Skip links

DELIVERING SAFE, QUALITY CONSTRUCTION FOR GENERATIONS

M. J. ELECTRIC TIMELINE

We are proud of our heritage; the foundation that allowed us to become a leader in our industry.

With roots as a small, hometown contractor, M. J. Electric now serves customers nationwide. Throughout our history, we have expanded our offerings and incorporated evolving technologies to benefit our customers. We are proud of our heritage and the company we’ve become today. Learn more about the people, events, and innovative strategy that built our company in the timeline below.

1924

Mette Electric Company, which became M. J. Electric, opened its doors in 1st National Bank’s basement in Iron Mountain (MI).

Original owner Walter Mette was joined by a partner, E. J. Poirier.

E. J. Poirier became the sole owner and changed the name to E. J. Electric.

1942

Marshall J. Potterud took over the business and changed the name to M. J. Electric (MJE).

1959

Marshall J. Potterud retired and sold the business to J. W. Reiten.

J. W. Reiten partnered with W. J. Brule.

1960

1st year revenue was $90,000.

1961

Moved to our first office building on US 2 in Iron Mountain.

1962

Formed Systems Control division to construct electrical panels.

1st Pulp & Paper Project.

1963

​Purchased Paul Electric to manage the residential and commercial work.

1964

Separated into two contractors, MJE (W. J. Brule) and Paul Electric (J. W. Reiten).  Warren J. Brule became the sole president of MJE.

1st Power Plant Project.

1970

Growth in the pulp and paper, mining, power plant, and utility markets.

1974

Completed Presque Isle Plant Units 5 & 6, Substations, and Instrumentation for Upper Peninsula Generating Company in Marquette, MI.

1975

Relocated to our current location, 200 West Frank Pipp Drive in Iron Mountain.

1978

​1st HVDC projects – Coal Creek Converter (ND) and Dickinson Converter (MN).

1985

Established Boss Snowplow.​

1st Fiber Optic Fusion Splicing and Installation projects.​

1st Nuclear Plant Project at Point Beach for Wisconsin Electric.

1986

Purchased Valley Electric Service located in Appleton (WI) and formed  Process Controls & Instrumentation (PCI).

1989

Over 600-mile OPGW project from Minneapolis to Madison-Milwaukee-Chicago for Norlight.

1990

Completed Westvaco paper machine rebuilds, a project with revenue equivalent to over $38M today. This resulted in an on-site electrical maintenance presence spanning 20 years.

David J. Brule became MJE’s 2nd president.

1992

Reacquired Paul Electric Service.​

​Opened the Midwest Region office in Woodstock, IL.

1994

​1st Scrubber Project for a FGD Retrofit for Units 1 & 2 at the TVA Cumberland Fossil Plant in Cumberland City, TN.

1996

Started Wisconsin Electric’s CUP Alliance project, MJE’s first major alliance project.

1998

1st Wind Power Project at Lake Benton 100 MW Wind Farm.

2000

Purchased by Exelon Infrastructure Services, a subsidiary of Exelon Corporation. As a result, we acquired an office in Shoemakersville (PA).

Systems Control and Boss Products separated from MJE.

2002

Steven J. Reiten became MJE’s 3rd president.​

InfraSource, Inc. purchased Exelon Infrastructure Services making us a subsidiary of InfraSource.

2003

Opened the De Pere (WI) Office.

2007

Quanta Services, Inc. acquired InfraSource making us a subsidiary of Quanta Services (NYSE: PWR).

Completed the Arrowhead-Weston project, our first major alliance project with ATC.

Midwest Region office relocated to Glen Ellyn, IL.

2008

Opened the Minnesota and Lower Michigan offices.

2009

Great Lakes Line Builders, a subsidiary of Quanta Services, became part of MJE.  As a result, we acquired their office in Greenville (WI).

2010

Opened the Iowa office.

Formed the Renewable Energy Group.

2011

Completed the Utility Building addition at the Corporate Office.

2013

Formed MJ Drilling.

2014

Edward E. Farrington became MJE’s 4th president.​

​Opened the NW Indiana Office (Crown Point).

2015

Completed ITC’s Thumb Loop project, the largest ITC alliance project in our history.

Quanta sister company Intermountain Electric began reporting to us.

2016

Opened the Joliet Office.​

Eastern Region Office relocated from Shoemakersville to Leesport (PA).

2017

Expanded our capabilities to include fiber optic specialized services.

2018

Quanta sister companies JCR and The Ryan Company began reporting to us.

2019

Celebrated our 60 Year Anniversary!​

Formed MJ Excavating.​

Joliet Office relocated from Channahon to Minooka (IL).

2020

Quanta sister company J&R Underground began reporting to us.

2021

MJ Excavating Office relocated from Johnson Creek to Sussex (WI).

Thomas H. Nagy became MJE’s 5th president.

BACK TO TOP