The Block brothers, from left to right: Greg Block, Service Manager; Jon Block, Estimating & Sales Project Manager; Danny Block, Marketing; and Tom Block, Operations Manager.

LH Block Electric Company, Inc. installs lighting systems for the 6300 River Road office building renovation in Rosemont, IL.

LH Block Electric Company, Inc. (LH Block) was established in the 1950s by Lukas Hunsinger when he immigrated to the United States from Europe. He hired Randy Block as an apprentice in 1972 with the promise that if he worked hard he could one day take it over. He did just that, and in 1979, Lukas retired and sold the business to Randy.

Enter Randy’s wife, Cathy, who he met in a local establishment the night he was celebrating the sale. As an electrician, typing wasn’t Randy’s strong suit. Sons Jon and Tom chuckle as they recall the part of the story when Randy says to Cathy, “Hey, we should go out. Do you type?”

Cathy says, “We did go out. I did type, and the rest is history. We got married in 1981, and I’ve been ‘typing’ ever since.”

All in the Family

Jon and Tom, along with their brothers Danny and Greg, gradually joined the business in various capacities. Today, Cathy and Randy act mainly as consultants while their boys manage the day-to-day operations, all bringing different talents to the table. Jon serves as Estimating & Sales Project Manager, Tom is Operations Manager, Danny handles marketing and Greg runs the service department.

Jon says, “Both of our grandfathers were electricians as well, so I like to say we’re third-generation electricians. Working with family can be tough, as we all have unique skills and ideas, but at the end of the day, we respect each other.”

Cathy talks proudly about having her sons in the family business. “It was never our intent to have the boys working in the company. They all had other opportunities but chose to come back. They add to how well our company runs, what makes us different, and it’s a pleasure to now watch them all work together,” she says.

Strong Relationships and Reliable Service

LH Block, located in Bartlett, Illinois, provides electrical services extending to the state’s Wisconsin, Indiana and Iowa borders and anywhere in between. The company performs mostly commercial and industrial work involving indoor and outdoor light and power installations, working frequently with property management companies and local general contractors.

Technicians are experienced in multi-unit projects, having performed electrical renovations in apartment complexes and hotels ranging from small, six-flat buildings to 500-unit apartment complexes. They also provide a broad array of industrial services ranging from control systems to on-site service contracts. They install power to production lines, maintain production lines, help businesses with proper lighting and energy savings, and can meet commercial building electrical requirements at every level, from minor electrical installations and repairs to multimillion-dollar new build projects.

A significant portion of the company’s work is repeat business, including franchise work for clients such as Goldfish Swim School, Andy’s Frozen Custard and Trader Joe’s. The company also performs a large number of industry machine shop relocations and has moved many clients’ operations, some more than once. “The basis of our business is repeat clients,” Tom says. “We like to develop relationships and have served some of the same customers since 1979.”

Tom is especially proud of the company’s track record of completing what it starts, explaining it has never left a project unfinished and even is called upon to pick up where others leave off. “Last year two different customers called us to finish a job for another contractor. We’re proud to finish what we start on time and on budget,” he says.

He describes one such example, the construction of Saint Sophia Greek Orthodox Church in Elgin, Illinois. LH Block had experience with the church’s general contractor from prior jobs but was told its bid was too high for this specific project. However, a few months into that project, the general contractor encountered problems with the hired electrical contractor and called on LH Block to jump in. “The GC was in a bad spot with a short deadline,” Tom says. “We were able to get everything ordered, expedited and completed, saving his deadline to the church. It was a smooth transition, and everyone was happy in the end.”

Tom explains that it is not unusual to bid on projects where the owner gets three to four bids from general contractors, each general contractor gets three to four electrical bids, resulting in LH Block bidding against 12 different electricians in a field where the cheapest bid often gets the job. “We may not always be the cheapest,” he says, “but we are the best value. The cheapest price doesn’t always pay off.”

Instead, LH Block strives to develop strong long-term relationships with general contractors who trust the company will get the job done right, on time and within budget, without needing to obtain a number of bids. “Our repeat customers know that we’ll provide the best price and highest quality. We’re the best bang for the buck,” Jon says.

Rooted in Principle

LH Block is able to offer professional, high-quality services at a good value by keeping overhead costs in check. This is accomplished by continuously negotiating with suppliers and identifying other ways to keep costs down, such as limiting the number of business vehicles the company maintains. The staff has also learned to operate seamlessly in 1,500 square feet of space, which Jon describes as minimalist for a company of this size. As a result, LH Block is able to price its services competitively.

“I like to call us efficient and lean,” Jon says. “We only keep a couple of service trucks, which allows us to take care of customers efficiently. Having too many vehicles is not necessarily profitable.”

This principle also extends to the Blocks’ personal lives. Jon explains that the family also lives a minimalist lifestyle. Personally and professionally, they choose to live simply in order to ensure the financial health of the company and staff.

He says, “We have learned from longevity and the trends of the market how to stay productive. We don’t operate outside of our means, we don’t rely on bank loans and we consistently make paying our suppliers and employees in a timely manner a priority.”

Advancing the Field

The company often participates in vocational days at local middle and high schools to introduce the basics of electricity and generate interest in the electrical field, demonstrating to students how it can offer a career that is rewarding and pays well. The company takes pride in offering apprenticeships and training to the next generation of electricians. In the last 41 years, Jon estimates that dozens of employees have moved on to start their own businesses, some growing into major contracting companies. “We never hold anyone back,” he says.

While they support those who go out on their own, LH Block also has strong employee retention. Tom explains, “With many contractors, a guy may work for a year or two and that’s it. We don’t lay off between projects—we keep our people busy.” Take, for example, Bruce Funk, an Army veteran who has been with the company for 20 years. In that length of time, he has had to collect unemployment only once, for two weeks, during the economic downtown in 2008.

Both Tom and Jon point to the youngest brother, Greg, as a driver of the company culture. “He is the hardest working person here and leads by example,” Jon says. “He motivates staff, boosts morale and really epitomizes the respect and appreciation we have for our employees.”

Tom continues, “Our employees are important to us, and we keep them going. We appreciate what they do and offer a solid career and a paycheck, and in return, they show up each day and get the job done for our clients.”