Martin Electric brought their leaders and future leaders on a 2-day retreat to High Peaks Resort in Lake Placid hosted by Adam Hoots – LEAN Construction.
Day 1: Personal Growth – A Deep Dive Into Self-Discovery
The retreat kicked off with a powerful focus on personal growth. It was a day dedicated solely to understanding ourselves better, stepping away from the pressures of professional responsibilities. The mantra for Day 1 was simple: no talk of professional growth, solely personal growth.
We started the day by setting our own rules – Conditions of Satisfaction - as a team. This level of responsibility fostered a deep sense of ownership and commitment to the process.
One of the most empowering aspects of the day was each employee creating their own Personal Clarity Documents, which helped define personal values, passions, and goals. This activity was designed to help gain clarity on where we wanted to go in life—not just in our careers, but as individuals. By visualizing and organizing these thoughts, we were able to create a roadmap for personal success and fulfillment.
As the day came to a close, the group bonded over a team dinner at White Face Lodge, followed by some friendly competition on the ice with a spirited game of ice hockey. The informal setting allowed for conversations and connections to flow naturally, strengthening relationships within the group and giving everyone a chance to unwind after a day of introspection. If you ask our team – this was a key turning moment of the trip.
Day 2: Professional Growth – “Defining, Executing, and Aligning Winning”
After a day of personal growth, the focus shifted to professional development. Day 2 was about honing in on how to be better leaders, how Martin Electric could evolve, and how we could each contribute to the Company’s growth in meaningful ways – starting with understanding the Company’s goals. Day 2 was inspired by Gemba Academy’s podcast episode featuring Billy Taylor titled, “Defining, Executing, and Aligning Winning”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TAdzJ-YjgRI
The day began with key exercise The Improvement Kata — a strategic planning workshop that lays out a linear process on how to go about ‘bridging the gap’ by first focusing on where we want to be as a company and then shifting the mindset back to the current conditions. We carried into an “Ugly Baby” exercise, allowing everyone to identify the company’s tough to talk about aspects of improvement followed by establishing intermediate milestones and figuring out what experiments we will take on to drive action toward the current state.
Next, each participant created a Personal Goal Jersey, a symbolic piece of memorabilia that would serve as a constant reminder of their continual improvement. Each jersey was personalized with the leader's key professional goals, which would not only be a visual reminder in their office but also a commitment to executing these goals in the months ahead.
The final exercise of the day was the biggest challenge of the trip for most – Radical Feedback. The team was pushed to sit face-to-face with each co-worker and challenge them to address an aspect of career growth. Hearing the weak points of your career is something hard for most but overall, brings great value as most co-workers offered a helping hand following this feedback. Not only was this workshop created to address aspects of improvement for employees but more importantly, to better format how to give feedback.
Key Takeaways
The 2024 Martin Electric Leadership Retreat was a memorable and transformative experience. It provided a space for leaders to step back, reflect, and set clear intentions for their future—both personally and professionally. By focusing first on personal clarity and then on professional growth, the retreat fostered an actionable approach to leadership development.
As the participants returned to their daily roles, they did so with renewed clarity, stronger bonds, and actionable goals. The retreat was not just an opportunity for individual reflection but a reminder of the power of collaboration, honest dialogue, and collective growth.
At Martin Electric, we are proud to recognize Ely Stone, Tim Vermilya, and Ryan Ohlerich on their graduation from the Tri-City Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee (JATC) apprenticeship program.
After five years of dedicated classroom instruction and thousands of hours of hands-on field training, Ely, Tim, and Ryan have officially earned the title of Journeyman Electricians - a significant milestone that reflects years of hard work, commitment, and perseverance.
The Tri-City JATC apprenticeship program is widely recognized for developing highly skilled electricians through a combination of rigorous academic coursework and real-world experience. Graduates leave the program prepared to safely and effectively perform work across a wide range of complex electrical systems and environments.
While graduation marks the completion of their formal apprenticeship, it also represents the beginning of the next chapter in their careers.
The electrical industry continues to evolve rapidly as new technologies, automation, prefabrication, and digital construction methods reshape how projects are designed and built. Today's electricians must be lifelong learners, continually adapting their skills to meet the changing demands of the industry.
Equally important is the responsibility to mentor those coming behind them. At Martin Electric, workforce development has always been a priority but the continual learning doesn't stop after the apprenticeship program. The strength of our industry depends on experienced electricians investing in the next generation, sharing knowledge, and upholding the standards of safety, quality, and craftsmanship that define the union electrical trade.
We are incredibly proud of Ely, Tim, and Ryan for reaching this milestone and grateful for the dedication they have already demonstrated both in the classroom and in the field. We look forward to watching them continue to grow as electricians, leaders, and mentors throughout their careers. Congratulations!
To learn more about the Tri-City JATC program and how to get started, visit: https://www.tricityjatc.org/page/about-us-1.html
And to learn more about IBEW Local 236, visit: https://www.ibew236.org/about/
After 58 years with Martin Electric, we are honored and humbled to announce the retirement of Ray Iveson. In 1962, Ray was hired by George Martin Jr. as an apprentice and has ever since dedicated his life to the company. With a cigarette and coffee in hand, Ray was the first one on the job ready to take on any project with a quiet sense humor, kindness, can-do attitude and sophistication.
As a foreman, Ray lead several teams in the successful completion of many transformative projects in downtown Albany such as Union Station, Fleet Bank, and 1st Church of Albany. Ray was always asked for by customers and can be largely credited for our longstanding relationship with MetLife which account he has been working on for the last 30 years!
Brian Hart had the good fortune of working under Ray as a 1st year apprentice at 158 State St (Verizon) pulling in underground feeders to C-switchgear in 4” rigid conduit. “Ray is a company man through and through. Between his knowledge of the trade, integrity and work ethic, I couldn’t have asked for a better mentor, foreman, and friend” says Brian.
Please help us in celebrating Ray and wishing him health and happiness in retirement!
On behalf of everyone at Martin, IBEW, MetLife and beyond, THANK YOU!
hursday evening, we had the honor of celebrating the retirement of Mr. James Ludwig! In 1986, Jim started his career with George J. Martin & Son (Martin Electric) as a 1st year apprentice. His career spanning 33 years provided for some great stories and words of wisdom to share amongst his colleagues, family and friends at his celebration. Those that worked alongside Jim all had one thing in common to say about him, "they don't make 'em like that anymore." Jim was never, ever late. He always stepped up to take on the undesirable jobs - without hesitation or complaint. He couldn't bear to stand around and wait, so rest assured you'd better keep up! He had an unwavering loyalty and commitment to the company which we hoped to have reciprocated over the years.
While he may be retiring, Jim has no plans of slowing down. Jim will keep busy rehabbing his family's home in Florida in addition to hunting and fishing in the Adirondacks. We will miss him greatly but have a sneaking suspcion he will be back - even if just for a visit.
Jim - You are forever a part of our family and will always have a home at Martin. It is with sincere appreciation and gratitude that you chose to spend your entire career with us. You gave it your all and then some. We can only hope that this next generation has watched and learned that success is built upon attitude, hard work, commitment, and integrity like you have demonstrated all these years.
Sincerely,
The Martin Team
Our Communications Division Leader, Ian Ippolito, recently completed a weeklong training at the BICSI headquarters in Tampa, FL learning about best practices for telecommunications distribution design and emerging trends in IT infrastructure.
During his time at BICSI, Ian delved into best practices for telecommunications distribution design. He explored innovative strategies and emerging trends that are shaping the industry, ensuring that our team remains at the cutting edge of technology and design. This training is crucial in a rapidly evolving field where staying inovative and relative can significantly impact project outcomes.
He is now one step closer to earning his RCDD (Registered Communications Distribution Designer) certification. This prestigious designation signifies a high level of expertise in designing and managing telecommunications distribution systems. With Ian's commitment to professional growth, we can expect our projects to reflect the best in industry standards and practices. We are excited to see how his newfound knowledge will benefit our team and our clients. With leaders like Ian, we are well-positioned for future success in the telecommunications sector.
Learn more about our telecommunications sector with our low-voltage division, CNC (Control Network Communications). Stay tuned for more updates as we continue to grow and innovate in our field!
As part of our commitment to continual improvement, we kicked off our inaugural Foreman Development series. The series are structured over six sessions covering 13 modules with topics related to our industry (safety, quality, documentation, communication, work planning, budgeting, team building, etc). In these sessions, we review and refine our operating procedures, conduct situational awareness activities; and most importantly, listen to what our front-line managers are experiencing every day.
The program is open to all 5th year apprentices, journey and foreman looking to expand their leadership skills. We are overwhelmed by the participation and applaud the team for their commitment to investing in themselves, their craft, and the company.
Our success begins and ends with our people – together we win and we learn which became the genesis to this program.
Team members from Martin Electric joined more than 8,000 participants in downtown Albany for the 2026 CDPHP Workforce Team Challenge, the Capital Region’s largest running event and one of the area’s most recognized community traditions.
The 3.5-mile race brings together companies and organizations from across the region for an evening focused on teamwork, community involvement, and healthy competition. This year’s event drew 8,061 starters through the streets of Albany while also raising funds for local charitable initiatives.
For Martin Electric, the event was about more than just crossing the finish line. Employees from across the company came together to represent the team, strengthen relationships outside the jobsite, and reinforce the same mindset that drives success in the field every day. Martin Electric continues to emphasize a “Super Bowl mentality” — showing up for one another, staying motivated, and building a culture centered around teamwork, accountability, and continuous improvement.
The company appreciates everyone who participated, supported the team, and represented Martin Electric throughout the event!
In March of 2024, Kendra and her husband Tyler welcomed their first child, Kennedy Monroe Culberson. The Martin Electric family could not be more excited to expand our team. Congratulations mom and dad!