Smittick Electric, LLC

Joe Smittick is an inspiration for all entrepreneurs. As the owner of Smittick Electric, he prides himself on creating good relations with his customers so that when a firm hires him and his company, they find him professional, efficient and effective. Joe owns Smittick Electric, a Denver-based, family-owned-and-operated contracting company, where members of his family take an active role in daily operations, accountability and customer service.

He opened his company in 2000 when he realized the need for an electrical contractor that offered quality work at a reasonable price. But, his first few years in business were not easy. Early on, he worked for general contractors which were often reluctant to pay on time. It was at that stage he began to study various DBE and SBE programs, got certified, enrolled in workshops, and never looked back.

After enrolling in a joint venture class, which he credits as being a blessing from the amount of information he learned; he had the opportunity to meet with Balfour Beatty Rail, Inc, which has had numerous contracts with RTD, and he got a contract for work.

Publicly held, Balfour Beatty is a global infrastructure business with operations in over 80 countries. It currently is part of the public-private-partnership of firms working on the EagleP3 rail construction between Denver Union Station and Denver International Airport, and on the West Corridor Light Rail project.

Smittick Electric currently works as a sub-contractor to Balfour Beatty on the West Corridor project installing 12 substations and pulling nearly 33,000 feet of wire over long spans which connect feeders to the track. The firm also recently installed five substations for the Southeast Light Rail Line.

Ravi Swamy, Balfour's regional manager in Denver, said, "Smittick Electric has always been willing, open and eager to learn. So, we invested in a mentor protégé approach and have enrolled him in continuing education classes to better his business. We also gave Joe an office in our building because we wanted him to feel a part of the team."

Swamy said, "I'm here to help Smittick Electric succeed. In fact, we make it a point to involve all our small businesses in owner's meetings and weekly scheduling meetings. Joe is a good guy and I will invest in that. We want to see our small business firms grow and thrive."

"Moving from contractor to entrepreneur has been difficult, but every day it gets clearer through the grace of God," Smittick said. Joe is determined to continue growing his business and providing opportunities for other DBE/SBE firms. "I'm committed to teaching my children how to build a successful business." He's also teaching 12 other tradesmen and apprentices the information he never received when he was starting out.

He added, "One of my children has fallen in love with this work and I plan for him to take over the business. I am proud to leave a legacy."