs Recognize NEMA’s Make It American – tEDmag

America’s Electroindustry Supports 2.35 Million Jobs and More Than $375 Billion for U.S. Economy

William Attardi on August 5, 2026

The U.S. electroindustry is playing an increasingly critical role in meeting rising electricity demand, strengthening the domestic industrial base, and powering America’s future, according to new analysis from the National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA). The new economic impact data show the U.S. electrical manufacturing industry, which has invested more than $200 billion in domestic production since 2018, supports 2.35 million American jobs, contributes more than $375 billion to U.S. economy annually, representing 1% of total U.S. GDP. The analysis also finds that the electroindustry directly employs more than 590,000 workers nationwide who manufacture the technologies that power and protect America’s homes, businesses, factories, hospitals, data centers, transportation systems, and the electric grid. Each direct job supports an additional three jobs elsewhere in the economy. With electricity demand expected to rise significantly in coming decades, continued investment in electrical equipment and systems will be critical to expanding energy capacity, strengthening grid reliability, and supporting long-term economic growth.  America’s Electroindustry Supports 2.35 Million Jobs and More Than $375 Billion for U.S. Economy   – NEMA

NEMA Urges Expansion of Aluminum Tariff Incentives

William Attardi on August 3, 2026

New tariff incentives that reduce aluminum tariffs from 50% to 25% for companies committing to investing in US aluminum production are designed to spur domestic investment. NEMA, which previously called for tariff incentives, supports the action and is calling for similar moves to expand the program to include electrical steel, spurring further investments in US smelting and manufacturing. NEMA Senior Director for Global Policy Patrick Lozada said there’s “an opportunity to expand on the approach that they’re taking with aluminum,” adding that relief for critical inputs would help manufacturers. New aluminum incentives draw industry praise, leave questions about impact  | InsideTrade.com

Lighting Controls Academy Publishes Video Version of Education Express Course “Introduction to Lighting Controls”

William Attardi on July 22, 2026

The Lighting Controls Academy has updated its most popular Education Express course, EE101: Introduction to Lighting Controls, now available at NEMA Academy. LCA has published a video version of EE101, a free course available at YouTube. A good lighting design is incomplete without a good controls design. Controls may be simple or highly sophisticated, but every control system can be defined by the same fundamentals: inputs, outputs, programming, communication, and sequence of operations. In this video course, fundamental lighting controls concepts are introduced. By the end of this course, you will be able to: 1) identify and select common lighting control strategies, 2) recognize and select common lighting control devices, 3) compare basic system types, and 4) ask informed questions when evaluating lighting control systems. Written by Craig DiLouie and thoroughly updated and presented by C. Webster Marsh. Bookmark the Video Courses for the complete offering. Lighting Controls Association — The Lighting Controls Authority

Cooper Lighting Solutions Is Certified ‘Make It American’ by NEMA

William Attardi on June 29, 2026

The National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) announced that Cooper Lighting Solutions has become the first lighting manufacturer certified under NEMA’s Make It American™ program, extending the domestic content certification program into a major category of federally funded infrastructure and construction. The company manufactures residential, commercial, industrial, sports, and infrastructure lighting and controls. The certification gives contractors, government agencies, and procurement officials a new lighting-sector resource as they work to meet domestic requirements under the bipartisan Build America, Buy America Act. Cooper Lighting Solutions becomes the 12th company with at least one Make It American-certified facility listed. Cooper Lighting Solutions is Certified ‘Make It American’ by NEMA

NEMA Celebrates Make It American™ Program’s First Anniversary with Landmark Schneider Electric Certification Milestone

William Attardi on June 16, 2026

In a first for American manufacturing, the National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) today announced that Schneider Electric has earned Make It AmericanTM certification for each of its 20-plus U.S. manufacturing facilities – the first company in the program’s history to certify its entire domestic manufacturing footprint. The milestone coincides with the one-year anniversary of the Make It American program’s launch and underscores the growing momentum among American manufacturers to demonstrate and validate their commitment to domestic production. NEMA Celebrates Make It American™ Program’s First Anniversary with Landmark Schneider Electric Certification Milestone – NEMA

LCA Publishes Education Video Covering Occupancy and Vacancy Sensors

William Attardi on June 4, 2026

The Lighting Controls Academy has published a video version of EE102A: Occupancy and Vacancy Sensors, a free course available at YouTube. Occupancy and vacancy sensors are devices that detect when a space is unoccupied and accordingly automatically turn Off (or dim) the lights, thereby saving energy. Due to their relative simplicity and high energy-savings potential, these sensors are a staple in new construction and a feature of many retrofit projects. By the end of this course, you will be able to: 1) select an appropriate sensor technology based on a given application’s characteristics, 2) select appropriate features for the sensor to optimize performance in the given application, and 3) apply sensors to spaces based on their characteristics. . Lighting Controls Academy Publishes Education Video Covering Occupancy and Vacancy Sensors

NEMA Launches New Digital Storefront

William Attardi on April 3, 2026

The National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) announced the launch of the NEMA Standards & Publications Store, a new NEMA-owned and operated digital storefront that serves as the authoritative source for NEMA technical standards and related publications. The launch represents a significant step forward in NEMA’s commitment to making its industry-leading standards more accessible to the product designers and engineers, manufacturers, electricians, procurement officers, and other end users who depend on them. The new store offers a more seamless experience for discovering, accessing, and purchasing NEMA’s full retail catalog – encompassing more than 800 standards, technical documents, and guidance materials – while also connecting users to other NEMA programs such as the Make It American™ program and NEMA Academy. NEMA Launches New Digital Storefront – tEDmag

NEMA Commends House on Passage of Urgent Electrical Supply Chain Legislation

William Attardi on December 12, 2025

“NEMA commends the House for passing the Electric Supply Chain Act (R. 3638) championed by Rep. Bob Latta (R-OH). This legislation represents a critical step toward securing America’s energy infrastructure and strengthening our nation’s global competitiveness. “As artificial intelligence, advanced manufacturing, and data centers drive once-in-a-generation electricity demand growth, this bill ensures electrical manufacturers have the supply chain visibility needed to support American energy reliability and affordability. Enabling grid componentmanufacturers and supply chain vendors to provide greater transparency into current and future production capacity, investment needs, and potential constraints gives the energy sector the ability to plan, grow, and strengthen supply chain resilience. STATEMENT: NEMA Commends House on Passage of Urgent Electrical Supply Chain Legislation    – NEMA

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