The reviews are in: The pulsating, dramatically lit Democratic National Convention in August was a high-tech triumph that couldn't have happened without the world-class electricians of Chicago Local 134. Crews began transforming the city's United Center two months in advance, working around other events while laying 90 miles of cable and wire. "With a project this big, you keep waiting for a shoe to drop, but nothing ever did, and that's a testament to our workforce — our members, contractors and business reps who made it look seamless," said Business Manager Don Finn, who added that abundant praise for the event "has been a great shot in the arm to our membership." He said, "That is the biggest national stage you can be on politically, and the IBEW was all over it."

Clockwise from top: Local 134's supersized welcome at an I-55 exit into town; journeymen Brandon Trotter and Edgar Cruz on the job outside the United Center; for stage production and media areas to animated lighting and LED displays, members installed 400,000 feet of fiber optic/CAT 6 cable and 75,000 feet of temporary power; the nearly 1 million-square-foot arena as setup began and the festivities inside on the four-day convention's final night; California members, pictured, and other IBEW delegates from across the country donned shirts that glowed in the dark when the lights dimmed on the convention floor.