Interstates Engineering
Ecmweb 5901 Cropserviceseefacilityaudits1600
Ecmweb 5901 Cropserviceseefacilityaudits1600
Ecmweb 5901 Cropserviceseefacilityaudits1600
Ecmweb 5901 Cropserviceseefacilityaudits1600
Ecmweb 5901 Cropserviceseefacilityaudits1600

Interstates Celebrates 60 Years in Business

Dec. 4, 2013
Presidents message: 'Look back AND look ahead. Confidence in the future is built on the strength that a rich past has provided.'

Interstates, a nationwide contractor with regional office locations throughout the United States, is celebrating 60 years in business. The concept of Interstates was born on the front porch of John A. Franken’s home in the early 1950s. To supplement his income as an operator at the City of Sioux Center’s power plant, John began selling television sets to a community hungry for this newest technology craze. Along with TV sales, “Johnny’s Electric” started to install antennas and power receptacles.

Eventually, the electrical business occupied more of John’s time, and he discontinued television sales to concentrate on installations. In 1967, Johnny’s Electric was renamed Interstates Electric and Engineering to reflect its expanding service offerings. The company moved out of John’s basement to its current office location in Sioux Center, IA.

Darrel Ramhorst, a veteran of the Air Force and NASA space program, joined the Interstates staff and spearheaded the engineering portion of the business. Under Darrel’s leadership, Interstates was able to offer total “design-build” electrical packages, which still account for a majority of its business today.

This fall, President Dave Crumrine published a leader message in the company's newsletter: "Look Back or Look Ahead," which focuses on honoring the past and keeping pace with technology in the future....

Voice your opinion!

To join the conversation, and become an exclusive member of EC&M, create an account today!

Sponsored Recommendations

Electrical Conduit Comparison Chart

CHAMPION FIBERGLASS electrical conduit is a lightweight, durable option that provides lasting savings when compared to other materials. Compare electrical conduit types including...

Fiberglass Electrical Conduit Chemical Resistance Chart

This information is provided solely as a guide since it is impossible to anticipate all individual site conditions. For specific applications which are not covered in this guide...

Considerations for Direct Burial Conduit

Installation type plays a key role in the type of conduit selected for electrical systems in industrial construction projects. Above ground, below ground, direct buried, encased...

How to Calculate Labor Costs

Most important to accurately estimating labor costs is knowing the approximate hours required for project completion. Learn how to calculate electrical labor cost.