Collins Electrical Company, Inc. is celebrating 100 years of providing power to clients in commercial, industrial, institutional and energy-based markets. Today, this multi-million-dollar organization is one of Northern California’s top electrical construction and engineering firms renowned for overall excellence, honesty, innovation, customer service, and being one of the best employers in the industry.
The power of Collins Electrical, a union contractor, is in its people. The firm’s commitment to its employees was in place from its earliest days. Founder Willard J. Collins launched the business in 1924 and took on just one employee, A.J. “Gus” Sanguinetti. Unable to compensate Sanguinetti in 1926, Collins gave him half ownership of the company, and in 1929, a similar scenario prompted Collins to give Sanguinetti full ownership — an example of the integrity that has fueled the company’s success ever since.
In the 1930s, John Nomellini and Henning Thompson began with Collins Electrical as teens, launching long careers in which both would rise to top leadership positions. Both served in World War II and returned to promises of part ownership of the firm. When Sanguinetti passed away in 1966, Nomellini became president. Upon Nomellini’s retirement in 1983, Thompson took over as president.
Gene Gini entered the business in 1960, working in the warehouse before joining the union electrical apprenticeship program in 1961. Sanguinetti, Nomellini and Thompson were ideal early role models and mentors for the young Gini, who went on to be elected president in 1990 after serving as Modesto Branch Manager for 21 years.
“Our success would be impossible without our 570 team members, the hardworking field employees and administrative staff supporting them.” — Eugene “Gene” C. Gini, Chairman of the Board
Today, the Gini family owns Collins Electrical, with Gene Gini holding the honored role of Chairman of the Board while sons Kevin Gini and Brian Gini, both Co-CEOs, and son Craig Gini, Senior Vice President and Chief Transformation Officer, guide the firm.
“The company’s past generations have instilled their customer-comes-first legacy in us and that drives us today,” says Kevin Gini.
Collins Electrical serves clients throughout California, from their Stockton headquarters to West Sacramento, Marina, Fresno and Livermore. Since the firm’s first major contract project, the State Hospital in Stockton in 1929, projects have included offices, warehouses, factories, hospitals, airports, schools and colleges, hotels, and much more. Clients have included the iconic Raley Field (now Sutter Health Park), Monterey Bay Aquarium, Skywalker Ranch, and countless developers, manufacturers, retailers, municipalities, school districts, government agencies, and many more.
“Our success would be impossible without our 570 team members, the hardworking field employees and administrative staff supporting them,” says Gene Gini.
The company highly values every superintendent, foreman, electrician, clerk, accountant, estimator, designer and engineer and, in turn, each team member reserves deep loyalty for the firm. Many have built careers with Collins covering two to three decades.
“When I started with Collins in the mid-1990s, I was drawn by the fact that their average years of service for their foremen was somewhere around 28 years — that said everything about how they treat their people,” says Dave Helsel, Fresno Branch Manager.
That company culture is felt by every employee, every client and every industry partner.
“What Collins stands for can be summed up in our core values of family, loyalty, integrity, reliability, passion, innovation and social consciousness,” says Jake Rovig, Metro Project Manager, who notes that Collins Electrical is consistently recognized year after year in Engineering News Record magazine’s annual Top 600 list of the industry’s best companies.
The firm works on new construction and existing facilities, providing service on large and small contracts. Their 24-hour service department takes on short-term construction or maintenance projects and handles emergency calls.
The future holds countless projects as Collins Electrical enthusiastically embraces new markets for EV charging and electrical battery storage technology. “As California’s energy goals take shape, Collins Electrical will be at the forefront of ushering our clients into this new, bright future,” says Renewables General Manager Wen Luu.
