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Strong Business Decisions and Management Team Make Staff Electric Successful

"You want to be the solution to their problem, not the problem."

A simple and logical statement, but Mike Lochmann, President of Staff Electric, feels it's the reason the company has been so successful over the years. Incorporated in 1918, with company records dating back to 1911, Staff Electric has done what few companies have been able to do — remain in business for nearly a century.

When Lochmann and the management team decided to purchase the company in November of 1998, they knew the company was financially strong and had a solid reputation industry-wide. Taking over the business was the logical next step, and Staff Electric has continued to thrive because of it. By maintaining a lean company and managing overhead in the best years the company has ever seen, they minimized the effect of the recent economic downturn.

Even though it's safe to say no company has navigated through the financial crisis untouched, Staff has continued to provide family-supporting jobs with benefits, pensions and training to nearly 400 workers — something Lochmann takes great pride in.

Finding A Niche and Growing Relationships

Since John and George Staff both have degrees in electrical engineering, it makes sense that Staff Electric focused on the design/build and engineering components of projects. Whether they knew it or not, this put them ahead of the trend as the electrical industry gravitated toward this niche 15 years ago. Due to this expertise, Lochmann feels the more complex and unique the project, the more Staff Electric separates themselves from the competition.

If you look at some of the company's recent success stories — such as Marquette University's Law School Building (featured in this issue), Aurora Medical Center in Summit and Kerry Ingredients (also recognized by the Wisconsin Builder's Top Project Awards) — its ability to work on projects both large in scope and tight in timeline are second to none. When you couple its business relationships with its capabilities, it's easy to see how Staff Electric became one of the largest electrical contractors in the state.

It should come as no surprise that relationships make companies stronger, and Staff Electric understands this well. By emphasizing the importance of building rapport with customers, contractors and employees, it has developed solid relationships with companies like Mortenson Construction — a company they recently worked with on Aurora Medical Centers in Summit and Grafton.

"Over the years, we have partnered with Staff Electric on numerous projects," said Mark Sherry, Vice President of Mortenson Construction. "They are able to make any project — however unique — a success, and we rely on their level of quality and expertise in the electrical industry to continue moving our company forward."

Planning for a Career

Of all the unique benefits of the construction industry, Staff Electric most embodies the "sky's the limit" mentality. Whether you're an apprentice, a project manager or an estimator, there are many opportunities for growth if the desire to work hard and the skill set is in place.

When he started working at Staff Electric some 30 years ago, Lochmann's intentions weren't to become President, but he said the company always supported each step in his career. "I can still remember when I started my apprenticeship in 1973," Lochmann recalled. "I was fortunate to work at a company like Staff Electric that encouraged growth and allowed me to believe opportunities were endless in this industry."

Lochmann's very happy with the decision to buy Staff Electric, and feels it has positively impacted every employee and the company. When asked about what's next for him he said, "In this industry, there isn't a threat of someone taking your job because you want someone to want it." He's just waiting for the next person to step up and lead Staff Electric to even greater success.

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