Hard work, sacrifices lead to recognition for Orofino company

Orofino-based company Innovative Electric Services has been named October Small Business of the Month by Sen. Jim Risch.

Kelly and Mindy Watkins opened the business in September of 2018 with the goal of serving Clearwater County and the surrounding areas with reliable electrical services for residential, business and industrial projects. Kelly was raised in Clearwater County and moved around the country working as an electrician, estimator and project manager. After returning to live in Idaho, he noticed a recurring theme: There was a lack of trade services available in rural areas. He also experienced his own frustrations when companies from nearby larger cities wouldn’t service the smaller communities.

So, he set out to meet the needs he saw, and Innovative Electric Services was born. It has taken hard work and dedication, but Mindy said that being a family-owned business has been incredibly rewarding.

“In 2019, we bought a home in Orofino and moved our family there from Lewiston,” she said. “There were many sacrifices, as we started from scratch on a shoestring budget, often working seven days a week. There was little time for vacations or outings and often we went without pay to make sure that our employees received their paychecks. Our three sons Kade, Ryan and Jase have worked with us in many different capacities over the years. From the inception of Innovative Electric Services, their ideas, help and support have been invaluable. As a bonus, our youngest just started his second year as an electrical apprentice with us.”

Kelly serves as the president and master electrician, Mindy is the secretary and office manager, and they employ 10 people, which includes journeyman electricians, apprentice electricians and office staff.

Once they their business was off the ground, their reputation for quality service started growing. They moved from their original location, and it wasn’t long before they outgrew that one, too. In the summer of 2023, Innovative Electric Services moved to a custom warehouse and office building, which has allowed them to continue to expand.

“In 2024 we became certified to work with Avista Utilities in their Small Business Rebate Lighting Program,” Mindy said. “This program assists fellow business owners with affordable (or no cost) lighting to save energy and bring their electrical costs down. Also, we strongly believe in working with and supporting our local 6C contractors and businesses. [Serving] the community is the heart of that belief. In the six years that Innovative Electric Services has been operating, we have taken many opportunities to support our Clearwater County communities.”

Some examples of how they’ve done that are by providing materials and labor for the new Orofino junior/senior high school score board and the Avista Community reader board in downtown Orofino. They’ve also purchased animals and donated to the local 4H club, have provided donations to the chamber of commerce auction, the Lumberjack Days auction, TLC Foundation, and the Timberline Alumni Association. Innovative Electric Services also regularly donates to local Orofino sporting programs which has helped pay for new uniforms, jerseys, socks and more for soccer, football, baseball, tennis, basketball and softball teams.

“We wouldn’t have been able to accomplish this level of success in the past six years without the help of our exceptional employees,” Mindy said. “Not only do they work for us, but we also consider them our friends and family. Our standards are high, and we expect honesty, ethics and of course hard work from our crew. The employees that we currently have on board exceed our expectations.”

Mindy said that while the company’s success has been notable, it hasn’t been without challenges along the way. Material costs have skyrocketed, insurance rates have increased and there is a lack of qualified tradesmen. There is also a shortage of housing in Orofino, so for people who want to relocate to work with the company, it can be difficult.

But this hasn’t stopped Kelly, Mindy and their team from meeting the demand and maintaining the level of quality that Innovative Electric Services is known for.

As for what being recognized as small business of the month means to the business, Kelly said, “Mindy and I are humbled to have our hard work and accomplishments recognized by Sen. Risch.

We feel blessed and honored to be able to make a positive impact in our nearby rural Idaho communities by providing much-needed electrical services, and meaningful employment opportunities.”