MOOSE JAW — One company is celebrating 15 years in the community this month and has grown from a small business venture to a trusted name in Moose Jaw’s electrical industry, marked by its ongoing commitment to quality service and community support.
To celebrate, Apex Electric Ltd. invited a few close partners, contractors, and clients to its anniversary barbecue on Sept. 18 featuring delicious pulled pork, brisket, and all the fixings provided courtesy of Smokin’ Outlaws BBQ.
“It’s been awesome; it’s been a good ride,” said Apex Electric owner James Benn about reaching the company’s 15-year milestone.
The barbecue was a way to show his appreciation. “I invited my colleagues just to show my appreciation for all (the work they’ve done). They’re the reason I’m here.”
The story of Apex Electric started a decade and a half ago when Benn was first getting himself established in the workforce.
“I was going to be a millwright, and the guy who was going to hire me said you should do something else because all we fix is hydraulic pumps,” he recalled. “And I said, ‘OK,’ so I ended up doing electrical instead.”
Benn was born in Calgary, Alta., and moved to Medicine Hat, Alta., at a young age. In January 2004 he kick-started his electrical career at Stark’s in Medicine Hat. He spent his second and third year of apprenticeship with Quickway Electric and then moved to Jim’s Electric where he became a Red Seal journeyman electrician.
Then, in September 2009, Benn decided to pursue his own company in Moose Jaw alongside Mike Arnold, who is now the owner of award-winning Smokin’ Outlaws BBQ.
“We worked together back in Medicine Hat,” Benn said. “He was my apprentice and we started up the company here. We went legitimate and never looked back.”
The idea to start his own business was never something Benn had planned. “It just happened that way,” he admitted.
Looking back on the past 15 years, Benn said he couldn’t pinpoint any one project that stood out above the rest.
“(There are) too many (projects to highlight just one),” he said. “We worked on the Best Western Hotel; we worked with… Hartell Homes (and Renovations Ltd.), Fine Line (Builders Ltd.), C&S (Builders Ltd.) — all the big ones; we’ve done a lot of work on a lot of schools; there have been a lot of projects.”
Apex Electric offers a variety of electrical services to Moose Jaw and the surrounding area going as far as Regina or south to the Rockglen area. Its scope includes residential, commercial, light industrial, and farm projects and “quality service and competitive pricing” is available with just a single call.
“If it’s electric, we build it,” he announced.
The key to Apex Electric’s success has been hard work, an evident passion for what they do, and many projects have been the result of word-of-mouth referrals, Benn said. “You know, (it’s) just a lot of hard work, grinding, getting the job done, and making people happy. That way, they hire you again.”
The same success story also boils down to the atmosphere shared by its seven employees.
“We just try to build a strong culture in house, have fun at what we do, and enjoy it,” he added. “That’s the key for us — make sure the guys are happy to come to work…”
Going forward, Benn said his plan is to continue doing what he’s doing and the company aspires to keep its customers happy with each new project.
Moose Jaw has been a great community and has offered the crew at Apex Electric a strong support base. “It’s a great place to run a business, (we’ve seen) a lot of support, and it’s been awesome,” Benn concluded.
Apex Electric Ltd. is located at 75 Highland Road and can be reached at 306-691-2001. For more information visit ApexElectric.ca or follow ‘Apex Electric Ltd’ on Facebook.
To learn more about Smokin' Outlaws BBQ, visit SmokinOutlawsBBQ.com or follow ‘Smokin’ Outlaws BBQ’ on Facebook.
