By Mark Rea

Making its 90th anniversary in 2003 and serving Texas for more than 70 years, Fisk Electric Co. has become a nationally recognized, multi-million-dollar company based upon providing a one-stop, full-service delivery system.

As a result of the firm's continued growth, Fisk was the top-ranked electrical contractor on this year's Texas Construction Top Specialty Contractors with reported 2002 Texas revenue of nearly $98 million. The privately held company also ranked first in revenue for telecom revenue with more than $27.6 million, allowing Fisk to finish fourth in the overall state rankings with $125.5 million in 2002.

One of the largest specialty contractors in the nation, the company provide a variety of services, including electrical, LAN/WAN networks, structured communications cabling, security, audio and video. Systems can also range from high- or low-voltage distribution, interior or exterior lighting packages and motor or distributed control systems.

Fisk Electric has participated in nearly every type of construction project during its history, some of which include commercial office buildings, healthcare facilities, hotels and casinos, sports and entertainment facilities, transportation facilities, petrochemical plants, food processing plants, industrial projects such as silicon wafer clean rooms, central plants and water and wastewater treatment.

The company also boasts an engineering and estimating division in Houston, specializing in preconstruction and design assist services. The group focuses on discovering and understanding the customer's needs and then partnering with other design team members to produce the most efficient, cost-effective system possible.
Design alternatives that balance cost and function are considered and tested for constructability. Conceptual budgets can be produced with as little as a single page of scope and concept description in 48 hours or less.

The division staff consists of registered engineers, estimators and CADD operators.
Estimating services are performed utilizing a Windows-based estimating system with proprietary software developed by Fisk. That software is also integrated with project management, procurement and financial software, assuring a smooth transition to the construction phase of the project.

Fisk also offers value engineering to its clients, evaluating the most cost-effective method of all phases of electrical construction and featuring a staff of designer/estimators with a combined 140-plus years of hands-on experience in performing all types of power, lighting and special systems.

The company has a long history of employing purchasing professionals in order to secure the best value for Fisk and the owner. Long-term relationships have been forged with the key equipment, lighting, wire and cable and other commodity manufacturers and suppliers to allow the firm to focus upon quality of performance, field productivity and price.

Productivity improvement grows through the company's on-time shipment guarantees and maximum use of technology, including Fisk's customized information system, InfoSource, for integrating estimating, project management, scheduling, purchasing and accounting. The firm also offers monthly quality reviews, materials management analysis, a historical data base and price management.

Fisk is currently worked on projects throughout the country. Currently, it is involved in a pair of high-profile, multi-million-dollar projects: the Turnberry Tower in Las Vegas and the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center at Medical City in Houston.