It is no secret that mental health in the construction industry is a major problem that needs to be addressed expeditiously.

 

We believe that to see a change it starts within the company. This is why we make continuous efforts to create the best work environment for each of our team members to live a well-balanced life.

K2’s dedication to our employees starts with providing unique resources like outsourcing professional counseling services that are free to all of our employees. We have robust PTO programs for each teammate which encourages them to take time as needed to support themselves or their families’ mental health needs. For employees who have suffered a loss, we offer bereavement as we understand grief takes time to process.

With Arizona being a juncture for economic development comes the increasing demand for construction. This growth along with year-round satisfactory weather has been the motive for many people to move to the state. Choosing K2 for one’s future comes with many personal and professional benefits. Every single teammate is treated with respect and is dedicated to creating opportunities for growth and development. The camaraderie amongst our field team is something we consistently harbor as a small company on the rise.

Putting the mental health of our employees first is crucial for their overall job satisfaction and the long-term success of our company. This is why it is important to us that we are investing in our team just as they invest in us!

As we move into our 20th year of operations, it provides a great opportunity to reflect on the path we’ve taken to get to where we are today and set the stage for where we are going. In the story linked below, we met with Erin Thorburn of AZRE to dive into how we cultivate culture, build leaders, and promote from within the organization to support the ongoing growth of our people and our business. With an exciting road ahead, we look forward to continued development of our team and the genuine relationships we cultivate in the industry.

See the full story here.

Members of our team have had a hand in another awe-inspiring story thanks to our collaboration with @1Mission.

 

The recent trip down to Puerto Penasco, Mexico to build a home for the Ramos Aguilera Family provided our team with many memories to bring back home with us. Not only were we helping a family, but we were doing so alongside members of our own.

It was a huge milestone when Fernanda, a 21-year-old mother to 4-year-old Alison was able to purchase a land lot. She and her mother Miriam coordinate their work hours for sufficient childcare of Alison, and have worked very hard to reach the goal of owning their own property. Miriam and her teenage son, Jaziel, will continue to live with Fernanda as they all support one another in creating a safe future together. Being able to support their dream by building them a beautiful home was truly a blessing.

The great weather made this build a breeze, which allowed for lots of time to bond and have good conversations. Superintendent Ben Tarango’s wife, Nalleli, is bilingual and was able to get to know Fernanda and Alison really well. Fernanda expressed gratitude for her new home, asking that if or when we come back to Mexico, we make sure to stop by and say hello.

We are so thankful we can take the time out of our lives to contribute to those of incredible people like the Ramos Aguilera Family.

As of 2022, only 10.9% of the construction industry is female. Furthermore, only 5.8% of electricians are female. Women in Construction Week is an important time to pay homage to the women who have been working hard to keep driving the momentum of all the progress being made in the industry. K2 is very proud to have exceptional women on our team who continue to prove why more women should join the industry. We have talked to a few of our amazing women of K2 to further understand what it’s truly like being a woman in construction.

Our heart to give back to the community near and far is strong! 19 K2 teammates, along with the Arizona Builders Alliance’s, Stephen Nichols, had a successful trip down to Puerto Penasco to build another home for a 1Mission family.

The family receiving this house was very deserving. Paz (60) and Rosario (65) have lived in Puerto Penasco for the past 18 years and have been married for 45. They have 4 adult children and 10 grandchildren who they help care for at times. Rosario works in construction, and when work is steady he earns roughly $125 a week. They had always rented a home in Penasco until recently when they were able to purchase a land lot. Rosario built a couple of rooms on their lot so that they could live there and not have the burden of monthly rent. The rooms he was able to build were in poor condition, offering little security or protection from different elements. The house that we were able to help build will provide Rosario and Paz a home where they can live comfortably and help create better security for their retirement.

The team’s favorite night was the Fiesta night at basecamp when they brought all the families that have a house being built that weekend to celebrate together. Here, we get to hear their stories of how grateful and appreciative they are and how they continue to work with 1Mission to help build a better community for everyone in Penasco. It was an impactful night.

Matt Kuiper, the Chair of K2 Community Service Committee, said, “I am always blown away by the genuine love K2 employees have for each other. Everyone got along so well and had a great time. It is awesome to see and experience firsthand.”

K2 has the next 1Mission trip planned for Spring 2023. If you are interested in attending or supporting please reach out to us for info on how to get involved!

K2 Electric was featured as a finalist in Best Places to Work for the second year in a row! Stay tuned to hear where we are placed!

See the list here: https://bizj.us/1qgw2x

K2 Electric is honored to be a “Best Place to Work” Finalist for the second year in a row! Our wonderful employees responded to a lengthy survey about the K2 Culture, Benefits, Compensation etc. We were humbled to see that:

• 97% of those that responded to the survey feel engaged in their work.
• 85% of our employees see professional growth and career development opportunities for themselves within our organization
• We scored 8 points higher than the same size average company finalist in the benefits portion

One Anonymous quote from the survey was as follows:

“It is hard to explain to someone who hasn’t been here for it. After all the different companies I’ve worked for, all the different industries… food service, customer service, sales, manufacturing, to now electrical construction… there is nothing like it. Most companies have respect for their employees, its pretty much a minimum expectation right? Few companies show the love and dedication that K2 does to their employee’s well-being, growth, and personal lives without needing to be prompted. This family is exceptional!”

K2’s focus this year was TEAMWORK – the senior leaders of the organization value people as their most important resource. We know that when employees feel valued and empowered they are more productive and happy. Here are some of the initiatives K2 did this year in response to last years input from employees:

1. The Employee Resource Care Program (175 care giving sessions YTD)
2. Started Field Leadership Development Program (FLDP) – aimed to identify leaders within the organization and train them up as quickly as possible. We are starting our second cohort this October.
3. The Cultural Strength Committee – this committee has outlined how as a corporation we live out our values and looks for ways to build the feeling of a strong team within, keep that family-like feeling even though we are now quite large. For example: Quarterly Field Days, Birthdays, Anniversaries, Apprentice Appreciation and Graduations, etc.
4. We wanted our employees to thrive at the workplace and at home. We have offered the “Smart Dollar” program, started this past March, to every employee and currently have 35 employees engaged. This is a program that teaches, tracks and rewards those working to pay off debt, save etc.
5. Our company values our community – We plan two yearly trips to Mexico for all employees who want to participate in “1 Mission” service trip to build houses for families are planned. Our community service committee has a quarterly offerings for employees to engage in various activities as well.
6. Lastly, we have completed training and are looking for a software solution to deliver on performance feedback on a quarterly basis for all field team members.

Thank you to all of the K2 Employees for responding authentically to this extensive survey. We have read every comment and are already planning on ways to improve and invest into Team K2 in 2023!

Careers in Construction Month is a nationwide campaign observed in October to spread awareness around construction careers and to inspire the next generation of craft professionals.

We chose to celebrate CICM this year by spotlighting a few of our teammates who have entered the workforce and continue to successfully build upon their career paths within our industry.

 

Tony Carpino

Kicking us off was Foreman, Tony Carpino who is no stranger to construction. Tony was introduced to the industry from a friend, and through the consistency and challenging nature of the work, he landed on the electrical field for his path. His advice to someone starting out in construction is to be open to new opportunities and to not hesitate to learn from those who have gone before you.

Tony confidently shares, “I can be an electrician anywhere, but at K2 Electric you’re treated like family”. We are proud to have Tony as part of our organization and for the positive impact he makes in our industry.

 

Jeremy Keehn

Jeremy Keehn, Service Technician, has been with K2 Electric for four years and in the industry for fourteen. Jeremy initially worked in the restaurant industry as a kitchen manager but grew tired of the schedule and time away from his family.

His father-in-law introduced him to the electrical industry and offered to show him the ropes. Through his guidance, and Jeremy’s natural love for working with his hands, it was just the change he was seeking. At the time, being so new to construction he was impressed with the accessibility to training and schooling offered through apprenticeship programs and dove right in.

Today, some of Jeremy’s favorite moments come when navigating what the customer needs and ultimately providing quality results. There is a sense of gratification for him as things come together, work properly, and solve a problem.

 

 

 

Isaiah Kennedy

Entering his 2nd year as an Apprentice, Isaiah Kennedy has taken every opportunity to learn all he can to succeed in the field. Due to the unique nature of his schedule of hopping around to a number of job sites weekly, Isaiah said this adaptability has been the best way to gain a better understanding of processes from the variety of people he works alongside.

“The balance between working with your brain and your hands is perfect as an electrician. There is always a complication you come across that you have to work through, and in my past working with cars I found it all can just become muscle memory. Here, the troubleshooting is different and I really like that,” he explains. He also goes on to add that the crossover of the skills he learns in the classroom of his apprenticeship program with @WECA_inc and the field have helped him feel confident in tackling these solvable problems.

We are proud Isaiah chose to get his start in the industry with us, and are excited to see all of the things he will accomplish as he works his way to reach his goal of becoming a Journeyman.

 

 

JT Dolinich

Meet Foreman, JT Dolinich from our Tucson division. His advocacy for K2 Electric was inspired by his father and uncle who also work with us, explaining that they both would come home raving about how much they love what they do and the culture they are a part of at work. Excited for his own career with us, JT joined our team 5 years ago and has watched his role within the company progress quickly as he has gone from Apprentice to Journeyman, and has now taken on the duty of Foreman.

Apart from work he loves playing basketball with his friends, doing anything outdoorsy, and jokes that one day he’ll make it to Philadelphia for an Eagles game (he’s a huge fan but has yet to see them play in person).

Although the close of October 2022 brought our journey of highlighting these different careers in construction to an end, we are forever grateful and proud to feature every member of K2 that has joined our team as they grow in the industry.

If you are interested in joining our team, please check out our careers page!

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT – JARED KREDIT

Posted by: Arizona Builders Alliance

Name: Jared Kredit

Company/Position: K2 Electric – President & CEO 

As the President and CEO of K2 Electric, I am responsible for leading the team, managing the operations and direction of the company, and spending time developing new and existing client relationships. My favorite part of my role is supporting my K2 team members in personal and career growth opportunities and developing new and existing client relationships.

I joined the ABA in 2016, mostly to participate in LDF. While that program was great for myself and our company, the benefits go well beyond that program. For example, the ABA offers the opportunity for top-notch leadership training, networking and political advocacy. This variety allows a lot of our team to engage with the ABA’s offerings. I think the training and networking are very visible and that is where many people participate. But what the ABA and their National partners do for political advocacy is invaluable to our industry.

I’m engaged in a few other organizations outside of my company and the ABA. I serve on the School Board at Grace Christian Academy, and I am an active member in the Camelback Society & Young Presidents’ Organization.

Within the industry I’m an active member of the Arizona Builders Alliance (Past YBC Chairman, 2017 LDF Alumni, current Workforce Outreach Committee Chair, current LDF Alumni Committee member and current Board Member), Associated Builders & Contractors – National (Current member of the Legislative Committee), the Independent Electrical Contractors Association (Former Board of Directors & Apprenticeship Committee member).

In my free time, I enjoy spending time with my wife Natalie and our three children. We’re staying busy with sports, where I help with coaching for soccer and baseball. As a family we enjoy hitting the slopes in the winter for skiing and snowboarding. I also really enjoy CrossFit style workouts with K2 Employees and friends in our gym – Superior Fitness at K2 Electric corporate offices in Phoenix!

My philosophy that I try to live/work by is that life is all about relationships. Approaching those around me with compassion, generosity, and investing in their growth and well-being is the most rewarding return on my time.

I am thankful that my career is in the construction industry – truly the best people! I look forward to serving on the ABA board!

As we are taking on a larger scope of projects, we are heavily investing in our workforce development department. Our people make up who we are, and we often say “No company accomplishes greatness without a great team.”

Through routine conversations reviewing our field employee’s goals, we aim to assist in the growth and progression of their career by providing the necessary resources and tools. Our Workforce Development Manager, James Clark, is spearheading both the individualized and group coaching onsite and in the office.

Creating these career pathways for our employees is just one way we are living out our core value of advancing our team. Sometimes it takes slowing down and reflecting to speed up. We look forward to the opportunities that will arise for our field as we continue to dedicate the time and training that supports their development.

K2 Electric recently took part in the 35^th annual Greater Phoenix Chamber 2022 IMPACT Awards program, and was recognized as one of three finalists in the Mid-size business category. K2 Electric was joined by Dircks Moving & Logistics and Jennings, Strouss & Salmon, PLC as the Mid-size category finalists.

The IMPACT Awards luncheon occurred on May 13 at the Sheraton Phoenix Downtown. At the event, Jennings, Strouss & Salmon was named the Mid-size Business of the Year, with Concord General Contracting, Inc. winning Small Business of the Year and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona taking home Large Business of the Year honors.

For K2 Electric, taking part in the IMPACT Awards process was a valuable lesson. To develop a successful submission, the K2 team had to examine its efforts both in the industry and in the community and evaluate the impact those efforts can have. Then, after being selected as a finalist, K2 leadership took part in interviews with the IMPACT team and were able to share their story with the committee.

“Throughout the entire process, we had to evaluate what is it that we do that has an impact that really matters and that other people recognize,” said K2 Electric President Jared Kredit. “It was humbling and fulfilling to be among the nine finalist companies across the Arizona business community. We came away with strong connections in the community and better insight into how we as a company can continue to make an impact.”

The Greater Phoenix Chamber’s IMPACT Awards began in 1987 and have grown into one of the most sought-after awards programs in the Arizona business world. The goal of the IMPACT Awards is to honor the accomplishments of businesses and the impact they’ve made on the Greater Phoenix business community. The Chamber highlights companies with a strong footprint in the Valley that are deserving of special recognition.

“This award wasn’t just within our industry, which is different for us,” added Kredit. “We’re being recognized across all industries. I think sometimes we set our sights on what other people are doing and how we can do things better than the next competitor. This is just how we compare to all types of companies, so it is unique and humbling to have that element to it.

“The value for us isn’t just limited to external marketing messaging or messaging to potential employees or even our current team. The value is really knowing what people outside of our organization see as having an impact and bringing value to our company and the community.”