IES Residential

In 1972 Roy Brown and Ben Mueller founded a Texas-based residential electrical contractor business as Houston-Stafford Electric. Over the years, the company has diversified immensely; Integrated Electrical Services Inc. acquired the business in 1998. Today, the business operates as IES Residential (IES), a full-service provider of residential electrical services ranging from basic connections to sustainable power sourcing. Dwayne Collier leads the subsidiary business as president of IES.

“I’ve been in the electrical business since high school, working in the summers,” Collier explains. “My father was an electrician and I went to college to study the field. I started working here 22 years ago, doing construction projects in college.” Collier gradually worked his way through the ranks and now leads a team of 680 amongst 32 offices from Charlotte, N.C., to Corona, Calif.

A Strong Portfolio

IES maintains a similar focus to the original business; IES generally works as a subcontractor under a general contractor. The company is frequently wiring up houses and apartment buildings for a range of clients. The multifamily side of the business has been growing, although the crew still performs a lot of tract housing work for contractors, such as Lennar Homes, KB Home and David Weekley Homes. The crew self-performs most of the work on these projects, although the business works with a strong set network of strategic partners.

As technology and the needs of end-users change, IES is keeping up with the market, providing diverse services. In the residential market, the team works with contractors to develop electrical systems for new homes that offer safety and efficiency to potential homeowners. The crew frequently installs backup systems to both single-family and multifamily residences. Multifamily developments include apartments and condominiums, as well as assisted-living facilities and student housing.

IES has broken into the green market, providing sustainable power solutions for a number of markets. The capable team offers solar services, installing and integrating solar panels and generators to help homeowners and renters protect the environment and save money. The business also installs electric vehicle charging stations for automotive manufacturers and dealers, as well as commercial and residential facilities across the country.

Returning to Growth

The company has held steady in recent years, although Collier says the recession was a challenging time for his team. “The market shrank significantly,” he recounts. “We had to downsize with it. We closed a few of our offices, but we are seeing some improvement as 2013 has been our best year since 2005 or 2006. For the last few years we have been maintaining, but now we are ready to grow.”

The team is not looking for any immediate major geographic expansion; however, vertical growth is definitely part of the plan. Collier believes there is business to be had in the markets the company already serves.

“We are seeing gradual improvement,” he notes. Outside of electrical contracting, IES is building up a strong presence in voice, data and video design and installation work.

Collier credits a strong team and a positive company culture for much of the company’s success. “There is a real ownership mentality here,” he explains. “I’ve been here for 22 years. As managers, we really feel like part of this business.”

Part of that ownership mentality includes instilling a sense of personal responsibility for quality work, as well as safety. The company’s vice president of safety reports directly to Collier and oversees safety program personnel in each office. The company strives for no injuries and no lost time due to accidents, a goal that each employee takes seriously. To achieve these goals, IES strictly screens potential employees and the staff undergoes rigorous safety training to keep everyone up-to-date on regulations and requirements for individual contracts.

A longstanding commitment to the well-being of staff and the success of each project has allowed IES to build strong relationships with clients and strategic partners over the years. General contractors, subcontractors and owners alike have come to rely on the IES team to put its best foot forward, every day on every job. As IES Residential delves into its fifth decade of business, the crew continues to complete complex electrical projects with safety, integrity and commitment to customer satisfaction.