Think Like A Leader

Mark Huston, President of Lone Star Electric, has a simple formula for working as a leader and helping others prepare for leadership roles:  “It all comes down to communications and respect.” Mark has seen his family’s business thrive in the Dallas Fort Worth area and attributes much of the company’s success to its focus on the industrial side of the EC market. Our congratulations to Mark who is t...

Leading a family business is a challenge and an opportunity that Matt Guarracino gladly accepts. As Principal and CEO of JM Electrical (Boston), Matt knows that the EC industry is changing rapidly.  He regards keeping to the core values both for the company and himself as the key to JM’s success.

Mike Dumas knows that the company’s culture is key to the way its people interact and serve their customers. Mike regards the EC industry as offering a fantastic career for men and women as long as they concentrate on being the very best at their jobs today and every day. That focus is central to Crawford’s customer service and its ongoing success.

Ryan Evans, VP at Border States Electric, truly believes “there has never been a better time to be in the electrical industry.” As VP for Construction Solutions, Ryan works closely with owners, GMs, contractors, and manufacturers to ensure the best possible solutions for each project. He told ELECTRI about the importance of understanding the goals of those around you to help ensure success for all...

Joey Shorter has extensive experience as a leader for the electrical construction industry. His relationship with NECA, ELECTRI International and the Atlanta EC Association is rich with his personal involvement. Dr Shorter approaches every encounter as an opportunity to help someone do better professionally and personally. His thoughtful leadership brings people together by approaching every decis...

Mike Carroll, Graybar’s Director of Business Development, is a strong advocate for the electrical construction industry. He recognizes that the two most important actions contributing to his success, and the success of his customers, is communications and being engaged every step of the way.    

Mike Curran, CEO of Redtop Electric pays a lot of attention to “powering what’s next”.  To make sure the company has the best possible workforce in place both in the field and in the office, Mike and his co-leaders focus on attitude and trust. Learn more about Redtop’s approach to finding a better way every day.  

Luke Kuhl understands that his goal as executive of NECA’s Saint Paul Chapter is to make people’s lives and businesses better. Luke’s game-plan is to always be curious, be relentless, and pay attention to delivering the outcome that his EC members will value and use at every turn.   

Line contractors face very different issues. Steve Gaines, Jr. has led NECA’s Southeastern Line Constructors Chapter for 25 years. In this conversation, he shares some valuable information about the needs of line constructors, their relationship with all the other NECA chapters, and the importance he places on listening carefully before making decisions.

An important mandate for ELECTRI International is to keep up with the mega trends that will have a major impact on the EC industry. As ELECTRI’s Executive Director, Josh Bone understands the sense of urgency that goes along with his leadership. He appreciates that the ELECTRI team always has to focus on the programs and projects that will be most valuable for the success of the industry.

Mike Emery is excited about his work in an emerging sector of the electrical industry. As Director of EV Charging for Light Efficient Design, he focuses on achieving top performance at every level of the innovation process.       

BESCO VP, Craig Wojciechowski, knows the importance of challenging the norm. He is a strong believer in communication, collaboration, and planning as the best way to lead his workforce.

With both customers and his sales team, Joe Gesino pays special attention to doing things the right way. As VP for Technical Sales at Atkore, Joe understands that leadership has to be a combination of people, strategy, and process. In selecting the best members for his sales team, Joe looks for those with diversity of thought. That’s just one of the keys to his success as a leader.

In selecting his workforce, Toby Mitchell knows that understanding and applying technology is far more important than the person’s number of years in the industry. He leads Classic Electric & Consulting with a compassionate approach to both staff and customers. Toby knows that success comes from building the brand into an exciting company where people grow and excel.  

Being willing to challenge and then taking time to listen to the other person’s perspective are two of the guiding principles that have helped Justin Kohlman (Schaeffer Electric, St. Louis) become the leader he is today. He regards spending time with his workforce – at every level – to be the most important element in achieving team success. ELECTRI congratulates Justin on his new appointment as P...

Orvil Anthony, Jr. knows that leading Fisk Electric is not a one-man accomplishment. He is very clear that keeping the firm successful takes a village. He also acknowledges that continued growth means you must never stop setting goals – for the company and for yourself.

To run her company successfully, CEO Christeen Speelman-Parsons knows it takes an extra effort to get out of her comfort zone to make it all happen. She’s very clear that it’s essential “not to listen to the noise” in making decisions and following her vision for Speelman Electric.

Tim Speno, President and CEO of the e2e Summit is well-known as the “connection specialist”. His approach to leadership and ways to improve what a company can accomplish are both thoughtful and inspiring. His best advice might just be that relationships and networking are the way a company can achieve and maintain its competitive edge.

Eric Nixon leads Maron Electric – a family business serving the Chicago area for close to 100 years. He is committed to the importance of education and community. He also understands the value of bringing smart people on board to strengthen the team as a whole.

Kirk Davis has a long, strong history as an EC industry leader. He focuses on being a good listener, respecting the opinions of those around him, and then working hard as a facilitator to help advance the industry and meet member needs. He views construction as “building a community, not just a structure”.  

Todd Mikec focuses his Lighthouse Electric team on doing things “safe, right, fast” and he firmly believes that it all starts with education. Todd explains how good leadership comes from having confidence, listening carefully, and always being passionate about the EC industry.    

Randy Maddox, President of Maddox Electric, sees leadership as a lifestyle, not a technique. He describes the company’s commitment to its workforce as central to the firm’s success and explains how doing the right thing – popular or not – is always the right thing.      

Scott Bringmann relies upon advice he received early in his career – “Your word and your reputation are key.” Scott has led Alcan Electric and Engineering, based in Alaska, and has now prepared the next generation of leaders to continue the firm’s 50+ years of service. He describes how educating the company’s employees is an integral part of leadership. He acknowledges that not everything always g...

Learn how our colleagues in Ontario Canada approach electrical construction.  Graeme Aitken, Executive Director of the Electrical Contractors Association of Ontario, explains leadership as the opportunity to serve as a gatekeeper – bringing technology and workforce issues to the attention of EC contractors throughout the Province. His best advice – ”Don’t forget where you cane from.” He works hard...

Karen Bazela, Siemens Regional Sales Director, is enthusiastic about the opportunities and challenges of being a company leader. She is laser-focused on the importance of using the best technology to develop the best people and services for the firm. She explains why flexibility and adaptability make all the difference in developing strong relationships with customers and industry partners.  Her f...