BACKGROUND

Smith’s journey into the electrical trade began in 1984 as an apprentice electrician in Nebraska, progressing to journeyman status in 1988. Smith went on to become a master electrician, service technician, foreman, general foreman, and superintendent. Smith was brought into the office of the Electric Company of Omaha (ECO) in 1997 as an estimator/project manager. In 1998, he was offered the opportunity to buy stock and eventually became the majority shareholder in 2001. Smith then assumed the role of President while also continuing his roles of estimator and project manager.

ECO was founded in 1982 by its four original partners, all coming from different sectors of the electrical industry. Focused on service and small jobs, ECO steadily grew to 13 shareholders with 23 office staff and 215 employees in the field. ECO offers a full line of electrical construction services, including commercial and industrial construction projects, medium voltage and 600-volt distribution systems, emergency power generation systems, UPS, fire alarm, telecom systems, building automation and integration, and security systems with an emphasis on service, healthcare and industrial. ECO works primarily within a 50-mile radius of the home office on the electrical side and all of North American on security systems, with an annual sales reaching $60 million.

ECO became a member of the Nebraska Chapter in 1982. Smith has been involved with NECA as President of the Nebraska Chapter from 2007 to 2012. He also served as Governor from 2012 to 2017 and again from 2022 to 2023. Smith will be installed into the Academy of Electrical Contracting at the Opening General Session at NECA’s 2025 Convention in Chicago.

Smith believes that technology is constantly improving at an alarming rate. He feels that it’s important to ask advice from those in the industry and learn all you can from them.