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COMPANY INFORMATION: HISTORY Founded by Raymond Starr in 1928, Starr Electric Co. began as a one-man operation in a small office on North Green Street in Greensboro, NC. From it’s humble beginnings, the company endured and grew through the Depression era. By 1942, Starr Electric Co. had brought in Raymond Starr's brothers John W. (J.W.) and Roy. Starr Electric focused on the electrical contracting work we are known for today as we continued to build and expand upon the firmly established foundations of the company. J.W. Starr's son John D. Starr came on board in 1962, while a student at Guilford College in Greensboro. John D. served the company in many different areas, including the service department, estimating, and project management. By 1975 Starr Electric had surpassed $5 million in sales, with a strong leadership team at the helm, comprised of J.W. Starr serving as Chairman, Joe Guill as President, John D. Starr as Executive Vice President, and Jack Shoffner as Vice President of Production. As the seventies wound down, a changing of the guard ensured the ongoing strength of Starr Electric Co.'s position as a leader in our industry by establishing a firm hold on the electrical contracting market via a reputation for excellent service. Al Kennedy was elected vice president, and as the new decade began, Joe Guill retired as president after 33 years of service to the company, in 1980. John D. Starr was promoted to President at a time when Starr Electric Co. was generating $12 million in sales. Mid-decade saw the passing of J.W. Starr. While the company continued to thrive and grow, revenues surpassed $20 million in sales for the first time. By 1997, John D. Starr was CEO and Chairman of the company, and in 2000, Richard A. Kennedy, employed with Starr Electric Co. for forty years, was elected President. Though Starr Electric Company was founded and remains headquartered in Greensboro, North Carolina; the company is licensed in eight states throughout the southeast. In the 1990’s, Starr Electric expanded through two acquisitions. In 1995 Starr Electric Co. acquired a major interest in SECON, a Fayetteville (NC) electrical contractor managed by Don Harrison. In 1996, the company acquired IND-COM Electric Company of Charlotte, NC, and merged the existing office with IND-COM's operation. Jeff Whitten manages that office. The company opened an additional satellite office in Raleigh, NC in 1999 under the management of Kent Barfield. Today, Starr Electric Co. remains a well-established leader in the industry with an excellent reputation. Starr Electric Co. continues to thrive as a privately owned company with stockholders consisting of family and key employees. Starr Electric Co. upholds its original philosophy from seventy-five years ago to always provide the highest quality of work and service to the community and to the customer. >Return to Top