Keeping The Lights On | DL Smith Electric
By KIM GRONNIGER | Photos by BRIAN PETERS
In 1963, DL Smith was a married dad of two making $1.75 an hour at a gas station. When a concerned uncle showed up one day and encouraged DL, now a Topeka Business Hall of Fame inductee, to become an electrician, he decided to switch careers.
The career switch was successful — so successful, in fact, that DL is now the founder of an electrical construction company that’s continued for three generations.
LIGHTING THE WAY
DL established DL Smith Electric in 1972 with a $7,500 loan. His wife Suzy, then pregnant with their daughter, embraced her husband’s light-bulb moment and quit her job at the Santa Fe Railroad so they could take the leap together.
“We didn’t have a dime, and she still said okay,” DL said. “She’s a saint.”
After a short stint at Washburn University followed by completion of an apprenticeship program, he understood that “trades were an important part of society and that we need electricity for everything. Otherwise, we’d all be sitting around with candles.”
DL’s family-run business is led today by his son Shawn, CEO and president, and his grandson Nate, associate project manager. Chase Ebert, the company’s chief operating officer, rounds out the leadership team.
Fittingly, DL and Shawn signed the paperwork transferring the family business’ ownership at the elder Smith’s kitchen table in 2005.
“Shawn had a couple of stipulations in the contract that I would come to the office at least once a month and also meet him for lunch once a month,” DL said. “I’m happy to say I’ve been able to keep those commitments.”
Shawn earned an engineering degree at the University of Kansas and worked as a consultant in Kansas City for several years. When his wife Olga, an only child, needed to move to Topeka to help her parents run their Mexican restaurant Pepe & Chela’s, Shawn approached DL about joining the company and relocating his family to Topeka.
“We all like to work and the dynamics just fit,” Shawn said. “I’m old school,” DL said.
“When I was starting out, I wore multiple hats and had to know everything. I brought Shawn in 10 years before I left because I knew he could come in and make the changes that needed to be made as the industry and the business became more complex.”
Nate, who has a bachelor’s degree in business analytics from the University of Kansas, creates tracking dashboards for manpower, project hours and more.
He says he never felt pressure to join the company but after spending time in the business as a kid and college intern, he felt drawn to it.
“I always liked the work the company did and the pride people had in the projects we completed,” he said. “The more time I spent here, the more I knew I wanted to stay. Each project is different, and each day is different.”
Shawn says the transition has been smooth, partly because of clear expectations and a commitment upheld by all family members to refrain from work discussions during dinners, holiday gatherings and vacations.
True to his word at the time of the company’s transition, DL still pops in for casual chats and occasional consultations.
“I like to step in and pat people on the back and tell them they’re doing a great job,” DL said.
“Mostly DL comes in and stirs things up and leaves,” said Chase, referring to what he described as DL’s “well-known” sense of humor.
“It’s great for me to work with my family every day and focus on opportunities together,” Shawn said. “It’s a fast-paced business and having that level of trust makes it easier to respond to changes and challenges that come up.”
BRIGHT IDEAS
A key aspect of the company’s adaptability is an appreciation for individual strengths and a personal growth mindset that blends autonomy with accountability.
“You can’t keep everything in your head like I used to in the early years,” DL said. “You have to delegate and let people make mistakes so they can grow in their roles. We all make mistakes, but it’s how we correct them that counts.”
Although three generations of Smiths are affiliated with DL Smith Electric, Shawn says the family name doesn’t guarantee a position and everyone has to earn their place.
“We all trained for the roles we have, and our business wouldn’t have survived without all of our employees grinding it out together every day,” he said. “Our workforce has similar attitudes in that we want to put our heart and soul into making something that’s meaningful. That passion bleeds into everything.”
As the company continues to expand its regional footprint, Shawn says it’s imperative that more people are brought in to provide ideas and expertise.
“Many of our employees have worked here a long time and deserve the opportunity to help run the company,” he said. “They’re people who fit in with our family business and thrive in their roles.”
Chase’s responsibilities cover operations, employee relations and culture, which includes an open-door policy where employees can feel comfortable asking questions.
“Chase and I are both relationship driven and want to ensure we’re accountable for our employees and our customers,” Shawn said. “Our ability to recruit and retain employees and make them team players has really amplified with Chase. He’s an excellent listener and can be more strategic with workforce activities and leadership opportunities.”
Chase works to build team unity and relationships. In hiring, he says character and coachability sometimes carry more weight than knowledge, which can be learned over time.
“I love employing people and giving them an opportunity to build something and grow in their role,” Chase said.
Shawn agrees. “We’re in alignment on the DL Smith difference, which is giving the customer the best value. If the customer finds success, then we do, too. We strive to keep our relationships over the long haul.”
WIRED FOR SUCCESS
Like his dad before him, Shawn says he wants to stay ahead of the curve.
“I like to find ways to improve processes and do things better by investing in new tools early,” he said, adding that part of that investment involves Nate’s role. “He looks at our analytics every day and helps us manage through the chaos.”
Nate says he had a lot to learn when he joined, but that he came in with a different perspective that was helpful.
“I was able to identify opportunities for supporting team members and gaining a clearer view,” he said.
According to Shawn, some of the challenges DL Smith Electric still faces include access to skilled manpower and the increasing demand to power everything from personal devices to data centers.
Artificial intelligence (AI) applications are already impacting the business by introducing training and robotics, troubleshooting, and enhancements for administrative and operational tasks.
“AI isn’t just a neat tool to ask crazy questions, but a means for getting work done efficiently so we can free up time to work on more important things,” Shawn said.
POSITIVELY CHARGED
As of this year, DL Smith Electric’s workforce includes 240 field electricians and 25 staff members.
Shawn says meaningful projects in health care and other industries have given a renewed sense of purpose to their team members.
“During COVID, we were classified as essential employees and that designation still means something to all of us,” he said.
Some of the company’s bigger projects include several Stormont Vail Health collaborations, the Docking State Office Building, the David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium, Allen Fieldhouse, a utility-grade solar project in Chanute and a $100 million expansion of the Michelin manufacturing facility in Junction City.
“Our work, for the most part, is outside of our office environments,” said Shawn, “so we’re always looking for ways to help us stay connected.”
To assist with that goal, Chase, who joined the company as an electrician in 2008, is focused on employee engagement.
“I’m always trying to better understand what the team’s tasks are and how we can move the dial to make their work easier,” he said. “We’re building a work hard, play hard culture.”
The company hosts quarterly get-togethers, an annual holiday party and Royals outings for their employees.
“Friday afternoons are a little livelier in the office,” Chase said. “People are enjoying what they’re doing and laughing, and that’s what we want.”
Nate agrees. “People are talking with one another more and not just about work. We’re discussing random stuff and getting to know one another better.”
They also embrace volunteering. Jaclyn Mullins, a project logistics manager at the company, encourages employees to participate in community activities such as Visit Topeka’s annual Touch-a-Truck construction event.
COMPLETING THE CIRCUIT
“It was a natural instinct to want to provide not only for my own family but also for the people we employed,” said DL, describing how he felt when he started the company. “If not for small businesses like this one, we wouldn’t have the economy we have.”
As president of the company, Shawn has embraced his father’s sense of leadership. He gives employees challenging work opportunities while supporting their ability to make time for family.
“Dad put in a lot of hours in establishing this business, so we’re now able to encourage our employees to use their leave to recharge and enjoy their families,” Shawn said. “We understand how important that is.”
