• Posted: February 9, 2026
• B3 Integrated Solutions, better careers, better communities, better construction, Black History Month, IBEW Local 134

Building a Legacy: How One Chicago Electrical Contractor Is Creating Opportunity Through Mentorship

When Jason Bonaparte started B3 Integrated Solutions in 2013, his vision was modest: keep five electricians working and pay the bills. Twelve years later, he’s leading a team of 25 IBEW Local 134 electricians on major infrastructure projects across Chicago, with a 70 percent diverse workforce that reflects his commitment to creating opportunities for people who look like him.

But Bonaparte’s story begins long before he launched his own company. It starts with his father, the late Bill Bonaparte, a true pioneer in Chicago’s electrical industry.

A Pioneer’s Foundation

Bill Bonaparte was among the first African American PBX installers for Illinois Bell in the 1960s, one of the first Black journeymen for IBEW Local 134, and later became the first Black area manager for AT&T. In 1987, as AT&T prepared to break up, he founded Bonaparte Connection, followed by Bonaparte Corporation in 1991. The company grew into one of Chicago’s most respected electrical construction companies, with more than 80 employees.

“My father’s philosophy was always about succession,” Jason recalls. “He had started this company and was worried about its future. He told me, ‘We’re a Black business, one of the largest Black businesses in this industry, and it would be a shame for me to have to sell it.'”

Jason earned his undergraduate degree in broadcasting and media from NIU after high school. Despite dreaming of a career in broadcast television, he made the decision to honor his parents’ wishes. “As a Phd and 20-year educator, my mother, Helena Bonaparte, instilled in me the importance of a post-graduate education, and my dad wanted me to continue his legacy – I did both!”  He started working at Bonaparte Corporation the week after graduation while pursuing his MBA from Roosevelt University at night.

Learning the Trade from the Ground Up

Jason’s electrical education didn’t begin in college. Starting at age eight, he spent summers working at his father’s companies, progressing through every aspect of the business: painting, material sorting, driving supplies to job sites, estimating, and accounting. As a summer helper with a temporary Local 134 card, he gained invaluable field experience.

“I was able to learn and respect what we do in our industry,” Jason says. “That changed my philosophy about being in the industry.”

He became president of Bonaparte Corporation in 2006, leading the company through successful projects until the 2009 recession forced its closure in 2012.

Starting Fresh: The Birth of B3 Integrated Solutions

Rather than work for another contractor, Jason decided to start his own company. 

“I’m used to being the boss. I don’t want to go work for somebody else,” he explains.

B3 Integrated Solutions launched in 2013 with just Jason and a determination to build something sustainable. Early projects included a massive fire alarm system installation at the University of Chicago Medicine’s Center for Care and Discovery. Jason and his team installed 500 strobes and 250 sirens across floors spanning 50,000 square feet each.

“When I looked at all those little red boxes on the wall, I was so proud. It was my first job at my own company,” Jason recalls. 

The Power of Mentor-Protégé Relationships

Jason credits much of his success to mentor-protégé relationships with established contractors like Connelly Electric and Gurtz Electric. This program, which his father helped pioneer through the Cosmopolitan Chamber of Commerce in the early 1980s under Mayor Harold Washington, pairs small minority businesses with larger, established firms.

“My mentors taught me so much about the industry,” Jason explains. “They opened their books and showed me how they do their jobs. They pay me before they even get paid because they understand that cash flow is one of the biggest issues for small minority businesses.”

These relationships led to substantial work, including a multi-year contract with Independent Mechanical as the electrical maintenance contractor for the entire Water Reclamation District, maintaining plants at Stickney, Calumet, and the Northside.

Creating Opportunities for the Next Generation

Today, 70 percent of B3’s workforce is diverse—a statistic Jason works hard to maintain. He sits on the board at ACE Amandla Charter High School, a South Side school his father helped found that prepares students for careers in the trades.

“Our curriculum focuses on electrical, carpentry, plumbing, and architecture,” Jason explains. “We bring kids to job sites, partner with major general contractors like Turner and FH Paschen, and show them the reality of these careers.”

The message is clear: journeyman electricians make more than $100,000 annually in wages plus benefits—without student loan debt.

“A lot of students think blue-collar work is beneath them. They don’t understand that most electricians make more than white-collar workers,” Jason says.

Two of his nephews are currently in the apprenticeship program, continuing the Bonaparte legacy into the third generation.

What Black History Month Means

For Jason, Black History Month represents the hard-won progress that makes his work possible.

“Many years ago, there would be no way a Black man would be running a union electrical construction business,” he reflects. “My father told me about being beaten in a closet as a journeyman just because he was the only Black person there.”

Today, Jason walks job sites and sees his employees, people who look like him, working on major infrastructure projects, wearing B3 Integrated Solutions logos on their safety vests.

“I’m very proud to be in a position where I can create Black empowerment,” he says. “Being able to hire someone that looks like me and get them into an industry that has historically been denied to them … I have the key to do that.”

Advice for the Next Generation

Jason’s message to young Black professionals interested in skilled trades is direct.

“You can do it. When I first started B3, I was told no so many times. I can’t tell you the number of doors that were slammed in my face or the number of times I wanted to quit,” he admits. “But I thought I could do it, and I’m surprised I actually did. I thought I’d be lucky to make it past the first year. It’s been 12 years.”

His hope for his legacy boils down to one core value that’s guided him throughout his entire career: integrity

“I would like people to know that I was fair and that my word was my bond. If I say I’m going to do something, I’ll do it. Integrity is so important in this business.”

The Road Ahead

Jason isn’t chasing growth for growth’s sake. 

“I’ve done the 80-employee company. It’s very stressful,” he says with a laugh. 

Instead, he focuses on sustainability, maintaining strong relationships with key clients, and staying current with industry changes, from the explosion of data centers to the evolving landscape of downtown Chicago infrastructure.

“The industry is constantly evolving,” he notes. “But there are a lot of big projects coming, and I’m trying to hopefully get on those.”

Through B3 Integrated Solutions, Jason Bonaparte honors his father’s pioneering spirit while creating new pathways for the next generation. It’s a living legacy that transforms Black History Month’s lessons into daily action, one project, one apprentice, one opportunity at a time.
B3 Integrated Solutions is an MBE-certified electrical contractor and proud member of IBEW Local 134, serving the Chicago area with expertise in commercial electrical construction and maintenance. You can learn more about B3 Integrated Solutions and other Powering Chicago electrical contractors by exploring Powering Chicago’s Find a Contractor Tool.