Helping Communities Shine

The places people feel at home are essential to everyday life. Gregory Electric Company strives for strong performance when cherished residences and communities are in danger.

Unexpected loss, or a lack of critical services like electricity or communications, is more than a short-term irritation. It often has lasting repercussions.

Restoring Happiness

In 16 years, Gregory Utility Project Manager Dean Blackburn has worked 25 storm recovery assignments ranging from woodsy Maine to the Gulf shores of Texas. Accustomed to leaving the comfort of his home at a moment’s notice, Dean has helped countless communities recover in the aftermath of a blizzard, flood, storm or hurricane.

“Some are worse than others,” he says. “We’ve done everything from stay in hotels in downtown Boston to sleep on toolboxes in a New Orleans graveyard.” When it comes to the worst conditions he’s ever experienced, there was no hesitation. “Hurricane Laura, four years ago in Lake Charles, was the worst,” he says. “There were zero signals so we had no communication with the outside world. No electricity at the camp. Food was scarce.”

The muddy clothes and wet boots are worth it, he says. “Sometimes when we’re in an area like the mountains, we’ll get to a location where you can see the valley as it lights back up. You can even hear people’s shouts of happiness echoing around. It’s really cool.”

Flooded Out

In addition to being the President and CEO of Gregory Electric, Bob Livingston is the former adjutant general of South Carolina. During his tenure, one formidable situation he experienced involved Williamsburg Regional Hospital in Kingstree. The small hospital, which served as many as 35,000 people, was all but destroyed in the thousand-year flood of 2015. The closure had devastating and ongoing cultural and economic effects. Residents had to travel for medical help until December 2017, when a temporary facility opened.

The tiny hospital, hobbled with an unusable structure and no resources to rebuild it, secured renewable FEMA funding to support temporary operations.

“Rural South Carolina is often overlooked when it comes to funding priorities,” explains Bob. “About six months after the flood, FEMA wanted to discontinue support so there were discussions about reclaiming the hospital. They didn’t have funds to deal with the damage. I became involved in 2017, and we were able to continue funding until a new nearby hospital was built.”

Placemaking for the Future

Gregory’s work isn’t always crisis driven. Some projects create places, bringing new experiences and spaces that will resonate for generations.

Years ago, Electrical Superintendent David Miller found himself in Columbia’s Vista district in a massive, frigid riverside mill dating back to the late 1800s. He worked on new electrical wiring, power, lights and mechanical systems for the mill, destined to be South Carolina’s premier historical museum. “It was neat to see how the building was built and the materials they used,” he says.

After the South Carolina State Museum opened in 1988, he was impressed but had one reservation. “The first time I went back, I was mad they’d covered up the original old maple mill floors,” he laughs. 

Telecom Project Manager Randy Taylor has long been involved in the redevelopment of Columbia’s BullStreet district. On and off since 2015, he’s worked on underground utilities, streetlights and communications infrastructure for the once-in-a-lifetime project.

“The place had always been a mystery to me. I’d wondered what was behind the walls,” he says. “I became more aware of what the state’s Department of Mental health did, who the people were that had buildings named after them, the jobs that patients would do. I didn’t know any of that. We’ve all learned a lot.”

Gregory’s expertise is still in the mix at the bustling district nine years on. “We’re still working on projects,” says Randy. “We’ve worked on the new WestLawn building, an attainable rental apartment community called Midtown at BullStreet, and more streetlight installation and infrastructure for Dominion.”

Last but not least is the sparkling creativity of Gregory Water Features, which has built 120 projects across the East Coast from Mississippi and Florida to the plains of Ohio. According to Project Manager Charlie Dunlap, one of their most notable efforts is a railroad-themed children’s splashpad within Greenville’s award-winning West End district.

“It’s one of the most feel-good projects I’ve ever worked on. It’s special to think about it and know there’s a piece of us in it,” says Charlie. While systems like HVAC, electrical and plumbing are mission critical, he says, people can’t see them or even truly appreciate them. Water features are different.

“People are drawn to water, so a water feature is an opportunity however big or small,” says Charlie. “We love the look in a customer’s eye when they see what we’ve created. It’s incredible. It drives us to be better every day.”