Enterprise Electric Company Inc.

Now in its third generation of family ownership and management, Enterprise Electric Company Inc. has been in business for more than 88 years. Headquartered in Baltimore and owned by the Beck and Churchman families, Enterprise Electric has established a strong reputation for providing high-quality work and exceptional customer service in commercial, industrial and institutional markets.

Founded by Raymond C. Beck in 1928, Enterprise Electric has utilized innovative and creative management techniques to become one of the largest electrical contractors in the mid-Atlantic region. By offering value-engineering and special design services, Enterprise Electric provides expert handling of installations by licensed technicians familiar with every phase of construction.

Today, the company’s day-to-day operations are in the hands of president Jack F. Beck Jr., grandson of founder Raymond Beck, and Stephen B. Churchman, senior vice president. In the past two decades, Enterprise Electric has expanded its expertise into the field of tele/data communications work. The company’s experience in this field began with pulling cable and terminating devices and has grown to include the design-build construction of large voice and data systems.

A household name in the industry

The diversity and capabilities of Enterprise Electric are best demonstrated by the types of projects the company has undertaken. As a subcontractor, Enterprise Electric has established lasting relationships with numerous general contracting firms, which have provided the opportunity for the company to be involved in multiple high-profile projects such as M&T Bank Stadium (home to the Baltimore Ravens), The Horseshoe Casino in Baltimore, Legg Mason Headquarters, The Ann & Mike Armstrong Medical Education Building at Johns Hopkins University and Brandon Shores AQCS Project.

In 2013 Enterprise Electric completed a new construction project at the University of Baltimore’s Angelos Law Center. This facility is comprised of 190,000 square feet throughout 12 floors and includes classrooms, faculty and administrative office space, clinics and a law library. The scope of work performed by Enterprise Electric included the installation of an electrical distribution system with a 4,000-ampere switchboard, more than 90 panelboards and distribution panels, a 2,000-ampere bus riser and bus circuit breakers, as well as three 800-kW  generators. “We also provided a 225-kilovolt UPS system, duct tanks, LED lighting and control systems, lightning protection and pathways for telecommunications,” says Jack. “This was a great show piece and achieved LEED-Platinum certification.”

As a union contractor, Enterprise Electric uses the many tools at its disposal, such as CW/CEs. When it comes to utilizing CW/CEs, Jack believes that the program is crucial to remaining competitive in the commercial market. “It can create a tough situation when it comes to bidding on work before you have the pool of manpower to draw from,” he says. “Mechanics tend to be priced too high for some job types, so CW/CEs play a major role in pricing jobs.”

The process for recruiting CWs is slightly different from recruiting CEs for Enterprise Electric. “We can recruit our CEs which in turn get sent to the union hall and then get referred back to us for a job,” Jack explains. “With CWs we just recruit and use the ones who meet performance standards.”

With the challenge of recruiting quality people from the CW/CE program, Enterprise Electric is interested in training individuals who are looking to establish a career with the company. “We want to provide people with an upward attitude,” says Jack. “In order to do this type of work you have to have a dependable workforce. We have people who have been with us for 30-plus years.”

Benefits of NECA

As a member of the National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA), and attending the NECA convention every year, Jack finds numerous benefits in Enterprise Electric’s involvement with the association. “It’s all about education and resources,” he says. “Whether it’s about prefab, new tools or research and development credits, it’s a great way to expose yourself to variations in the industry, increase efficiency and make yourself more competitive.”

Jack is currently the NECA Maryland representative for the national board. Although this post is a volunteer position, Jack views the donation of his time as a way of looking out for the future of the industry. “It may take some time away from running Enterprise, but ultimately the company can’t survive without a strong future for the industry,” he shares. “It’s as simple as that. Having the union and the locals understand that what is beneficial for the industry as a whole, is also beneficial for the men in the local, or else you have nothing.”

With Jack as the third generation of the Beck family, the tradition of the family business will be carried on as the fourth generation is in place to take over when Jack retires. His son, Jay Beck III, is currently serving the company as a project manager and estimator and his daughter, Kelly Beck, works in accounting. As the company moves forward, Enterprise Electric Company Inc. will remain a firm that adapts to new technology and methods to continue to serve its clients with the highest quality.