• Posted: November 19, 2020
• All Tech Energy, better communities, Patricia Baumann

Over the past 106 years, the official City of Chicago Christmas tree has undergone a number of changes. In the early years, like Christmas Eve 1913 when Chicago Mayor Carter H. Harrison, Jr., lit the tree, the city’s official tree was placed atop 40-foot poles with smaller trees underneath to give the appearance of one, giant tree. Nearly 100 years later, in 2009, the city announced that the official tree would be chosen by a contest or through nominations. Six years later, in 2015, the city moved the official Christmas tree to Millennium Park where it’ll stand this year when it’s officially lit during a virtual tree lighting on Nov. 19.

Similar to year’s past, this year’s tree will be lit by Powering Chicago, through its partner contractors and union electricians. The 45-foot Blue Spruce will don 65,000 lights extending up to 4.7 miles of Christmas lights thanks to Powering Chicago member, All Tech Energy.

“It’s an honor to have been selected to take part in the annual tree lighting in Chicago,” said All Tech Energy’s President, Patricia Baumann. “We’re thrilled the City of Chicago is carrying on that history this year and we’re delighted to help, especially during a year that needs some joy and happiness.”

To prepare the 25,000 feet of Christmas lights for this year’s tree, Baumann’s team of IBEW Local 134 electricians have been preparing for weeks to ensure the job is done correctly. The lights have been put onto spools, so they’re easily transported. The lights have been tested – and re-tested – to ensure successful illumination on November 19. All Tech Energy’s team will work for three days the week before the official lighting to ensure every branch is covered with in multi-colored and gold lights.

“This past week we’ve been spooling the lights, so the ends are connected and covered in electrical tape, so no moisture gets into the strands,” Baumann explained. “We have roughly 20 spools of lights that will be transported from our office to Millennium Park.”

Baumann’s office is in Schaumburg, where the company has been since 1994 when her mother, Kathy Esposito, launched the company. All Tech Energy specializes in “going green” and ensuring its customers receive the most innovative energy management technologies available. All Tech Energy is a proud WBE and DBE electrical contractor, completing work throughout the Chicagoland area, including Chicago Public Schools, where the company was recently recognized as a Chicago Public Schools Capital Investment Program Contractor of the Quarter.

Baumann has been around for much of the company’s growth after starting in business development and sales in 2004. From there, she learned the inner workings of the family business before assuming all operations in 2017.

“I am a people person so learning the technology was not the challenge,” Baumann said. “It was more about getting out there and having a presence for All Tech Energy and learning the industry.

Today, All Tech Energy employs 10-12 IBEW Local 134 electricians and of those, about four of them will have worked to light Chicago’s official Christmas tree. As a Chicagoland native and someone who has frequently visited Chicago’s official tree over the years, Baumann said it’s one of the highlights of the year to be part of a tradition 107 years in making. “I want to thank the Electrical Contractors’ Association of Chicago, Powering Chicago, and the City of Chicago for selecting All Tech Energy to be part of this great tradition,” said Baumann. “It’s a group effort and All Tech Energy is thrilled to be a part of the 107^th annual tree for all Chicagoans to see.”