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August 23, 2024 | 12:34:49pm

Fast 50 2024: Adkins Electric Inc, A Norlee Company – Press Release

Adkins Electric Inc – A Norlee Company
Lee Baker, Divisional Vice President
Ph: (904) 765-1622 · Email: lbaker@adkinselectric.com

RE: Fast 50 2024: Adkins Electric Inc (AEI)

It is with gratitude and pride that I announce Adkins Electric Inc. placed No. 8 for volume growth and No. 19 for percentage increase on the 2024 Jacksonville Business Journal Fast 50 list for companies in NE Florida showing the highest growth over a 3-year period. AEI has had substantial success with a 40.6% growth, all because of the hard work and dedication that shows up to work every day. I wouldn’t want to be surrounded by any other team than the Adkins Team! Congratulations to every one of you. Let’s keep the momentum and success going. To my team, you truly are the best in the business. To Wally, CEO of Norlee Group (NLG), thank you for your continued support over the past few years. I can’t wait to see what we can do next year together! Below is a summary from the Fast 50 listing.

Company: Adkins Electric, Inc.
Top Local Executive: Lee Baker
Percentage of Growth: 40.6%
Volume Growth Rank: 8
Year Company Founded: 1977
Industry: Electrical Construction

What motivates you as you lead your team?
At Adkins Electric, Inc. (AEI) our culture is the core of our motivation. We are very much by definition a team. The dedication and teamwork that shows up every day is what inspires up to keep pushing forward.

What has been the biggest challenge you've faced as your company has grown?
Our biggest challenge is the state of the market and unsteady costs for materials needed for projects as well as the availability of skilled and seasoned workers.

What's been the 'secret sauce' that has helped propel your growth?
The AEI “secret sauce” goes back to our culture and teamwork. We make it a point to let our staff know how important they are to the company. We take pride in our work every day, respect each other, and are inspired by the vision to challenge ourselves to make this company an even bigger success year over year.

What have you done to keep your company culture strong as you grow?
The most important step in keeping our culture strong no matter how much we grow is letting our team know that their voice is important. There is no such thing as a silly idea. One small idea sparks a bigger one. These are the building blocks to success. Our employees are at the core of our projects so they can bring firsthand, boots on the ground suggestions to us - and we listen.

What advice would you have for those who are looking to lead a fast-growing company?
The best advice that we could give anyone looking to lead a fast-growing company is to put a plan together for where you want the company to be in 2-3 years. Then reverse engineer the strategy. It is easier to figure out how to get somewhere when you already know where you want to be.

What challenges or opportunities do you see on the horizon and how are you preparing for them?
The biggest challenge we have had and are continuing to see in our industry is the availability of skilled labor. We have turned that into an opportunity to start building for tomorrow and utilize programs like apprenticeships and
on-the-job training to secure eager to learn talented workers to work alongside our seasoned ones who have our deep-rooted culture. As our company continues to grow, we keep placing one foot in front of the other into the future while staying grounded in the present.