Category: News

By Bob Bacon

I need a vacation. Badly! I am pretty sure I can take one next week. Today, we gain another advantage as a company.

We have begun the task of finalizing the transition of Elm from a company owned by a few people to a company owned by all its employees. It has been an arduous process, many of our folks have worked hard dotting all the I’s and crossing all the T’s. Tim Williams has put in a tremendous number of hours doing his regular work plus all the accounting and analysis required by the ESOP. This is something we have never done, meaning we are learning and gaining understanding as we go. It was a lot and I would do it again. The more I understand and learn, the more convinced I am we made the right decision.

Elm is a good company with a fantastic culture. You might ask how could we make it better? Studies show ESOPs perform 2.3% better than non-ESOPs. Our net income is less than 10% and 2.3% is a huge advantage. ESOPs have several other advantages. For Elm the process of becoming one has pointed out many operational business things we could do better.

To help us improve our business processes we have recruited and hired a VP of Business Operation, Sarah McCarthy. Sarah comes to us from a large healthcare service organization. Her background includes sales, staffing and several years in healthcare. Perhaps what impressed me most about her was her ability to drive change in the healthcare business. Healthcare hates change! Sarah will be picking up the administrative leadership work Keith, Mike and I have been doing on an ad hoc part-time basis.

Our safety and risk control work continue to pay dividends. Elm received a $212,192 dividend from past policy years where we had very low claims and expenses. KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK it benefits everyone.

A final note about the ESOP — it has taken me over a year to develop a true understanding of how it all works! The same will happen to you. We will provide education and training, but it will probably take three years before you really understand how it works and see how it will financially benefit you. What you get today won’t change, what you get when you retire will. Some patience and trust please.

The Elm Family Picnic is Sunday, September 22 at Sonny’s Place in Somers, CT.

All employees and their families are invited to this free fun event! We’ll have a smokehouse BBQ luncheon at noon in our private pavilion followed by four free hours of games and events including mini golf, go karts, climbing walls, zip-lining, batting cages and more. Plus, we’ll have corn hole and volleyball tournaments.

RSVP today by scanning the QR code above or click HERE.

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Elm Electrical Named 2024 HNE Well Worth It Award Winner for Worksite Health Promotion

Elm is proud to have been named a 2024 Health New England Well Worth It Award recipient at the Gold level for successful worksite health promotion & employee health improvement. This award recognizes Elm’s commitment to employees’ overall health and our  achievements in implementing health and wellness programs.

“The Well Worth It Award allows HNE to recognize our employer groups who work hard to provide their employees the opportunity to focus on overall well-being, both personally and professionally,” stated Katie Bruno, Public Health and Wellness Program Manager for HNE. “Elm Electrical has demonstrated our mission of helping to improve the health and lives of the people living in our communities with its commitment to wellness in the areas of awareness, skills development and self-confidence. We are excited to recognize Elm Electrical for always being caring, thoughtful and committed to helping employees thrive.”

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Shout outs

Congrats, Jesse Chartier, for obtaining your 1B and 2A hoisting license! … a Shout-out came in for Rich Diaz and his responsiveness in handling a recent tool request … awesome job Griffin Smith in streamlining our payroll process over the last few months to increase efficiency.

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Congratulations to the following employees celebrating a work anniversary in August:

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pFML, Short-term Disability, Paternity Leave

A reminder that if you need to take planned or unexpected time off from work due to a surgery, injury, or illness or if you need to care for a family member or intend to take bonding time for the birth or adoption of a child, please reach out to Human Resources as soon as you’re able to. Elm has several benefits in place to help with leaves of absence.

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September Bonus – 401k

September bonuses will include a 401k deduction and Elm 3% contribution. So, if you typically contribute 6% of your pay on a weekly basis, there would be a 6% deduction from your bonus to your 401k. If you do not want this deduction to happen, log into your Fidelity account and change your Contribution Amount to 0%. Do this sooner rather than later as there is a delay between the time Fidelity gets the information and then sends us a file informing us of the changes. If you wait until September to make the change with Fidelity, we may not be notified in time to update Checkwriters.

Once your bonus has been awarded (by Sept. 15), go back into 401k.com and change your Contribution Amount back to your previous deduction percentage.

Please note that once you change your Contribution Amount to zero, it will remain at zero and you will not have a 401k amount withheld until you reinstate it, but you will continue to receive Elm’s 3% contribution. Please also note that to be eligible for a bonus you must be a full-time employee and have one year of service as of July 1, 2024. As always, bonuses are dependent upon Elm’s performance as well as each employee’s performance.

If you have questions, please reach out to Tim Williams.

On Tuesday, August 20th, Elm Electrical Inc. proudly hosted its first Elm Futures Signing Day at our Cycle Street training facility. This initiative, envisioned by our very own Holly Lurgio, was inspired by college signing days and aimed to honor and celebrate the journey of new employees who have successfully completed the Elm Futures Program and our Co-Op program, marking their transition to full-time team members.

The event was a special occasion, attended by the proud parents of our new employees, representatives from Chicopee Comprehensive High School, Westfield Technical Academy, The Westfield Evening News and key figures from Elm Electrical’s Senior Management, Safety Department, HR and Project Management teams.

Paul Asselin led the ceremony with an insightful discussion on Elm’s rich history, current successes and future vision. He also addressed the ongoing skills gap in our industry, emphasizing the importance of safety, integrity, evolution, and service—core values represented by our Elm Essentials Logo. These principles, he noted, are not just critical to the company’s success but are keys to personal growth and achievement for our employees.

We were thrilled to introduce and formally welcome our newest full-time employees—Rudy Charland, Dylan Morgan, and Izzy Vargas. Each was invited to the front of the room to sign their agreements, symbolizing their commitment to the Elm family and the exciting journey ahead.

Representatives from both vocational schools spoke highly of the opportunities these young professionals now have and praised Elm Electrical as a great place to build their careers. Our Safety Manager, Bob Houghton, also took the opportunity to stress the importance of safety in the workplace, assuring the new hires of the Safety Department’s ongoing support.

The event concluded with an inspiring quote from our President, Bob Bacon: “Elm was founded on the pillars of quality, service, and reliable workmanship. We seek employees who not only embody these values but also embrace our Elm Essentials of safety, service, integrity, and evolution. Together, we will elevate Elm to new heights. Welcome to Elm!”

This event marks the beginning of a new tradition at Elm Electrical, one that underscores our commitment to nurturing talent, fostering growth and celebrating the achievements of our team members.

Congratulations to Rudy, Dylan, and Izzy—we’re excited to see all that you will accomplish!

This year marks Elm’s third year of assembling Welcome Baskets for incoming foster and housing-insecure students at Westfield State University, and once again, you came through with incredible generosity.

We proudly put together 20 baskets filled with essentials like bedding, towels, laundry bags, personal care products, desk lamps, fans and other back-to-school necessities. Thanks to your contributions and the generous support of an anonymous community donor, these students will start the year feeling supported and ready for success. The students who helped carry the baskets to storage were deeply touched—some even moved to tears. Every one of them was profoundly appreciative and overwhelmed by the kindness of strangers.

A special thanks to Paul Serafino for graciously allowing us to utilize space in the warehouse and for keeping everything organized and neat. We also want to give a big shoutout to Ethan, who expertly maneuvered the box truck through the tight parking lots at WSU like a boss and helped unload everything into the eager hands of the staff and students. Both students and staff expressed their gratitude for Ethan’s kindness and helpfulness.

“You have the power to exercise Stop Work Authority”

The Safety Department would like to remind all employees of the famous saying: “See something, say something.”

After our investigation into this summer’s incidents, it has been determined that a few — if not all — could have been avoided. We would like to remind everyone the importance of the morning Hazard Assessments, as well as Stop Work Authority. Things change through our day-to-day activities. A hazard may not have been present or identified at the start of the shift, but as you work through your day, it appears.

This would be the time to exercise your stop work if necessary, or at least bring this to the attention of your supervisor/ onsite foreman (see something, say something). Everyone in this company (first day on the job or 30-year employee) has the power to exercise Stop Work Authority if they feel that the working conditions are unsafe. It may not always be our work that presents a hazard. It could be other contractors or customers that create the hazard. Make sure we assess the entire work area, look up, down, left and right to identify ALL of the hazards that are or could become present.

We understand everyone wants to complete their project on time/on budget but we can’t forget this needs to be done safely.

Any questions you may have regarding safety should be brought to your foreman/on-site supervisor immediately. If you feel that your concern is not being addressed or resolved in a timely manner, contact the Safety Department for assistance. The Safety Department’s door is always open, 24/7 to assist you in any safety concerns/needs.

One of the company’s core values is SAFETY. Our goal is to send you all home the same way you came to work, Safe and Sound.

In this month’s employee spotlight, we connected with Ben Bricker — a superintendent for One Development & Construction — to learn more about his role with the company and more.

Q: How long have you been working at One DC?

A: Since December of 2023.

Q: What brought you to One/how did you get your start here?

A: I worked for ODC and ELM as a site-work subcontractor from 2018-2021. Since then, I’ve stayed in contact with Derek Helie, who ultimately offered me a job at ODC in late 2023. Fun fact: I worked with Dave Prentice and Brad Miller back in 2014 on an O’Leary project.

Q: Can you tell us a little about your role at One DC?

A: As a superintendent, my role is: to oversee the day-to-day operations and safety of the project, direct management of subcontractors, project planning and coordination and serve as the on-site point of contact for the client.

Q: What are some of the things you enjoy most about working at One?

A: I enjoy the people I work with. Dave Prentice and Santiago Perez are a pleasure to work with, and their support was vital during the first phase of the project. I also enjoy the ability to self-perform small projects as needed.

Q: What has been one of your most rewarding experiences at One?

A: My current project’s first milestone was based on a very aggressive schedule that required unorthodox and creative solutions to meet. It wouldn’t have been possible without the hard work by: Derek Helie, Tim Rzeszutek and Fred Benda.

Q: What do you like to do when you’re not working?

A: I enjoy spending time with my wife, working outdoors and target shooting.

Q: Do you have a particular hobby or talent that co-workers may not know about?

A: I’m left-handed.

By Brad Miller

One Development & Construction has partnered with Square One to rebuild their early education, family support and community outreach facility that was destroyed by the tornado that passed through downtown Springfield in 2011. The new facility is being constructed at 947 Main Street, where Square One has been headquartered since 1883.

One Development has been working with Square One for over two years developing concepts, plans and budgets to support Square One’s fundraising campaign. Fortunately, at the beginning of 2024 all of the hard work paid off and Square One was awarded major grants and multiple large donations which allowed the project to break ground.

One Development mobilized to the site in early May to begin excavation, processing and removal of over 4,000 cubic yards of unsuitable soil including debris and lead contaminated materials left behind from the previously destroyed structure. The site is challenging and it’s not because it’s big. The new building is wedged between Hubbard Avenue and Williams Street in an odd shaped, narrow urban environment. Careful planning, phasing and scheduling is critical to keeping this project progressing efficiently.

We now have most of the unsuitable soil work complete and are currently wrapping up subsurface drainage installations and beginning footing and foundation work. Steel erection is scheduled to begin at the end of September.

Square One’s new facility will be a 24,000 SF, 3-Story, Butler conventional steel framed building with an insulated metal panel exterior featuring brick and cedar plank accents.

The interior of the building will include four early education classrooms with direct playground access on the first floor as well as family and community support space. The second and third floor will have a gross motor room, multiple offices for support staff and flex and meeting space. The new Square One facility is scheduled to be complete July 2025.

Project Manager- Brad Miller; Project Estimator- Mike Byrnes; Project Superintendent- Craig Pinney; Electrical Project Manager- Ben Haynes.

By Bob Bacon

My advice to the new owners.

This will likely be my last newsletter as the majority owner of Elm. Like the Celtics ownership, I am selling my shares of a winning team with a bright future.

As a veteran owner I thought I would pass some advice on to my fellow less experienced owners.

• Be nice, proud of our work, think long term and be a place where people want to work
• Remember the Elm Essentials of Safety-Service-Integrity-Evolution
• Keep Elm a contributing member of our communities

My strategy has always been SMART growth; it isn’t fancy.

Among our strengths is delivering high-quality, skillful products that our clients find valuable. Our work only provides financial value to us if we are able to cover our overhead and make a fair profit. Growing, while nice, is not mandatory. I tried to never take work at a loss to stay busy. Better to find other ways to support our work force. If you commit to a bad project it will likely be worse than you thought and if more favorable work comes along your capacity is tied up on a losing proposition. Over the years we have encountered some ups and downs. I recall 1990, 2000, 2008 and 2019 (COVID) were pretty scary times for Elm. But, we faced the reality of the economics, adapted and worked with our strong customer base to carry us through the downturns. Grow when you can, be practical when you can’t grow!

Finally take good care of your people! I received a letter today from Dillon Dudek’s wife Julie. I think it says a lot about the company we are and what we want to continue to be.

Here is Julie’s letter:

Dear Mr. Bacon,

I have mentally written this letter countless times and apologize for not getting the words onto paper sooner. It isn’t often in this world that you come across an employer with such an interest in their employees. My husband, Dillon Dudek, loved being a member of the One Development and Elm family. He took utmost pride in being apart of the team and truly enjoyed going to work every day. His coworkers and supervisors became some of his closest friends and you all made a lasting impact on his life. Dillon’s job wasn’t just his 9-5, he really loved what he did.

When Dillon passed away last fall you all surrounded us with so much care, more than I could have ever imagined. Derek and John were wonderful in going through Dillon’s truck and belongings with me, Tim and Deana were endlessly gracious in helping me navigate the insurance process, and your incredibly generous donation still has me speechless. I can’t even begin ot express the gratitude I have for you and this amazing company. No one can prepare you to lose your spouse, especially at a young age. We never thought we would need to have all of our affairs in order so soon and in hindsight, we were woefully ill prepared. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for helping to lift that weight. It means more to me than I will ever be able to put into words.

We frequently drive through South Deerfield and check on the Nupro project. We would sometimes visit Dillon at the job site and now our oldest daughter loves seeing how far it has progressed; she even says she hopes to work for One like her dad someday. You should be so proud of the community you have created and the lasting impression you have made on the lives of those around you. I will forever speak highly of Elm and One Development for going above and beyond in every way imaginable.

With gratitude,
Julie Dudek

We are just short of our goal to provide 20 baskets to the WSU foster-care students. If you have not done so already, please consider purchasing something off the student WISH LIST or consider making a monetary donation.

Payment can be made through Venmo (to @Deana-Casamento – last 4 on cell = 8891) or cash/personal check (made out to ‘Elm Electrical’ & dropped off at Union St. to Holly or Deana)

Thank you to everyone who has donated!