As we progress through the summer, I want to take a moment to reflect on our collective achievements and express my deepest gratitude for the awesome commitment each of you has shown. Thanks to your hard work, Helix Electric has once again been honored as one of Nevada’s top places to work by the Las Vegas Review-Journal. This recognition is a testament to the extraordinary culture we’ve built TOGETHER; one that empowers people to achieve remarkable results.
I am thrilled to share that each of our business locations—Las Vegas, Reno, and Salt Lake City—has a larger backlog of business than ever before. This amazing and continued growth for our company is a direct result of your dedication and excellence in all that you do. It’s not just a milestone for our company; it’s a shared victory for every team member, family, customer, and partner who has contributed to our journey.
Our mission has always been to empower people to achieve extraordinary results, and I am incredibly proud of how we continue to live out this mission every day. Whether you’re in the field, in the office, or supporting us from home, your efforts make a difference. To our team members, thank you for your relentless drive and professionalism. To your families, thank you for the support that enables our team to thrive. To our customers and vendor partners, thank you for your continued trust and collaboration.
As we look ahead to the 4th quarter, I encourage all of us to harness the momentum we’ve built and make it the very best it can be. Together, I know we will continue to achieve GREATNESS.
GO HELIX GO!
Victor
NORTHERN NEVADA & SPECIAL PROJECTS
CODY KINNISON VICE PRESIDENT OPERATIONS
OCTOBER ALREADY…
I want to thank all Department 46 and 48 employees along with our supporting staff throughout the organization. I’m thankful to work alongside such an outstanding team in both Reno and Las Vegas.
Superintendents - as we continue to push through the summer months, please continue to monitor your staff and ensure they are staying hydrated and safe.
Below is a snapshot of what’s taken place in Reno and Las Vegas this year.
Department 46 welcome announcements:
• Mark Robinson (Senior PM)
• Shantanu Kisan Barai (Project Engineer)
• Madhura Manish Gupte (Project Engineer)
• Dhiraj Nildhe (Project Engineer)
• Bella Fleischman (Intern)
NORTHERN NV& SPECIAL PROJECTS
APRIL 23RD RENO’S GRAND OPENING
APRIL 23RD RENO’S GRAND OPENING
4TH OF JULY LUNCHEON
4TH OF JULY LUNCHEON
JUNE 8TH RENO PICNIC
JUNE 8TH RENO PICNIC
NV HUMANE SOCIETY
RENO ICE
JULY 15TH THE EDDY HOUSE
BACK TO SCHOOL DRIVE
HARLEY A. HARMON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL (40 BACKPACKS FILLED) GREAT JOB TEAM!
ESTIMATING & DESIGN BUILD
LOU SMITH | VICE PRESIDENT – ESTIMATING
The estimating department has had an exciting quarter! Despite diminishing opportunities for work in traditional construction markets in Reno, the work on the industrial corridor on USA parkway has exploded. We have more opportunities there than ever before and are in line to get a mega project there that will transform the office and provide jobs for many new members of the Helix team, as well as growth and training opportunities for many of our existing team members.
Our pursuit of major projects in Las Vegas has also exceeded our expectations, and we are well positioned to beat our procurement goals there as well. We have received a contract on four major CCSD projects, as well as other work for our major projects team. Juan’s team has been on a tear! His team also assisted in all the preconstruction and pricing to finally get our foot in the door with Switch in Las Vegas. Let’s hope the success we have had in Reno translates well and we can continue to expand that market here.
All the success in getting larger projects for Special Projects and Major Projects in Vegas has led to us pushing the Service Department into working on larger projects than they have done in the past. Will’s team has already delivered more work to Troy and his team this year than in all last year; to include several design build warehouse and tenant fit out projects which they are knocking out of the park! The design department has been able to support this work exceptionally well and these projects exceed the margin earned on traditional bid build projects for the group.
Design Build has increased their capacity to support operations with more personnel able to perform the required electrical studies for Short Circuit Coordination and Arc Flash Hazard Analysis, as people have been trained up in the use of the SKM software. The ability to perform this work in-house will save significant money for the company. The Engineering team members are also cross-training with our VDC team to become more efficient with the use of Revit design software.
Having fully integrated the BIM/VDC team, as well as the change order management team into our group, the cross training and centralized support services gained a great deal of flexibility and added capacity to support our operations groups much more effectively. We are hoping that the centralized support services for operations will be better suited to manage the growth we are experiencing in all our markets and help us to adapt to emerging market sectors. I would be remiss if I did not thank Rodney and Alex Gelfer for their support as well as Cielo Cloud for the implementation of the processes that will keep us organized and provide the framework for future growth in our operations.
ESTIMATING & DESIGN BUILD
UTAH
NATHAN GOODRICH DIVISION MANAGER
SALT LAKE CITY
It has been a very busy summer up here in Utah. In the last six months, we have almost tripled the size of our crew in the field. We’re excited to have so many great people join us. It was very evident that our team had grown from the size of our summer picnic this year. We had a fun day at the Lagoon. It was great seeing everyone around the park in matching shirts representing Helix!
We finished up a couple of projects this summer. Trevor Hanson and team finished up a Woodspring Suite Hotel with R&O. This his Trevor’s first job for Helix, and he finished it on time and beat the budget. Great job Trevor!
We finished another successful job for R&O this summer. Skytrac is a manufacturing facility that builds ski lift equipment. It was a tight schedule that got even tighter with delays to the roof. Jarod Butler and the team were able to finish the job in about 2-1/2 months when they should have had six. We had almost every electrician working some weekends at Skytrac to help get the project to the finish line.
New Projects:
· Downtown Daybreak Bldg. #6 Apartments
· Elberta Rotary Dairy
· Wasatch Peaks Ranch Condos and Utility Backbone
Congratulations to Zachary Thomas and Austin Weaver for being the first two graduates from our new WECA apprenticeship program. Also, a big shout out to Austin for being the Valedictorian of the graduating class. Well done to the both of you!
We want to recognize the newest members of our SLC team. We’re excited to have them.
· Joel Szanti is a new PE. Joel recently graduated from the University of Cincinnati. He interned with Helix in California and Texas. We’re excited for him to join us.
· ShayLee Evans is our new Project Administrator. ShayLee has been a big help to our project teams, and we couldn’t be happier to have her.
· Kyle Simms joined us as an intern this summer. He’s attending UV, studying Construction Management.
· Jon Hunt returns as our General Superintendent. After a couple of years off, Jon has come back to do what he does best. Welcome back, Jon!
AUSTIN REES AND HIS FAMILY AT LAGOON
AUSTIN WEAVER’S GRADUATION
TRAINING
JEFF SATTERFIELD | LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT MANAGER
We have been very busy in the Training Department this year. We are now accredited through the NCCER for both training and as an assessment center. Last June, we started our in-house program utilizing the NCCER curriculum. The first class was Core: Introduction to Basic Construction Skills. This first group covered construction safety, introduction to tools, construction math, material handling, and an introduction to construction drawings. They will be finishing in September and moving on to Electrical Level 1.
Level 1 Electrical will be starting September 24th. Topics covered will include safety for electricians, introduction to electrical circuits, electrical theory, introduction to the NEC, outlet, device, pull boxes and hand bending. If you have any questions, or if members of your team that are interested in the class please contact us.
With the introduction of the NCCER materials, we will be able to test the students at the end of the course to ensure that they are meeting the standards. We will be updating other courses and classes.
We have launched the first LDP session in Utah. We have updated the curriculum using the Fundamentals of Crew Leadership. The group is scheduled to present their job plans on September 20th to area superintendents. The next session for Las Vegas is kicking off September 5th.
We will be interviewing Clark High School seniors this November for the work experience program that starts January 2025. The past two years we have been working with Clark High School to help students start their careers in the construction industry. The students work in the prefabrication shop three days a week prior to starting the school day. Three of the past seniors have been accepted by the ABC to start the apprenticeship program.
This past June, we celebrated Helix Electric apprentices that graduated from both the ABC and WECA programs.
In Southern Nevada, Christopher Abrego, Jed DeGuzman, Curtis Ralyea, and Tristan Warren walked across the stage to receive their diplomas.
In Utah, we celebrated the first graduating class from the WECA program. Zach Thomas and Austing Weaver both received diplomas. Austin Weaver was the graduating class valedictorian.
We continue to work with area schools, providing information about skilled trades. We are scheduled to visit and speak with the students in the classrooms and career fairs about opportunities and what career paths are available. If you would like to become involved, please reach out to training.
The fall Safety Saturday events have been scheduled for the three regions. Please check your email for the RSVP link and information regarding these events.
TRAINING
MAJOR PROJECTS
BOB JOHNSON | SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT – MAJOR PROJECTS
The Eagle has Landed!! Lotus of Siam ~ In March, Wade Brasuell & Robby Jacobs attended the ABC Awards ceremony in Florida and brought home our Eagle Award.
Great Job, team!
We’re looking forward to many more to come!
Project Team (Core and Shell/Buildout):
•Project Manager
Wade Brasuell
•Superintendent
Robby Jacobs
•Project Engineer
Allen Castillo
•Project Assistant
Donna Rose
•General Contractor
Taylor International
• Diego Alcaide - Diego started in March 2024, and is working with Wade on CAE & Intermountain Health.
• Nic Klassen - Nic started in April 2024, and is working on Silverado HS & Desert Rose Adult High School.
Welcome to Helix! we are looking forward to having you on our Team.
When Kids Read, They Succeed
Spread the word Nevada’s goal is to promote literacy and make it possible for Nevada’s children to experience the magic of books. STWN distributes new and gently used books to elementary school students throughout Nevada. Department 16 volunteered recently to clean the books, which
Jonathan Johnson (PE) is playing on the Vegas Knight Hawks Team, arena football. Get his autograph now before he’s famous!
New Faces!
SAFETY
LAWRENCE FRY | SAFETY DIRECTOR
What Does Safety Really Mean to You?
Please join me in congratulating Bryan Mitchell, Area Safety Manager, for earning his Construction Health & Safety Technician (CHST) certificate. It’s a prestigious certification issued by the Board of Certified Safety Professionals and requires years of dedicated safety experience and passing a rigorous exam.
What does safety mean to you? What is your “why” to work safely? We all have our different reasons, and many of them overlap. We hear a lot of safety slogans in the construction industry. Some include: Safety is our #1 priority; Safety is no accident; Our goal is zero accidents; Safety first; and Safety is our culture. What do those slogans really mean to you? More importantly, do they truly motivate you?
When I facilitate safety classes, often the term safety culture comes up and the class discusses what safety culture means to them. More times than not, I hear a lot of responses that sound great, but the descriptions are of an ideal safety culture and do not represent the realities of what we encounter on the jobs every day. Remember, a safety culture is simply what we do consistently every day regarding how we incorporate or do not incorporate safety into our daily activities. A safety culture can be great, mediocre, or even bad. In my time with Helix, I have come to believe we have a very strong safety culture. I see it every day on the jobs. However, if our safety culture was as amazing as the descriptions I hear in safety classes, there would be no need for me to have to teach those classes. We have room for improvement. That’s not a bad thing.
Let us go back to the “why” you personally work safely. Is it because we have policies, and you are going to follow them? Is it because you do not want to lose your job? Is it because you do not want to put your family through the stress and agony if you were to get hurt? Is it a combination of those reasons or something that was not mentioned?
I would like you to reflect on that and truly think about what your reason is for working safely. Think about why you fill out a PTP before each task, buckle up every day, wear your PPE, and just as important, why you do those things when no one else is around. If you do not always do those things or take shortcuts when no one is around, what would it take to get you to change?
The one thing I have learned in my 23 years as a safety professional is no matter how severe or minor an injury is, when someone gets hurt and calls their loved ones, a couple of emotions immediately take over the family member. The emotions are stress and worry. Ultimately, the people we value the most pay the emotional price for what happens to us and the choices we make.
Remember to focus on your values. Focus on the safety values we share at Helix and help us improve our safety culture. Find your “why”, understand it, and make any necessary adjustments so you can enjoy the time with those you love most without the annoyance or hindrance of pain.
SAFETY
SERVICE DEPARTMENT
SCOTT ROBERTSON | SERVICE MANAGER
Nevada Service is on the Move
The Nevada Service Department continues to grow and take on projects of all types, all over Nevada. As the largest electrical service contractor in the state, we have had the opportunity to work on some of the most interesting projects with some of the largest customers throughout the state.
The Reno Service Team has been busy with casino work around Reno and the surrounding areas of Carson City, Sparks, and Lake Tahoe. Led by Project Manager, Yohatzi Pittelkow and Senior Tech Che Butler,the Reno Service Department has been
outshining the competition with no plans for slowing down. We have numerous remodel projects at Casino Fandango in Carson City as well as remodel projects at Harvey’s Casino in Lake Tahoe.
The Las Vegas Team has been continuously growing and one of our key projects is the changing out approximately 21,000 solar panels at Copper Mountain 5 under the guidance of Project Manager Melissa Royce and Superintendents Ralph Matuozzi, Jeremy Foos, Eddie Garcia and Randy Glatz.
We are very fortunate to have this AMAZING team of individuals in the Service Department and look forward to continued growth in the years to come.
SERVICE
DEPARTMENT 27
TROY MCTEER | SERVICE TI DIVISION OPERATIONS MANAGER
What’s
New:
As Department 27 continues to grow our plans and expectations are becoming a reality to exceed our 2024 projections. Currently, our team is managing 44 projects, including three custom homes, two core/shell buildings and a myriad of tenant improvement projects.
New team members: Michelle Pantohan – Project Engineer
Promotions:
Kyle Tague – Promoted to Superintendent Michael Guiry – Promoted to Superintendent
Congratulations on your hard work and dedication!
Noteworthy Projects: Ronald McDonald House:
Our team was honored to be a part of the full build-out of a brand-new SECOND Ronald McDonald House in Las Vegas! After 3 long years of planning, designing, and constructing, this one-of-a-kind facility is ready to welcome even more families by providing a place of respite, care, and love.
Congratulations to Rafael Construction, Helix 27 team, and the incredible Las Vegas community for helping make this milestone possible. RMHC Las Vegas will continue to be much more than a house for families with children enduring medical crises.
Project Team:
Project Manager: Troy McTeer
Superintendent: Shawn Barragan
Project Engineer: Tamara Day
General Contractor: Whiting-Turner
EMPOWERING PEOPLE. POWERING PROJECTS. helix electric .com
