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Walk
onto any darkened room in your home and what’s the first thing you
do? Flip the light switch, of course. We flip the switch and there
is light. The act of flipping the switch is a reflex action with
virtually no conscious thought on our part.
Few things in our
lives are more taken for granted than our certainty that the light
will go on when the switch is flipped. Electricity is such a
fundamental part of our being that we scarcely give it a second
thought – except, of course on the rare occasions when the power
goes out.
Getting
electricity to the homes and businesses in our community is the job
of Consumer Electric Power Company. Making sure that electricity is
safely routed throughout our homes and businesses is the job of
small business owners like Tommie Giles of Lakeside Electric. With
more than 26 years experience behind him, Master Electrician Tommie
Giles serves both the residential and industrial/commercial
electrical contracting needs of the greater Fennville area.
A true “native”,
Tommie was born and raised in Fennville and graduated from Fennville
High School in 1970. After serving two years in the army, he
completed a training program at Lake Michigan College that started
him on his career as an electrician. Completion of an apprentice
program and further formal training resulted in Tommie earning his
Master’s License and the opportunity to start his own business in
1980. |
Tommie’s business,
Lakeside Electric, can handle any job from installing a light
fixture over your kitchen sink to putting in the main service panel
for a small factory. His heavy equipment includes bucket trucks,
scissor lifts and trailers to meet industrial and commercial job
requirements.
“This community
has been very good to me” says Tommie. “I’ve been able to earn a
good living and stay within 25 miles of home.” Tommie maintains
relationships with other tradesman in the community such as Septic
Tank Systems and McKellips construction. There is frequently a
synergistic opportunity for these professionals to work together on
some of the larger projects.
I was smiling when
I asked Tommie if he’d had anything to do with the recent power
outage the entire Fennville area experienced. Tommie laughed and
denied any responsibility claiming he was as surprised as the rest
of us.
Tommie’s son Aaron
is also a Master Electrician and works full time for a company in
Holland. Erin helps his father on weekends when the workload
permits.
So, next time you
turn on a light switch, think about Tommie Giles and the service he
and his colleagues provide for our community.
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