Posts Tagged ‘compass newsletter’

A Fifty Year Partnership

Monday, February 5th, 2018

What started as a simple electrical upgrade by Egan Company in the early 1970s, has formed into a 50-year partnership with Westminster Presbyterian Church in Downtown Minneapolis. Over the last two decades, Westminster has completed four major projects with Egan that has transformed the building into a more modern-looking church while maintaining its historical culture.

Egan’s partnership with Westminster was formed through Industrial Electric Company, a company Egan acquired in 2011.

“We’ve had great partnerships with Westminster throughout all of its big projects,” said Gary Setala, Egan Company Account Executive. “They know how we work, they know we’ll get the job done, and they know we care – no matter what the project is.”

“Our most recent project, the Open Doors Open Futures project, was one of my favorites,” said Setala. “We were involved in the upgrading of electrical fixtures, an extensive exterior lighting addition, and the Grand Staircase light fixture…a beautiful, 55 foot chandelier with glass hand-blown in New York and assembled in Paris.”

As with previous projects at Westminster, the completion date was December 22 – just in time for Christmas services.

“The project schedule was very tight,” said John Kolb, Egan Company Field Leader. “As well as extremely fast-paced, but Westminster is always wonderful to work with. The projects are unique and unlike other projects we typically work on.”

The Christmas service attendees had the opportunity to view the completed Open Doors Open Futures project that includes new gardens and green spaces, improved underground parking and entries, and a new wing and plaza that opens up to Marquette and Nicollet Avenues.

“It has been a wonderful experience working with Egan Company throughout this project. The attitude is always positive, and we’re looking forward to continuing a long relationship.”

– Dennis Alfton, Westminster Presbyterian Church Director of Operations

Core Project Team: M.A. Mortenson Construction, Westminster Presbyterian Church, James Dayton Design

Services Provided: exterior and interior LED lighting, lighting control and distribution system, mechanical equipment wiring, general purpose power wiring, audiovisual conduit system

Enjoying the Ride

Monday, January 22nd, 2018

3,070 miles, 58 days, two tires, and one goal – all for multiple sclerosis. John Dobbs, an Electrician who has been with Egan for 17 years recently completed this very untraditional “vacation” by participating in the Southern Tier route of Bike the US for MS.

Bike the US for MS is a nonprofit organization which provides people the opportunity to participate in cross country cycling trips for multiple sclerosis research and awareness. When John first signed up to ride, he did not know anyone with MS. After participating in a few group projects and joining video chats with other co-riders, he quickly learned how devastating the disease can be.

“When I decided to do this [Bike the US for MS], I had people telling me that it would be a life-changing experience,” said Dobbs. “I wasn’t even halfway through the ride when I went from just shrugging my shoulders to becoming a believer.”

Turning Maybe Into Certainty

Inspired by his brother’s coast-to-coast charity ride three years ago, John told himself “maybe someday” he would do the same. This “someday” arrived last September, as he began the biking journey in San Diego, Calif. and arrived nearly two months later in St. Augustine, Fla.

At age 57, John was one of the younger riders out of the 16 member group with ages ranging from 57-70. He proudly admits an admiration for the older riders who pedaled every foot he did.

If I’m half of the man some of these other riders are… when I get a little older, I’ll be doing alright.

– John Dobbs, Egan Electrical Journeyman

John said he has found a whole new respect for the Southern United States and was fascinated by the changes in terrain and vegetation with the different elevations. He recalls the challenging days through the desert wasteland near El Paso, Texas when temperatures were upwards of 116 degrees.

“I have laughed, smiled, and even cried thinking about [myself] inching across the country on a bike. But, bottom line is I could not be happier,” said Dobbs.

Now, after an incredible amount of hard work and a whole lot of sweat, John can finally check “Bike the US for MS” off his bucket list.

In support of John Dobb’s ride, Egan made a donation to Bike the US for MS.

Virtual Flight Ride Experience Takes Flight at MOA

Friday, June 3rd, 2016

FOA Admissions CounterA brief vacation awaits you at the Mall of America where you can now view some of the country’s most breathtaking locales at the mall’s newest attraction, FlyOver America.

A ride like FlyOver America requires complex controls, equipment, and a lot of moving parts. “Everything has to communicate with each other … it’s like a symphony of many devices working in concert with each other to make the ride work as a whole,” said Elliott Olson, Egan Company Project Manager.

There’s more to the attraction than meets the eye, or the ear, or—the nose. Partnering with Mortenson Construction and FlyOver America Ltd., Egan Company installed the special effects devices that transform FlyOver America from a complex flight simulator into a true virtual flight experience with custom scents, wind, and even mist to tantalize riders’ senses during their 10-minute adventure.

Multiple trades within Egan were able to work in tandem to provide a cohesive experience for the customer that included installation of A/V equipment, communications and data wiring, and electrical power to the ride.

“We covered the work of four or five individual subcontractors on this project,” said Olson, “I think it’s a perfect example of what sets Egan apart from others.”

The ride itself is comprised of three levels, making navigation a unique challenge that required good planning, communication, and coordination among project teams.

Egan’s work on the project began in November 2015 and the ride officially opened on April 6, 2016. Even with the challenges posed by the project, Egan Company was able to deliver multiple scopes on a one-of-a-kind project.

“Working with the Egan team was fantastic,” said Eric Sambell, FlyOver America Ltd., Director, Construction & Technology. “It was great having one point of contact with Elliott Olson who was then able to communicate any changes to others on the team.”

Egan Services Provided: communications and data wiring, electrical power distribution, special effects installation, A/V installation