ST. LOUIS – Dr. Linda Little, who has helped pioneer national training in electric vehicle infrastructure, is being saluted by two St. Louis business publications.  Little, assistant director of the IBEW/NECA Electrical Industry Training Center, is being honor in the St. Louis Business Journal’s annual “Most Influential Business Women” and as an “Unsung Hero” by the St. Louis Small Business Monthly.

10 years ago, Dr. Little was part of a select national team that created the Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Training Program (EVITP), the essential standard to ensure reliable installation of EV chargers supporting the EV industry.  Dr. Little also chairs a national code making panel shaping the future of energy storage systems and DC microgrids for the National Electrical Code.

As assistant director of the IBEW/NECA Electrical Industry Training Center, she has helped develop its 78-course curriculum. For 20-plus years, Dr. Little has instructed countless apprentices, journey workers and NECA contractors in rapidly evolving electrical and communications infrastructure.  She is an essential resource for the IBEW/NECA Electrical Connection partnership in helping the region understand an array of disruptive technologies including smart infrastructure, robotics, renewable energy, EV chargers and more.

Both locally and nationally, Dr. Little is advancing the electrical industry through board service that includes:

·         St. Louis Building Energy Improvement Board

·         St. Louis County Electrical Code Review Committee

·         Chairman of the National Electrical Code Panel #13 (she is the first female IBEW member in the history of the IBEW international union to chair a National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Electrical Code Panel)

·         National Fire Protection Association

·         International Association of Electrical Inspectors

·         Underwriter’s Laboratories (UL) Electrical Council

Dr. Little has a PhD in curriculum and instruction and is certified in engineering science, chemistry, mathematics, and vocational education. Her doctoral thesis was the “Importance of High School Mathematics for Building Trades Electrical Apprenticeship Training Programs.” It offered pioneering insights on the importance of STEM education for the trades.

In its salute to Dr. Little and other unsung heroes in the July issue of St. Louis Small Business Monthly, Editor Rob Ameln noted “The heroes you see feature are people that not only have achieved excellence in their chosen fields, but they also are devoted tirelessly to helping to make St. Louis a better region.” Read the full article.

The St. Louis Business Journal will be honoring Dr Little in its August 13, 2021 “Most Influential Business Women” luncheon along with 25 other St. Louis business women in industries spanning healthcare, construction, legal, finance, non-profit, tourism and logistics. The event will be held at the St. Louis Marriott Grand Hotel in Downtown St. Louis.  Meanwhile, St. Louis Small Business Monthly will be honoring Dr. Little among seven “Unsung Heroes” in its July 2021 issue.

It is the third time in the past year that Dr. Little has been honored by a business publication. In December 2020, she earned a “Women in Construction Award” from St. Louis Constructions News and Review (CNR)