KE Electrical: Part of Ottawa’s Thriving City Since 1994

Peers and Profiles

 

Aug 14, 2017

By Huong Nguyen

Ottawa and its surrounding area has become one of Ontario’s fastest growing cities because it’s a great place to live, work and raise a family. KE Electrical has made its mark in Ottawa in the local construction industry on commercial projects in the private and public sectors as well as large-scale residential condominiums and hotels. Today, what’s known as KE Electrical, started in 1994 as Gord Kemp Electrical with Gord Kemp, president and owner, two employees and a half-ton truck.

Over Kemp’s 23-year career as owner of KE Electrical, there were always three constants: his family, his farm, and his trusted colleague, Joan O’Meara, who helped him with Gord Kemp Electrical when it first started out, to today, helping with everything from bookkeeping to administration.

“Joan has been with me from the start, and her opinions and business insight have never led us astray,” Kemp says. “She is important to this business, and she’s very important to me. She has helped me grow this business from the ground up, and I’m very thankful to have her.”

KE Electrical has enjoyed substantial growth over the past 23 years, but Kemp is acutely aware of what needs to be done to ensure his company’s future success. That’s why succession planning is key to Kemp. In 2011, Kemp decided to bring in two trusted partners, Abe Wall and Peter Richard, who are invested in seeing the company thrive. Together they have been with Kemp for a combined 25 years, and they bring the passion necessary to continue the success KE Electrical has enjoyed to date. Both licensed as Master Electricians, Wall and Richard know the technical aspects of contracting as well as the business side of the venture.

But that does not mean he’s throwing in the towel any time soon. Kemp plans to stay on with the company for at least another decade, and he welcomes the growth the company continues to experience, all without any advertising or marketing.

“We don’t have slow times,” says Kemp, “sometimes it would be nice, but we just don’t seem to, and for that I’m grateful.”

And while things can get busy and it’s easy to lose focus of what matters, Kemp has never faltered on how he manages and treats his staff. Despite the seasonal nature of the industry, Kemp has focused on remaining a consistent employer throughout the years and maintaining his staff. This is reflected with a loyal and dedicated team of employees; the essential ingredient to being successful. Kemp is aware of how important it is to ensure his staff know how much he appreciates them, so efforts are made to host events throughout the year to help maintain the strong company morale. These events include the annual golf tournament, casino nights, Christmas parties and BBQs. During hockey season, Kemp supports the in-house hockey enthusiasts by promoting Friday afternoon hockey games for the employee’s enjoyment. It’s events like these that help strengthen the team environment and promotes positive spirit within the company.

“They’re not just our staff,” they’re the reason we’re successful,” says Kemp. “We work with them, and they work for us, but at the end of the day, we’re all still human, and having connections with one another is how we’re able to keep the company strong, open and honest. It starts with our people and it continues throughout our business culture, right through to our clients. This is very important to me.”

This commitment to connections also extends into the community. Kemp is co-president of the Ottawa chapter of the Ontario Electrical League (OEL), alongside Rick Charron, President of Anew Electrical Contracting Ltd. Kemp joined OEL back in 1994 when he started his business. He realizes the value of having regular monthly meetings
.
“They’re informative, and an excellent way to network with peers, learn from the industry or stay up to date with regulatory changes,” Kemp notes. “These meetings have helped me become the business man I am today.”

“This is an industry where you will get lost in the information,” continues Kemp. “Having support, such as a good team, loyal staff and a strong relationship with peers, is where my company stands apart from the crowd. It’s for these reasons that I will always be grateful for what we’ve built, because it has gone beyond the person, and we’re now part of something bigger.”

If you’d like more information on KE Electrical, call them at 613-839-0351.

Huong Nguyen is the Ontario Electrical League’s Marketing Communications and Chapter Support Representative. This article first appeared in OEL’s Dialogue.

 

Related Articles


Latest Articles

  • G5 Series from Eralux Illuminates the Oshawa Library

    G5 Series from Eralux Illuminates the Oshawa Library

    November 25, 2024 Eralux is proud to present its latest project with the G5 Series at the Oshawa Library to improve the atmosphere and use of public spaces. Located in downtown Oshawa, Ontario, the library is a center for learning and creativity. Now that Eralux’s innovative lighting solution has been introduced, the library experience is… Read More…

  • Ontario Drives Growth in Residential Building Construction in September

    Ontario Drives Growth in Residential Building Construction in September

    November 25, 2024 Investment in building construction rose 2.1% to $21.6 billion in September, following a 0.2% increase in August. The residential sector increased 2.9% to $15.2 billion in September, while the non-residential sector edged up 0.3% to $6.4 billion. Year over year, investment in building construction grew 6.7% in September. On a constant dollar basis (2017=100), investment in building construction increased 1.6% from… Read More…

  • Ontario’s Institutional Construction Intentions Push up the Non-Residential Building Permits in September

    Ontario’s Institutional Construction Intentions Push up the Non-Residential Building Permits in September

    November 25, 2024 The total value of building permits in Canada increased by $1.3 billion (+11.5%) to $13.0 billion in September, reaching the second-highest level since the start of the new series in January 2017. Ontario’s construction intentions grew by $1.2 billion (+25.0%) to $5.9 billion in September 2024, leading gains in both the non-residential and residential sectors. On a constant… Read More…

  • Red Seal Self-Assessment Questions

    Red Seal Self-Assessment Questions

    November 25, 2024 Each trade’s self-assessment tool is available to help you understand your own readiness for challenging the Red Seal exam in that trade. It goes through all topics that are included in the trade’s standard (Red Seal Occupational Standard/National Occupational Analysis) and asks you to reflect on whether you have the experience and knowledge in each… Read More…


Changing Scene

  • EV ChargeON Community Sites Stream

    EV ChargeON Community Sites Stream

    November 25, 2024 Through the EV ChargeON Community Sites Stream, over 1,300 new EV charging ports have been approved at sites across the province. The Ontario government is investing $63 million to help build electric vehicle (EV) charging ports in communities with less than 170,000 people, including Indigenous communities. This will increase access to EV… Read More…

  • ITC Electrical Components Celebrates 30 Years of Service to the Electrical, Automation and OEM Market in Canada

    ITC Electrical Components Celebrates 30 Years of Service to the Electrical, Automation and OEM Market in Canada

    November 25, 2024 Celebrating its 30th anniversary, ITC Electrical Components has recently launched its new and improved website at www.itcproducts.com. After a successful 15-year career in the electrical components industry Luca Fontana founded ITC Electrical Components in 1994.  Since that time the company has grown from a home-based operation to a successful business with 15 employees and… Read More…

  • Eaton Canada Investing $15m to Expand Manufacturing Capacity

    Eaton Canada Investing $15m to Expand Manufacturing Capacity

    November 25, 2024 Eaton Canada is investing approximately $15 million to expand manufacturing capacity to meet growing demand for its electrical solutions driven by the ongoing electrification of Canada’s economy. These investments will expand the company’s low-voltage manufacturing footprint by 20%, increasing its ability to produce the switchboards, switchgear and panelboards needed to support Canada’s… Read More…

  • Bartle & Gibson Announces Partnership with Electric Avenue

    Bartle & Gibson Announces Partnership with Electric Avenue

    November 25, 2024 Bartle & Gibson Co. Ltd., a Western Canada-based premier plumbing, heating and electrical distributor, proudly announced a new regional partnership to distribute Electric Avenue, providers of convenient, affordable and easy-to-use smart charging solutions for residential and commercial use, across Western Canada. Electric Avenue was founded in 2021 with one simple mission: to… Read More…