Prepared for Tomorrow

As our 75^th Anniversary celebration draws to a close, Gregory Electric Company turns its eyes toward a new era of service. The company’s humble beginnings, commitment to quality and steady growth now power a vision for the future.

Forward-thinking Knowledge

According to Bob Livingston, President and CEO, Gregory can always be counted on for providing far more than work crews. “We bring more to the table than simply doing what customers tell us to,” he says. “The knowledge piece allows us to interpret events, not delegate tasks for line crews. We partner with customers; we’re not just a supplier.”

That knowledgeable, proactive approach is a benefit for both the end customer and general contractor. “Today, we have more value than just construction experience,” says Bob. “In the case of a commercial building or industrial site, Gregory brings insight from four major divisions to the table — construction, engineering, alternate energy and utility.”

Knowledge is a pillar of the company’s commitment to service excellence. “It’s more than simply sharing what alternate generation options are out there; we help our customers understand what the options are, and how we can bring them on and integrate them into their existing services,” says Bob.

Advancing Workplace Practices

Keeping the power, communications and services flowing without interruption has always been a driving goal at Gregory. “There’s never been a time when we are not on call,” shares Bob Livingston III, General Manager of Gregory’s corporate headquarters in Columbia, who also goes by “B3” to make the workplace less confusing for those working with the father-son team. “It just used to be by beeper, and now it’s by phone.”

A bigger change, according to B3, is a growing use of preplanning, 3D modeling and prefabrication. “Often, we build out a job before we actually build it,” he explains. “We work with suppliers to model the job and build it to the room. Then they send everything we need in a box. Not only do we remove some labor from the job, we also move it to a less chaotic and more controlled space.”

According to Gregory Water Features Project Manager Charlie Dunlap, one of the biggest advances in their area is available technology. “When we started, everything was analog and mechanical. Now we are using computer-controlled PLCs to control water, fill and pumps,” he says. “We can now use LED lighting, which is more cost effective and offers more colors to customers. It also mitigates some of the liability. When you’re mixing water and electricity, you need to know what you’re doing.”

Gregory will always be a place of opportunity that values enduring practices like workforce hiring and training. “Nationally, trades have been hurt, and there’s a talent gap,” he says. “We’re hiring young people and training them. That could be in our four-year apprentice program or providing employees specialty instruction like leadership training.” While the future incorporates new tools like preplanning and prefabrication, investing in employees is essential. “It’s having people, having the right people, and training the right people to do the work.”

Fostering a Family Vibe

Whether through jobsite training for apprentices or career advancement for existing staff, one thing that will not change is Gregory’s people-centric approach. When Safety Director Matt Rudd first considered working at Gregory, he didn’t know much about the company. “I knew they’d been around for a long time and that people who worked there stayed there,” he says. As time went on, he says, it became clear why. “It feels more like family. When my wife passed away, the vice president was at the wake. At this company, you are not a number.”

In Gregory, Bob hopes that employees find a career rather than a job. “If they want to be a craftsman or journeyman, they can do that. But they can go as far as they want to go, maybe progress from there into project management. In the long run that kind of path benefits our employees, our customers and the company, too.”

For 75 years, Gregory Electric Company has thrived on a foundation of safety, quality, productivity, teamwork and family. No matter how far technology advances, you can rely on those roots being the building blocks for generations to come.