Our Founder, Joe E. Richards is nothing short of a pioneer in the electrical industry.  Joe Richards began in the electrical industry with a summer job while still studying in high school.  Joe spent the summer after 11th grade wiring homes in the Maryland area and two years later enrolled in the IBEW local 26 apprenticeship program in 1968.  Later that year, Joe was called to serve in the US Army as an electrician and spent one year in Vietnam defending our nation.

     Upon his return from active military duty in 1970, Joe went right back to the apprenticeship school the very next day to finish the program and eventually graduated with top honors including the distinction of not missing a single class during four years. After mastering the electrical apprenticeship, Joe continued his studies as a journeyman taking classes in NEC, HVAC and welding.  Joe Richards worked in the electrical industry for the next ten years learning as much as he could on every project he worked on.

     In 1983, Joe set out to fulfill his destiny in our industry by starting his own business.  On a cold February 1 of that year, the J.E. Richards Company was born as a full service electrical contractor in Maryland.  Joe eventually attained his licenses in Washington D.C. and the state of Virginia, and today the company services the entire metro market of northern Virginia, Maryland and D.C.  Joe has continued to expand his knowledge in the electrical industry through participation in various industry associations and has served on their boards and committees.  Most notably, Joe Richards is active on the Membership Committee for NECA, ensuring that a growing number of electrical contractors become a part of this organization that offers so many resources to our industry.  Joe firmly believes in his work helping to increase membership in the NECA organization.

     You can still find Joe at the office every day reviewing bids and finding ways to solve problems for his customers.  Joe does however make time to enjoy a golf game or two with his wife Penny and spends a little more time at the beach in Maryland.  Joe and Penny have been married since 1969 and have three daughters and two grandchildren who they enjoy spending time with.