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Business Spotlight MIKE NIES, NIES ELECTRIC
NO JOB TOO SMALL
After traveling around the world, Mike Nies calls St. Cloud home because of the people. By Gail Ivers AT A GLANCE Nies Electric PO Box 6211, St. Cloud, MN 56302-6211 (320) 253-6837 Fax: (320) 253-6837 nieselectric@gmail.com
TIMELINE 1974 Mike Nies graduates from the University of Minnesota with a degree in electrical engineering. Unable to find work, he returns to school to become an electrician. 1976 Nies goes to work for the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW). He works for a number of companies, but most often with Bechtold’s Electrical Division.
www.nieselectric.com
1976-1980 As an IBEW electrician, Nies travels the world, including Saudi Arabia, Brazil, Mexico, and the North Slope of Alaska.
Owner: Mike Nies Established: 1984 Number of Employees: 6 Service Area: South to the Twin Cities, sometimes further; north to Bemidji (further north than south because Neis uses his resort for staging jobs); east and west to the Minnesota border
1981 Nies is assigned to a job at the St. Regis Paper Mill in St. Cloud. 1982 Nies purchases a bar; eight months later and $50,000 poorer, he returns to being an electrician.
Business Description: Electrical contractor specializing in commercial, retail, church, and industrial control and maintenance; residential remodeling; fire alarms, audio, and low voltage electrical work
1982-83 Nies places an ad: Any and all electrical work — no job too small. He makes $25,000 the first year. 1984 Nies incorporates as Nies Electric.
Fun Fact: It’s been 18 years since Nies Electric had a time-loss accident.
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Chamber Member Since 2009
PERSONAL PROFILE Mike Nies, 60
Business Central: After all that travel, how did you decide to settle down in St. Cloud? ______________ Nies: Of all the places I’ve been, St. Cloud people treated me best. For a guy who’s on the road all the time, that’s something you notice. And it’s been that way ever since. BC: What do you like best about being a business owner? ______________ Nies: I have 2 million bosses... or whatever the number. I mean every customer is like a boss. And I like people -- so the more
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the better. You get to meet all sorts of people -- from business owners to housewives and they all need what you have to offer. BC: What’s your biggest challenge? ______________ Nies: Finding kids who are interested in the trades. During the recession, Minnesota lost one-third of all its electricians. We’re starting to pick up, but there just are not enough qualified electricians around. We find people who have an aptitude and then train them ourselves and keep them.
I’ve always been lucky -I’ve always had really good employees. I’m not sure where they come from, though I had to grow a few. Both my boys are electricians. Seven or eight of my employees left to become competitors. They had the training and the skill -- you can’t fault them for it. And we still get along. I plan to have 10-12 employees this summer -- we’re hiring all the time. I have plenty of work to keep people busy, I just need to find the right people.
Education: Electrical Engineering from the University of Minnesota; Electrician training, Metropolitan Community & Technical College Hometown: Brainerd, Minn. Family: Wife, Cheryl; four children Hobbies: Flying, skiing, camping — winter and summer; owns a resort in northern Minnesota “which is sort of a hobby. It’s been in the family for four generations.” Fun Fact: Mike collects old Aladdin lamps. Fun Fact #2: Mike and Cheryl met at a bar.