• Posted: June 18, 2021
• better careers, Ed Kostek Jr., Ed Kostek Sr., Hy-Power Electric, Jerry Kostek

 

When the now 83-year-old founder and owner of Hy-Power Electric started his business in 1971, the previous owner had one request. He said, “whatever you do, don’t go broke. We got through the depression and you can make it.” 

The now-retired owner of Hy-Power Electric, Ed Kostek Sr. took that advice to heart. The company continues to see success while now being run by two of his sons.

“If anyone would have told me that Hy-Power would have the success that it does today,” said Ed Kostek Sr. “I’d say, man, you’re smoking some funny cigarettes.” 

But it wasn’t luck that provided his sons with the know-how they needed to become successful union electricians and take the business to new heights. They had a huge advantage over others by being exposed to the union electrical industry at a young age. 

“My sons were 10 and 11. We were building our own home and I was doing the electrical work. We had a contractor that said he’d be by to pour concrete the next day so I had a lot of pipework to do in a short period of time. My young sons became my electricians,” said Kostek Sr.

After helping to guide sons Ed and Jerry to become good electricians and eventually business owners, Ed Kostek Sr. retired from Hy-Power on December 31, 2000. Unlike some business owners who may have a hard time letting go, he was ready. 

“When dad retired, he said, ‘I’ll see you, boys.’ He was around but he let us sink or swim and fortunately, we were able to carry on,” said Jerry Kosteck, Vice President of Hy-Power Electric.

Since Ed Sr.’s retirement at the end of 2000, his two sons, Jerry and Ed Jr. have run the business. Now, the third generation of Kostecks has joined the family business. All four of Ed Jr.’s kids work for the business as apprentices, journeymen, and estimators.

“I wanted them to do what they wanted to do but they wanted to do what I did, just like I wanted to do what my dad did, that’s my guess,” said Ed Jr., President and Estimator at Hy-Power Electric.

Though Ed Jr. is proud that his children chose to continue his family’s involvement in the unionized electrical industry, there’s one gift that his kids have given him that’s even better.

“The biggest thing my children have given me is nine grandchildren,” said Ed Jr. “That’s the fourth generation. I hope that some of them become electricians.”

With the culture of honesty and integrity that’s integral to the Kosteck family and the way they run their business, the probability is likely.