BROOKFIELD, Wis. (April 2026) – Brookfield electrical contracting firm, Lemberg Electric Company, Inc., selected Senior Project Manager Adam Grahn for the 2026 National Electrical Contractors Association Innovation Institute (NII), a limited-entry, one-year national professional training program for future executives and innovators in the electrical construction industry.
“Being part of the Innovation Institute is an honor,” said Grahn. “This is an opportunity for my own professional growth and to bring new perspectives back to my role at Lemberg. I look forward to working with this select group of industry professionals.”
Grahn joined 9 other members of the NII Steinmetz Cohort, named for Charles Proteus Steinmetz, the mathematician and electrical engineer who revolutionized the power industry with alternating current theory. Members from across the nation met at the kickoff event in Washington, D.C., April 21-22, 2026, where the group began their intense leadership and innovation training, each one developing their own capstone project.
Cohort members are hand-selected and sponsored by other industry executives as future industry leaders. Grahn was nominated for his natural leadership abilities by Construction Department Manager DJ Partin and Lemberg President Kyle Witte. Witte was part of the inaugural Innovation Institute back in 2021.
“Sponsoring Adam for this incredible opportunity just feels like the natural evolution for his career at Lemberg,” said Lemberg President Kyle Witte. “He is well respected by his peers and relied upon by our leadership team. I look forward to supporting him through this journey.”
According to the National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA), the Innovation Institute is an opportunity for electrical contractors to empower emerging industry leaders to become visionaries with the leadership skills necessary for practical success.
Nomination criteria include:
- Examples of how the nominee demonstrates an innovative mindset, commitment to excellence, and teamwork.
- An outline for the future of the nominee within the organization.
- Documentation of the nominee’s innovation ability and leadership potential.
About the Innovation Institute
The Innovation Institute program consists of one-on-one leadership coaching, peer group discussions, and a capstone project. It takes place in three phases that focus on understanding, strategy, and execution/sustainability.
The capstone project allows the participants to exercise new leadership and problem-solving skills to a specific challenge faced by their organizations. In this way, the entire experience provides training and specific solutions that will make a difference in the organization, laying the groundwork for future success.
The Steinmetz Cohort will engage virtually every week for 2 hours, as well as meet in person four times throughout the twelve months, beginning with this April kick-off event in Washington D.C., and then again in August, December, and April 2027.