• Posted: October 16, 2019
• better careers, Industrial Electric Supply, Linear Electric, Michael Wall, Robert Fimbianti

On Thursday night, the Chicagoland Electric Association will introduce two new members to its Hall of Fame: Michael Wall of Industrial Electric Supply and Robert Fimbianti of Linear Electric. For Fimbianti, this is a well-deserved recognition that’s over 40 years in the making.

“When I was 14-years-old I worked in the back of a warehouse for a contractor,” Fimbianti said. “At 16-years-old I worked for a supply house while keeping part-time hours until I was 25, along with my apprenticeship that I started when I was 19.”

Fimbianti has dedicated nearly his entire life to the electrical industry from starting at age 14 working in a contractor’s warehouse to 1986 when he founded Linear Electric with his father.

The pair started Linear over 30 years ago and pride the company on taking on any job, saying on the company’s website, “no project is too large or too small. Whether an emergency service call, new installation, design/build, remodeling, maintenance, or general wiring, Linear Electric offers complete project management for any phase of construction.”

“I’m going to focus on thanking family which is my father first for being the best, most honest and trustworthy role model and partner that one could have,” Fimbianti explained.

Fimbianti isn’t one to seek out recognition from industry peers but did admit that it’s a special honor to be recognized by an industry that knows intimately the ups and downs of electrical contracting. Much of that can be attributed to the multi-generational workforce that has stayed in the industry through the good times and bad.

“I like watching our younger generation grow into the industry and some of the more successful ones retire out of this industry to see what they’ve built in their lifetime,” Fimbianti explained. “If you take a look at a lot of other companies that are second, third, some even fourth generation, they have left the generation after with an even better company than when they found it.”

Many Powering Chicago members are like Linear Electric in that they’re multi-generational; it’s what makes the union electrical industry so special. Fimbianti said that on Thursday, after thanking his family and others close to him who have helped him get to where he is, he’ll turn his attention to the next generation of electricians and electrical contractors, many of whom have learned the industry through their family.

“I’ll focus on this next generation coming up and seeing them as second, third, fourth generation whose fathers I have worked with previously,” Fimbianti explained. “You need to work hard and work safely. Keep educating yourself with new technology to make this a stronger industry.”

Fimbianti jokes that all he’s learned has come from the school of hard knocks, but there’s no question that no matter where he got his education, thanks to his dedication, he’ll leave this industry a little better than where he found it.