District 6 Vice President George Adams

George Adams
President
EC Company
Portland, OR
Oregon-Columbia Chapter, NECA

BACKGROUND
George Adams was born in Grants Pass, Oregon, and graduated from Eagle Point High School in 1964.  He attended what is now Southern Oregon University and in 1966, he went on to serve in the U.S. Navy’s Naval Security Group special operations for over 10 years.  Adams moved his family to the Portland area in 1978, where he worked for the Port of Portland at Swan Island as a maintenance electrician. Adams started his apprenticeship program in May 1978 and was dispatched to Electrical Construction Company.

After completing his apprenticeship with E C, Adams worked as a service technician, foreman, general foreman, project manager at the company, and in 1992, was made a Construction Vice President. He started the Advanced Technology Group and completed many commercial and industrial projects. In January 1996, Adams was promoted to President of Electrical Construction Company.  In 1999 he was promoted to President of E C Company, which includes E C Construction and E C Power Systems.

COMPANY INFORMATION
Founded in 1929, Marine Electric built and repaired electric motors and generators primarily for ships. With the slow-down after the war, the company decided to diversify and in 1946, Electrical Construction Company was officially formed to focus on the industrial market. In 1955, E C added a power systems group that supplied and installed heat pumps, generators and industrial engines. In the 1980s, construction expanded into the commercial and service markets. In the early 1990s, the company added the low voltage systems and communications group, and the advanced technology group that focused on the micro-electronics industry.

Today E C Company has grown to be the largest and most diverse construction and power distribution companies in the Northwest U.S., with seven branch offices and headquarters in Portland, Ore.

INVOLVEMENT WITH NECA
E C Company has been involved with NECA from the beginning. Former E C Company president Stan Adams (no relation) was a charter member and former District 6 Vice President.  Adams has been personally active in NECA since 1996. He has served on his chapter’s board as vice president, president and governor and numerous committees. He has chaired his local labor management committee, labor negotiations committee and steering committee, and he recently led the effort to establish the chapter’s ethics policy.

On a national level, Adams participates in NECA’s large contractors group and serves on the CIR. “I believe that labor relations at all levels and in developing cooperation and industry awareness is a key value that our association provides,” Adams said. “NECA also allows you to interface with your peers, which generates job opportunities and helps resolve industry issues.”

AWAY FROM THE OFFICE
Adams is happy to discuss his business success, but his proudest achievement is his family. His wife, Cheryl, was his high school sweetheart and “has remained my sweetheart for over 40 years.” Their children Tony, Brian and Shawna all live nearby with their families, and Tony, Brian and Adams’s son-in-law Randy are all active in E C’s business. George and Cheryl raise horses and cattle and enjoy a range of outdoor activities.