Roland’s Electric Inc.

Since 1953, Roland’s Electric Inc. has been setting the standards for expert electrical services throughout Nassau and Suffolk counties in Long Island, New York. Named for founder Roland Cadieux, Roland’s Electric is now a second generation family-owned and -operated business.

Father to son succession

Roland’s Electric began in 1953 in a modest 300-square-foot storefront in Uniondale, New York. Today the company has grown to be one of Long Island’s largest and most reputable electrical contractors, now headquartered in a 22,000-square-foot facility in Deer Park, New York.

“My father founded the company in 1953,” says Stephen Cadieux, president of Roland’s Electric. “He was an IBEW electrician by trade and after many years in the field decided to make a go of it on his own.  He started the company in the basement of our home, first working on small residential projects and appliance repairs, and things took off and he progressed into commercial work.”

At just 13 years old, Stephen was tracing the same path as his father, working in the company warehouse, picking orders and tools. “After I graduated from high school at 17, I went up through the IBEW apprenticeship and onto trade school and worked as an electrician,” recounts Stephen.

He eventually took the company’s reins in 1990 from his father, and grew Roland’s Electric substantially in the 90’s by expanding into public works projects.

Staying true to his father’s founding principles has been a key factor to both success and longevity. “He always said to succeed you must stay ahead of new technology, keep bids competitive and do top quality work,” says Stephen. Those principles still serve the full-service electrical firm well, now with a large highly trained staff of electricians and an office staff of more than 20, including a large estimating and project management department for projects ranging from municipal, hospital and health care, to sewage and water treatment facilities and every other conceivable type of commercial work.

Multiple sectors

One particular market for Roland’s Electric has been the medical and health care sector. Roland’s recently began a major renovation for North Shore LIJ Dolan Imaging Center’s MRI and CT scan facility. “Clients call on us because building a great health care facility takes knowledge, expertise and a dedicated team,” says Stephen.

“We have completed many projects for hospitals and for North Shore LIJ,” he continues. “Our crews understand the importance of critical lifesaving care and equipment, where maintaining 100 percent power is absolutely necessary.”

“When it comes to specialized systems, our customers trust us to do it the right way, the first time,” assures Stephen. “We have the resources, know-how, and operational capabilities to handle diverse projects of unlimited size.”

Roland’s Electric recently completed the $41.6 million Hauppauge Sewer District 18 expansion in Hauppauge, New York; a very large complicated project built around an existing active sewer plant.

The sewer plant needed to remain in service during construction. The expansion took the plant’s wastewater capacity from 300,000 gallons per day to 1.6 million gallons per day, allowing 1,300 nearby industrial park businesses to connect to the system. “A complex power and electrical system was needed to ensure that this facility stays powered and fully functional,” adds Stephen

Improved efficiency

From correctional facilities, such as the current dormitory renovation underway at the Yaphank Correctional Facility, to universities and schools, Roland’s Electric is a trusted institutional and educational contractor. “We just started an upgrade in the Farmingdale School District,” says Stephen. “We are installing over 10,000 LED light fixtures in multiple buildings. Upgrading to energy efficient products is a proven way to reduce energy expenses and the savings are substantial, along with improved lighting quality.”

“We recently finished a major renovation at Roosevelt High School, in Nassau County” adds Stephen. The outdated facility was gutted to bare walls and has an all new MEP infrastructure and energy efficient LED lighting throughout.

The job took a year and a half to complete. “We did over $12 million of just electrical work with state-of-the-art everything,” details Stephen. “Hurricane Sandy delayed the schedule briefly but we were able to get underway and completed despite the challenges the region faced after the storm.”

The 223,700-square-foot renovation also included a new media center, new utilities, rooftop generator, CCTV systems, a sophisticated fire and security alarm system, lighting controls, programmable sports field lighting, audio visual, public address and phone systems.

Leading in new directions

Roland’s Electric was into greener construction early, completing the first LEED certified commercial building in Long Island in 2006. The company has embraced and implemented robust energy-saving strategies on countless projects as well as at home at in its own building. “We have installed LED cost effective lighting and solar PV energy, both of which have resulted in immediate and dramatic savings on our own utility bills,” says Stephen.

As longstanding member of the Long Island chapter of the National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA), Roland’s Electric upholds some of the highest standards in the electrical industry and employs a large staff of trained electricians. Taking the lead from its strong safety training program, Roland’s Electric was instrumental in getting cut-resistant gloves for workers implemented as part of the NECA PPE (Personal Protection Equipment) program and received the 2014 NECA Safety Excellence Award.

Roland’s Electric is a shining example of a company can adapt and grow within a rapidly changing and highly competitive industry. The tradition has carried on beyond Stephen as well.

“I have two daughters who work in our estimating department and my two sons-in-laws are electricians as well,” he shares. Roland’s Electric Inc. is still going strong after 62 years, while continuing to build on the family name.