Regional firm founded in 1918 recognized by Washington Business Journal for community commitment and excellence in electrical installation, construction and maintenance
Laurel, Md. — March 29, 2018 — The Washington Business Journal has honored century-old Hawkins Electric Service as one of the top multi-generational, family-owned businesses in Greater Washington, in its third annual Family-Owned Business Awards competition. Hawkins Electric is one of only 15 family-owned businesses in this region to receive this year’s honor, which exemplifies “overall excellence, innovation, ethics and philanthropy.”
Since 1918, successive generations of company leadership have reinforced the core values that founder Jay C. “Pop” Hawkins embraced when he began to install electricity as a new technology in the still-rural Maryland towns located just a few miles from the U.S. Capitol.
Brothers Eric Shatzer, President/CEO, and Todd Shatzer, Executive Vice President, are today’s leaders of this regional powerhouse of an electrical contracting firm. Hawkins Electric has grown to be a leading commercial and residential electrical contractor known for its award-winning work on multifamily electrical construction projects. The company’s expansion strategy over the past decade has resulted in a doubling of revenue, tripling of facility space, tripling of the number of employees and multiple industry awards for safety, project and service excellence.
Says Eric Shazer, “Hawkins Electric has been a respected business for 100 years. My father Nevin Shatzer started working at the company when he was 14, and he loved the company so much it was the only place he ever worked. He eventually bought the business and carried on the company’s business model of doing the right thing. My father instilled those values in my brother Todd and me when we were teenagers working at Hawkins. Three decades later, I am passing that legacy on to my own two sons, who are starting their careers here.”
Adds Todd Shatzer, “One of the advantages of working with Hawkins Electric is the fact that our business model includes a strong commitment to investment in technology to support the needs of our customer base. We’ve made the financial commitment to stay at the forefront of the technology that serves our customers, and that is a significant differentiator that makes us a preferred electrical contractor in the region.”
Hawkins Electric has a mission not only to provide an impeccable level of technical expertise and service to its customers, but also to serve the community in ways that strengthen people and families. Many thousands of dollars in monetary, material and labor donations have been invested over the years that have made a true difference in many lives. Hawkins Electric is a long-time supporter of Special Olympics (25 years), Stand Up for Kids (15 years) and local first responders (25 years).
Recipients of the 2018 Washington Business Journal Family-Owned Business Awards were honored at an event on March 1, 2018 at the Four Seasons Hotel in Washington, D.C.
About Hawkins Electric Service
Hawkins Electric Service, Inc. is celebrating 100 years of providing the finest electrical installation, construction and preventative maintenance services to the Washington, D.C.-Baltimore-Northern Virginia metropolitan region. Project types include multifamily construction and service, commercial construction and service, residential installation and service, and commercial green energy technology. Since 1918, the Hawkins Electric team has built a foundation for repeat business through technical excellence, outstanding customer service and the commitment to always do the right thing.
