The L.E. Myers Co.
Rolling Meadows, Ill.
Founded 1891
Louis Edward (L.E.) Myers worked alongside Thomas Edison in the early days of electrification in America. In 1891, he founded the L.E. Myers Co. That same year, he worked on his first big project — a street lighting job in Chicago. Two years later, his company provided power to the Windy City’s elevated train system in time for the World’s Fair. In the 1920s through 1930s, the business focused on bringing electricity to the heartland of America. Through electrification, the L.E. Myers Co. connected Midwest villages and towns to major cities along the railroad.
“Myers dreamed of making the new, modern convenience of electricity available and affordable to American homes and businesses,” says Tod Cooper, senior vice president and chief operating officer of MYR Group’s transmission and distribution division. MYR Group is the parent company to the L.E. Myers Co. The electrical contracting company, which built some of the nation’s first transmission lines, specializes in tackling the tough jobs, he says.
“We’ve completed transmission, distribution and substation projects in some of the most difficult of conditions,” Cooper says. “Many companies would back away because there are too many risks and challenges, but these projects are what seem to end up in our hands.”
To successfully take on these challenging projects, the contractor pulls in resources from its nationwide offices, focuses on safety in the field, and invests in the latest technology for its workforce. For example, the L.E. Myers Co. crews are using drones in the field to pull lead lines, inspect substations, and review rights-of-way during the pre-bid process. By constantly evolving, adapting, and forging long-term relationships, it has been able to stay in business for more than a century, a milestone that Cooper takes great pride in.
“It’s very rare for companies to exist that long,” Cooper says. “Our company has maintained the fundamental approach to doing business for more than 125 years.”
