Stills Electric’s pursuit of excellence has spanned 40+ years

Stills Electric is a sole proprietorship owned and operated by Ken Stills.

Stills, a native of Brawley, started his electrical designer and contracting business in 1994.

After graduating from Brawley Union High School, Stills worked for Rigid Electric and Lighting, and later for the Imperial Irrigation District. During this time period, he acquired a business license from the city of Brawley in 1981. His first customers were Stanley Seed, R and T Shank Seed, and Imperial International Grain Co.

With a family and strong desire to encourage and support his children’s sports and artistic events, Stills obtained his electrical contracting license in 1994. He began working with long-time friends Leon Lesicka and Mark Kimberlin of Lesicka Construction wiring many steel buildings and custom homes.

Today, his office manager, Jordan Rubio, and four other employees provide electric installation and repair for industrial and agricultural clients in the Imperial Valley. In addition, Stills Electric does some custom residential installation as well as industrial client repairs. The repairs often include the installation of new services and installing light-emitting diode (LED) lights as a means of significant energy conservation. The lights are free of harsh chemicals, and they do not emit UV rays. LED lights are also 100 percent recyclable, can materially reduce a company’s carbon footprint, and are able to do the work of roughly 25 incandescent light bulbs over their lifetime.

For Stills’ agricultural clients, the primary work is installation of electrical service and controls for irrigation pumps. These electric pumps are used to irrigate crops through the IID’s system to conserve water. They allow the grower to move water from the canal to the field with efficiency. While diesel pumps are used in the crop fields when electric power is not available, more and more growers have created access to electric power, which also reduces the carbon footprint.

For other agricultural clients, Stills is upgrading their electrical power at packing sheds much like he does with industrial clients. Both Stills and his clients are embracing newer technology, which assists employees and achieves more production efficiencies. This is a direct result of the continuing shortage of farmworkers during harvest and the increasing cost of labor. One relevant example of this new technology is wiring a machine that bags and weighs potatoes and onions. Harvest of potatoes and onions is just starting, so this a timely effort.

Stills Electric is also a supporter of the Brawley Cattle Call Rodeo each year. This support comes in the form of ensuring the power sources for the lights and electrical outlets are operational so that those rodeo fans can enjoy the event fully and safely. Stills wife, Janet, was Cattle Call Queen in 1979.

“As the office manager, I know the work ethic of Ken Stills and his employees,” said Rubio. “They do the necessary and sometimes dangerous work right the first time.

“Both Ken’s demand for excellence came from many contributing factors,” Rubio continued, “such as his desire to have a better life after having a challenging home life, the love and support of his high school sweetheart wife, and many role models, such as his wife’s grandfather, William F. Smith (Gunnysack), who encouraged Ken to start his own business, and Leon Lesicka who showed him how to treat his customers with respect and give them quality craftsmanship as a priority. Ken’s and the company’s pursuit of excellence has lasted for 40-plus years and will continue to be an integral part of Stills Electric for the future.”