Briggs Electric Inc.

Since 1946, Briggs Electrical Inc. (Briggs) has built a reputation for offering high quality, full service electrical contracting throughout southern California and Nevada. By delivering excellence, Briggs keeps customers coming back, forming loyal, repeat clients and long standing relationships.

All in the Family

Even after 67 years in business, Briggs remains family-owned and -operated. “The company was founded by Shuler Briggs and his family in 1946,” shares Jeff Perry, president of Briggs. “My father, who started working at Briggs as an electrical apprentice in 1966 (the same year I was born), worked his way up and became friends and partners with Shuler’s son.”

Eventually, Jeff’s father bought out the original Briggs family and Jeff and his brother, Todd Perry began working for the family business as soon as they could. “Every Christmas break or summer vacation I was in here sweeping floors or delivering material,” recalls Jeff. “I got into construction management in college and I knew I’d eventually take this step – I’ve been here for 20 years now.”

A good portion of the Perry family is still involved in Briggs. “Todd is our chief financial officer and my uncle is our vice president who also oversees our field crews,” adds Jeff. “My son is going to college but I’m sure he will work his way into the business and Todd also has young children that may someday be the third generation to run this company.”

As a family-oriented company Jeff says there are some things Briggs values above all else, one being relationships. “We take great pride in our quality of work and customer satisfaction,” he shares. “We want to build long-term partnerships and relationships. It’s more than getting in-and-out and doing the job.”

Going the Distance

Today, the union electrical contractor employs a 150 skilled trade’s people who are just as much part of the family as the Perry brothers. “We have truly wonderful people who work here,” assures Jeff. “There are employees at Briggs who’ve been with us for 20 years-or-more now.”

Briggs has two locations; one in Tustin, Calif., and an additional office in Carson City, Nev. “Several years ago, one of our key foremen moved to northern Nevada and saw the opportunity for business in that area,” shares Jeff. “Because he was a trusted employee he talked my father into backing him and building a new office and it’s worked out very well.”

The company’s Carson City office covers all the way from Reno, Nev. to California’s Lake Tahoe area. “The territory Carson City covers is pretty widespread,” adds Jeff. “They also do some remote mining work in that area. The Tustin branch mainly covers Orange County from Los Angeles to northern San Diego.”

Complete Commercial Service

Briggs specializes in commercial electrical contracting and light industrial work. “Over the last decade we’ve done a great deal of hospital and medical jobs, but we also do datacenters, solar power and regular commercial TI’s,” reveals Jeff. “Our success is in the variety of work we do. We’re not stuck on any one thing.”

The company offers design services from initial assessment, to design criteria and bid packages, also project management, implementation and installation, including lighting, power distribution, solar power and energy management. “The only services we subcontract are specialty, low-voltage systems such as fire alarms and security,” notes Jeff. “We also offer structured cabling and network cabling for office spaces throughout subsidiary company, Briggs DataComm.”

In recent years, Briggs has helped deliver several brand-new patient towers for Mission Hospital and St. Joseph’s Hospital. “We also completed a remodel at Hoag Hospital in the Newport Beach area in 2005 that won an Electrical Excellence award,” points out Jeff. “On the commercial side, we’re working with Pimco, a bond investment company also in Newport Beach. We’re involved in a big chunk of the sizable new tower Pimco is putting up.”

Briggs has managed stay afloat despite the downturn in the Orange County market by relying on the commercial sector. “Orange County has been very slowing coming back from the downturn,” mentions Jeff. “It’s getting better but any work that goes out is still highly competitive and margins are low. It’s still going to take some time for this area to recover.”

Despite the lagging economy in Orange County, Briggs has survived with the added support of long-term, high-tenure employees and loyal, repeat customers. After 67 in southern California and northern Nevada, Briggs Electric Inc. has become a trusted full-service electrical contractor that delivers when clients expect excellence.