Awards People

MacKay Honored with 2015 NECA Wendt Award

David MacKay

David MacKay

San Francisco and Boston – On October 2nd, David R. MacKay, Chairman and CEO of E.G. Sawyer Company, Inc., was honored at NECA’s national convention in San Francisco, the 2015 ELECTRI International Wendt Award for exemplary leadership and service to the electrical industry. NECA President David A. Hardt presented the prestigious award to MacKay.

ELECTRI International – The Foundation of Electrical Construction, was established by the National Electrical Contractors Association in 1989 to help electrical contractors meet today’s demands and tomorrow’s challenges by funding, conducting, coordinating and transforming research results into meaningful, useful educational and consulting programs. As a member of the ELECTRI Council, MacKay has served as Chairman of the International Investment Committee and as a member of the Board of Trustees, Program Review Committee, and Kitchen Cabinet. His service has included analysis of electrical construction trends and issues and the review and recommendation of project research proposals by universities and research institutes.  He has also served on task forces to guide commissioned research projects from inception to completion.  Through Mr. MacKay’s unwavering commitment to and advocacy for the future of the industry, and his endorsement, E.G. Sawyer is a contributing Founder member of ELECTRI International and NECA Boston is a Diplomat to the organization having contributed $350,000 to fund industry research.

MacKay’s illustrious career in the electrical industry began in 1966 when he joined E.G. Sawyer  after graduating from Northeastern University with a degree in Finance.  In 1970 he graduated Suffolk University Law School and passed the Massachusetts Bar.  He has served on the Board of Directors of the NECA Boston Chapter since 1978, twice as the President.

In 2014, E.G. Sawyer, the nation’s oldest continuously operating electrical contracting firm, celebrated its 150th year of operation and received the NECA 50-year Membership Award for distinguished industry service.  Under MacKay’s leadership and direction, E.G. Sawyer has experienced steady growth and today is one of the region’s leading electrical construction firms with full service electrical and tel/data capabilities.  High-profile projects the company has completed in recent years include the Dana-Farber Yawkey Center for Cancer Care, Education First (EF) Headquarters in Cambridge, and UMASS Boston’s Integrated Sciences Complex.  In the 1970s and 1980s, MacKay oversaw E.G. Sawyer’s electrical construction of such projects as the Century Insurance headquarters project in Concord, MA in a conversion of the former Xavarian Brothers High School, a project that was instrumental in the growth of the firm.

E.G. Sawyer Vice President and COO Joseph McCluskey, Jr., currently Vice President of NECA Boston Chapter commented on MacKay’s commitment to excellence and his integrity, “David’s vision and knowledge have been keys to the success of E.G. Sawyer over the past 50 years.  Personally, David has been a true mentor to me, and was very instrumental in building my interest and involvement in NECA.  Through his service, and now my own, I’ve come to understand firsthand the importance the organization has in furthering the electrical industry – from a continuing education, management, and safety perspective.” McCluskey, who is scheduled to become NECA Boston’s President in January 2016, took MacKay’s place on the NECA Boston Chapter Board in 2008, when MacKay was named Vice President of NECA District 1.

NECA Boston Chapter Executive Manager Glenn Kingsbury spoke of his unwavering dedication to the industry.  “Dave is a great asset to NECA on so many levels.  He has twice served as our Chapter President and Governor with distinction, and has shown tremendous leadership in the area of labor – management relations.  He has represented the Chapter on 11 negotiating committees and has worked tirelessly to promote the positive working relationship between NECA and IBEW Locals in our jurisdiction.We extend Dave our hearty congratulations on receiving ELECTRI’s Wendt Award.”

David R. MacKay’s Electrical Industry Honors and Service

  • President, NECA Boston Chapter, 1988 – 1989 and 2004 – 2005
  • Governor NECA Boston Chapter, 1990 – 1991 and 2006 – 2007
  • Vice President, NECA District 1, 2008 – 2011
  • ELECTRI Council Member, 2005 to present
  • Member, ELECTRI-International Board of Trustees
  • Chairman, ELECTRI International Investment Committee
  • Member, NECA Executive Committee
  • Fellow, Academy of Electrical Contracting, inducted 2005
  • NECA’s Richard R. Addio Electrical Distinguished Service Award, 2012
  • ELECTRI-International Program Review Committee, 2014