Murray Electric [Stuck in Vermont 654]

Murray Electric [Stuck in Vermont 654]

Forty years ago, John Murray became an electrician in his native Ireland as a way to find independence after high school. John relocated to Boston in 1987 and eleven years later, he settled in Burlington and founded Murray Electric.

About 10 years ago, John hired Sylas DeMello and paid to send her to trade school, where she was the only woman in the class. Sylas befriended Ryan McLaughlin in school, and the two of them instantly bonded over being in their thirties and slightly older than the other students. Ryan started working for Murray Electric about five years ago. That was when the three of them began planning John’s succession so that Sylas and Ryan could eventually take over the business.

Eva first met John in 2007 when he replaced the ancient knob-and-tube wiring in her old house. Sylas and Ryan have also done work for her, wiring a tiny house addition and recently updating her electrical panel. Over the years, they have all become friends, and this is common with Murray’s other clients. The business doesn’t advertise and generally has plenty of work through word of mouth.

When John had a grand mal seizure in the summer of 2021, his wife, Deb Loring, called Sylas and Ryan; they spent the day at his bedside in the hospital. Although John does not have children, he was surrounded by family that day, and he feels proud to pass this business on to two capable younger people.

Eva caught up with the crew at a job site in Colchester, where they were wiring a new addition in the garage. She talked to them about working in the trades, the current building boom and how they are planning for the future.

Filming date: 11/10/21 & 12/6/21

Music: Nat Keefe & Hot Buttered Rum, “St. Anne’s Reel” & “Banish Misfortune”
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCr1hW0rMwhUGBPne6FYdyIQ

This episode of Stuck in Vermont was supported by New England Federal Credit Union.
http://bit.ly/nefcusiv

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Murray Electric, John Murray, electrician, trades, building, renovation, women, diversity, teamwork, succession, community, retirement, small business, building boom, pandemic, family business, training, mentor, Vermont Tech, electrical apprentice, career, business, infrastructure bill, Colchester, Burlington, Chittenden County, Stuck in Vermont, StuckinVermont, Eva Sollberger, Seven Days, New England Federal Credit Union, Vermont, VT