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

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
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“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.