RANCHO CORDOVA, Calif. — The home services industry is bracing for its most ambitious gathering to date. The Electric & Gas Industries Association (EGIA)—operating through its prominent divisions EGIA Contractor University, HVAC Distributor University, and Optimus Financing—has officially announced the comprehensive lineup and schedule for EPIC2027.
Scheduled to take place on Thursday, February 25, and Friday, February 26, at the world-renowned Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada, the premier annual conference is poised to shatter previous attendance, engagement, and educational benchmarks. Registration is currently open, drawing waves of contractors, distributors, manufacturers, and industry-leading solution providers from across North America who are eager to secure their place at what has evolved into the definitive event for the trades.
By seamlessly blending world-class business education, high-stakes tactical training, a massive supplier expo, and unprecedented A-list entertainment featuring NFL legend Ray Lewis and Grammy-nominated comedian Jim Gaffigan, EPIC2027 is redefining what professionals can—and should—expect from an industry conference.
Main Facts: What, Where, and Who
At its core, EPIC2027 is designed to be a transformative experience for trade professionals looking to scale, optimize, and future-proof their operations.
- The Host Organizations: The conference is produced by EGIA, a premier nonprofit organization dedicated to the advancement of contractor businesses, alongside its specialized entities: EGIA Contractor University, HVAC Distributor University, and Optimus Financing.
- Dates and Location: The two-day intensive event runs from February 25 to February 26, hosted at the sprawling Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada.
- The Scale: EPIC has steadily grown into one of North America’s largest and most influential home services gatherings. It bridges the gap between field-level contractors and the broader ecosystem of manufacturers, distributors, and B2B solution providers.
- The Headlining Talent: The 2027 keynote slate features some of the most recognizable and successful figures in motivation, high-stakes negotiation, disruptive branding, and behavioral psychology.
- The Entertainment: In a conference first, EPIC2027 will feature a headline comedy performance by Jim Gaffigan, followed by an exclusive evening party at Swingers Crazy Golf inside Mandalay Bay.
According to event organizers, the overarching mission of EPIC2027 is to deliver immediate, actionable strategies that contractors can deploy the moment they return to their local markets. Whether attendees are looking to master artificial intelligence, overhaul their digital marketing, streamline internal operations, or navigate complex workforce shortages, the conference delivers proven playbooks designed for sustainable profitability.
Chronology of the Event: A Roadmap for Attendees
To maximize value for the hundreds of trade professionals expected on-site, EGIA has meticulously structured the two-day calendar at Mandalay Bay. While specific breakout session times will be detailed in the official event mobile application closer to the date, the high-level chronology sets the stage for a fast-paced, immersive experience.
Day One: Thursday, February 25 — Motivation, Tactics, and Comedy
- Morning Opening Plenary: The conference kicks off with an high-energy general session designed to set an ambitious tone for the year ahead. Bruce Matulich, CEO of EGIA, will take the stage to officially welcome attendees and outline the vision for EPIC2027.
- Keynote Power Hours: Day one features landmark keynote presentations from world-class authorities. Attendees will learn cutting-edge communication and negotiation tactics from former FBI hostage negotiator Chris Voss, explore the behavioral science of customer influence with Vanessa Van Edwards, and absorb raw leadership motivation from NFL Hall of Fame-caliber icon Ray Lewis.
- Breakout Sessions and Expo Floor Opens: Following the morning plenaries, the massive EPIC2027 expo floor will officially open, showcasing the largest-ever gathering of vetted product and service providers in the conference’s history. Simultaneously, specialized breakout tracks focusing on marketing, sales, operations, and AI will commence.
- Evening Entertainment and Networking: As the sun sets on Day 1, the tone shifts from intense corporate strategy to world-class entertainment. Comedian Jim Gaffigan will take over the main stage in the grand ballroom—marking a historic first for the EPIC conference series. Directly following the comedy set, attendees will transition to Swingers Crazy Golf for an immersive evening party featuring gourmet food, open bars, live music, a DJ, carnival games, and mini-golf.
Day Two: Friday, February 26 — Advanced Scaling and Industry Leadership
- Morning Keynotes and Business Mastery: Day two opens with deep-dive sessions led by disruptive entrepreneurs, such as Liquid Death founder Mike Cessario, who will deconstruct how to turn basic commodities into multi-billion-dollar cultural phenomena.
- Industry Expert Roundtables and Playbooks: The remainder of Friday is dedicated to tactical breakout sessions led by the biggest names in home services, including Paul Kelly, Tommy Mello, Ken Goodrich, Chad Peterman, Brad Barron, Jason Walker, Stephanie Allen, and Kathryn Howard. These sessions provide step-by-step blueprints for scaling operations, improving recruitment pipelines, and leveraging modern digital tools.
- Expo Floor Finale and Closing Remarks: Attendees will have a final opportunity to network with vendors, explore new technologies, and finalize strategic partnerships on the expo floor before the conference officially concludes on Friday afternoon.
Supporting Data and Keynote Breakdown
The strength of EPIC2027 lies heavily in its extraordinarily diverse and high-caliber speaker roster. Organizers have curated a mix of military-grade negotiators, behavioral scientists, cultural brand builders, and elite trade operators.
1. Ray Lewis: The Force of Leadership
As a two-time Super Bowl champion, Super Bowl MVP, and one of the most dominant linebackers in NFL history, Ray Lewis brings a level of intensity and emotional resonance that extends far beyond the gridiron. Known globally for his electrifying pre-game speeches and relentless work ethic, Lewis will focus his keynote on accountability, mental toughness, and building unbreakable team cultures—traits essential for contractors managing field technicians and office staff alike.
2. Chris Voss: Mastering High-Stakes Negotiation
Former FBI Lead International Kidnapping Negotiator and author of the international bestseller Never Split the Difference, Chris Voss translates life-or-death negotiation strategies into high-powered business applications. For home services contractors, Voss’s tactical empathy and verbal intelligence frameworks provide a distinct advantage when closing high-ticket residential and commercial bids, managing vendor contracts, or resolving customer disputes.
3. Mike Cessario: Disrupting Conventional Commodities
Few modern entrepreneurs have achieved the viral cultural resonance of Mike Cessario. As the founder and CEO of Liquid Death, Cessario took the ultimate, commoditized product—plain water—and transformed it into an edgy, billion-dollar lifestyle brand. His session will challenge contractors to rethink how they market their HVAC, plumbing, and electrical services in crowded local markets through bold branding and authentic storytelling.
4. Vanessa Van Edwards: The Science of Interpersonal Influence
As a behavioral investigator, TEDx speaker, and bestselling author, Vanessa Van Edwards decodes the unspoken cues that dictate human interaction. Her session explores the science of charisma, trust-building, and customer psychology. For contractors, understanding how to read and respond to consumer behavior translates directly to higher closing rates, stronger customer retention, and superior team leadership.
5. The Home Services All-Star Lineup
Complementing the headline keynotes is an elite roster of home services veterans who have built some of the most successful contracting enterprises in North America. Presenters such as Tommy Mello, Ken Goodrich, Chad Peterman, and others will pull back the curtain on their proprietary operational playbooks, offering attendees unvarnished advice on scaling revenue, optimizing tech efficiency, and navigating mergers and acquisitions.
Official Responses and Industry Perspectives
The anticipation surrounding EPIC2027 reflects the rapidly evolving nature of the home services sector, which has seen unprecedented shifts in technology, consumer expectations, and operational scaling over recent years.
Bruce Matulich, Chief Executive Officer of EGIA, emphasized that EPIC2027 has raised the bar for what industry events can achieve.
"Every year, our goal is to give contractors an experience they can’t get anywhere else in this industry, and EPIC2027 sets a new standard," Matulich stated. "Between a keynote lineup of this caliber and Jim Gaffigan live on our main stage, this will be two days that attendees talk about for years to come — and two days that change how they run their businesses forever."
Industry analysts note that as the home services market faces increasing competition, regulatory shifts, and labor constraints, events like EPIC serve as vital lifelines for independent business owners. By providing direct access to peer networks, financial tools through Optimus Financing, and world-class educational tracks via EGIA Contractor University, the association continues to cement its role as a primary catalyst for industry growth.
Implications for the Home Services Industry
The staging of EPIC2027 at Mandalay Bay carries significant implications for contractors, distributors, and manufacturers across North America.
- The Rise of Tech-Enabled and Modernized Operations: With dedicated sessions covering artificial intelligence, advanced marketing pipelines, and modern workforce development, attendees are expected to accelerate their digital transformations. Contractors who fail to adopt modern technological tools risk falling behind competitors who utilize data-driven insights to capture local market share.
- Elevated Consumer Expectations: Sessions led by innovators like Mike Cessario and Vanessa Van Edwards highlight a broader industry trend: consumers no longer just buy a service; they buy an experience and a brand narrative. Home services businesses are increasingly adopting consumer-facing branding strategies historically reserved for retail and e-commerce giants.
- The Importance of Peer-to-Peer Ecosystems: Beyond the formal sessions, the sheer magnitude of the vendor expo and networking venues like Swingers Crazy Golf underscores the critical value of community in the trades. Collaborative problem-solving, strategic vendor partnerships, and shared operational insights remain the bedrock of sustainable growth for independent contractors.
How to Attend
Registration for EPIC2027 is officially open. Contractors, distributors, and industry stakeholders interested in securing their spot at Mandalay Bay on February 25–26 can access registration portals, hotel booking blocks, and detailed agenda updates by visiting the official conference website at epic2027.com.