OUR LEGACY

Hill Electric is founded on February 4, by Walter Hill and soon after his son, Bob joins the Company. The Company originates as a residential and commercial service provider. With several expansions since, Hill Electric still operates out of that same office location today.

The first Hill Electric truck, a 1951 Chevrolet pickup, makes a stop at Simpson’s for lunch. The truck driver, Chick Griffin, picks up lunch, a few jobs and hires his first helper, Buck Broyles. Hill Electric is launched and also moves into appliance sales and lamp repair.

Hill Electric begins the shift to serving the Textile Industry.

Bob comes up with an idea—to wire looms with a suspended cable system for one of their Textile customers. When it shows to be successful, the plant approves the system and Hill Electric wires 350 looms the same way. This system was soon after installed by Hill Electric at many other Weave Mills throughout the upstate. Based on advice from a mentor, Bob soon files his cable-based system with the U.S. Patent and Trademark office.

A man named Steve Kay comes to be familiar with Hill Electric. Steve placed emphasis on growing Hill Electric into the Finishing Mills of the Textile Industry. Throughout the ‘70s and into the early ‘80s, Hill Electric grew rapidly into this new market.

A new logo for the Hill Electric Company is created to reflect the changing times and growing company.

Bob Hill retires. After serving as a Partner and Officer for many years, Steve Kay buys the company from Bob and becomes the sole owner of Hill Electric Company.

Steve decides to create a Central Warehouse and invest in the needed equipment. The result is a daily check-in that offers constant communication with supervisors as they pick up their material and equipment for each job, as well as providing cost savings to the company and to their customers.

As the Textile Industry begins to disappear, the company leans on Mike Davis, who is hired in 1994 as Project Manager. Davis’ contacts outside of the textile industry proves beneficial to the future of Hill Electric. A new era of Customers begin while moving into diversified Industrial locations.

As the last remaining textile plants close their doors, Mike Davis becomes a Partner in and Vice President of Hill Electric.

Around the 50 th anniversary of the company, Hill Electric once again decides to update their branding, and cuts a piece of 500 MCM cable as a sample for the marketing company. The result is a logo that, while simple, fully represents the brand and uniqueness of Hill Electric.

Due to its diversity of customer base and long-standing relationships across the Industrial Market space, Hill Electric is virtually unaffected by the oncoming recession. The business strategy—to align the company with customers that continuously upgrade equipment—pays off, and the company stays busy performing multiple Process Machinery install/upgrades while their customers demand was down.

Trey Thomas is hired as Estimator. Trey positions himself quickly moving Hill Electric into Data installations, increasing Warehouse efficiency, and applying Technology across the Company.

Mike Davis becomes President of Hill Electric. With a continued focus on service and business effectiveness, Hill Electric builds out their Vision statement, Mission Statement, Core Values, and Core Purpose. Their identity: to provide a quality of life for our employees and their families, the foundation of everything they do at Hill Electric.

Trey Thomas becomes a Partner in and Vice President of Hill Electric Company. Trey is well positioned as Account Manager for Hill’s largest customers.

Steve Kay retires. Mike and Trey remain as stewards to move the Company forward.

As part of a new wave of diversification, Hill Electric broadens its focus on Business Development and Marketing, coming up with the company’s first tagline: Innovation * Trust * Partnership. As we approach our 65th year, the need to create another era begins.