Anderson Electric has been selected by the National Electric Contractors Association (NECA) as a 2019 Project Excellence Award Winner. The annual awards showcase exceptional work, professionalism and ingenuity performed by NECA member-contractors throughout the country.
“We earned the recognition for our work on the Illinois Governor’s Mansion renovation,” said Wes Anderson, president of Anderson Electric. “We were contracted for all electrical and low voltage work associated with the renovations. All existing light fixtures and chandeliers were removed from the mansion for refurbishment. Highlighting the many features of the mansion required additional lighting both inside and out. The installation and channeling through walls and ceilings of lighting controls, data, and security systems brought new meaning to the term ‘rough in’.”
The NECA 2019 Project Excellence Awards are based on 12 market sectors and whether the electrical/technology portion of the project was valued under or over $1 million. Anderson Electric’s project was categorized as “Residential/over $1 million.” Of nearly 75 total projects submitted from across the nation, Anderson Electric’s entry was among 17 final winners. An award ceremony was held during the NECA Annual Convention, September 14-17, 2019, in Las Vegas, Nevada.
“This project was very difficult and extremely challenging, introducing and embedding new technology into 160-year-old plaster and masonry walls all the while preserving the ornate plaster moldings. The work performed was far from traditional and the pride of our workers involved is mirrored in the final results. We believe our project exemplifies the NECA Project Excellence Awards,” said Anderson.
The Illinois Governor’s Mansion is the official residence of the Governor of Illinois. Completed in 1855, the original Italianate structure has been significantly altered, including a 1970s renovation and addition that more than doubled its size to 48,000 sf. Since then, decades of deferred maintenance and neglect had caused the mansion to fall into disrepair.
In 2015, Illinois First Lady Diana Rauner, the Chair of the Illinois Executive Mansion Association, retained Vinci Hamp Architects to direct the major renovation. The $15M project, funded entirely with private donations, began in 2017 and was completed in July 2018.