Decades
The Early Years
1923-1938
July 2, 1923
Hitting the Ground Running
John B. (Jack) Henkels opens Henkels & McCoy in the Germantown section of Philadelphia with one truck, a handful of employees and high hopes.
Before long, the fledgling firm secures tree trimming contracts with its first two significant customers – Philadelphia Suburban Electric Company and Bell Telephone.
1924
On the World Stage
Henkels & McCoy wins a contract for grading and planting at New York City’s first world's fair at Grand Central Palace.
1930
The Great Depression and a New Office Manager
Henkels & McCoy crews follow work wherever they find it, even expanding into tennis court construction.
Jack Henkels' wife, Anne, discovers a flair for business and begins managing the office.
1935
Beginnings of Electric
Henkels & McCoy fields a seven-man electric utility gang, taking its first step in diversifying its business offerings.
1937
Growth Galore
The seven-man electric utility gang balloons to 22 power linemen.
1938
Why We’re Here
On September 21, 1938, a Category Three hurricane devastates Long Island and much of New England, killing 680 residents and wreaking havoc on local infrastructure.
Henkels & McCoy immediately mobilizes more than 400 men and trucks for emergency tree clearance and telephone and power restoration work.
A Budding Corporation
1940s and 1950s
1940
Wartime
World War II redefines Henkels & McCoy’s lines of business.
The firm begins work in the gas sector and undertakes a 1,100-mile telephone pole line rehab for the Southern Railway, spanning seven states.
1943
Defense Work
Henkels & McCoy provides key electrical distribution work for the Pomona Naval Air Station in New Jersey, the Naval Training Station in Maryland and paving work at the Armor Plate Plant in Philadelphia.
1943
Andrew Lewis Joins H&M
Andrew L. Lewis, President of H&M from 1962-1972, joins the company.
1946
Local Electrical Work
Henkels & McCoy provides integral electrical distribution work for student housing in New Jersey at Rutgers and Princeton universities and for new public housing in Pennsylvania.
1947
Paul Henkels Joins H&M
Paul M. Henkels joins the company full time as a laborer on a gas crew, eventually serving as Chairman, President and CEO.
He will expand the company into new regions of the country and establish it as a key provider of construction and engineering services for the telecommunications industry.
1949
John Henkels, III joins H&M
John B. Henkels, III, joins the company as an apprentice lineman. He will eventually rise to serve as Vice Chairman.
1950
1950 Boy Scout Jamboree
Henkels & McCoy installs 10 miles of water pipe, 20 miles of electric line, 4,000 latrines, 1,400 showers and 700 tents in Pennsylvania’s Valley Forge State Park for the 1950 Boy Scout Jamboree.
President Harry S. Truman and General Dwight D. Eisenhower both speak at the event, and more than 50,000 scouts attend.
1950
An Erie Office
Paul Henkels opens an office in Erie, Pennsylvania, to serve the independent telephone industry.
1953
The First CATV
Henkels & McCoy installs the nation's first Community Access Television (CATV) system in the small town of Lansford, Pennsylvania.
1953
Installing an Outdoor Telephone Cable Plant
Henkels & McCoy installs outside plant telephone cable for U.S. Government facilities, including the Norfolk Naval Shipyard in Virginia and Fort George G. Meade in Maryland.
1954
Goodbye Erie, Hello Elkhart
Henkels & McCoy opens a major office in Elkhart, Indiana, to replace its Erie, Pennsylvania, location. This new office establishes the beginning of H&M’s Central Region.
1955
New Growth
Henkels & McCoy employs more 1,200 people in 31 states operating from six branch offices, servicing 14 power companies and 23 telephone companies.
1958
From Partnership to Corporation
After 35 years of operating as a partnership, Henkels & McCoy becomes an incorporated company.
A Period of Significant Growth
1960s
1960
Incredible Growth for H&M
As Henkels & McCoy launches a decade of significant growth, the company takes on projects across the country.
Projects range from installing telecommunications systems in Washington, D.C. and power lines in Wisconsin to building microwave towers in Ohio.
1963
Expanding Our Services
Henkels & McCoy adds corrosion control and other engineering services to its offerings.
1964
Nationwide Engineering Services
Henkels & McCoy establishes a Communications Engineering office in Elkhart, Indiana. Soon, the company offers engineering services nationwide.
1966
An American Adventure
John B. (Jack) Henkels, Jr. publishes his memoir, An American Adventure, detailing the company’s origins and growth.
1966
A Big Move
Henkels & McCoy announces plans to move its corporate location from the Germantown section of Philadelphia to the nearby suburbs in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania.
1967
Making Company History
Henkels & McCoy completes its largest project to date, a multimillion-dollar 220 kV overbuild on the Reading Railroad, stretching from Jenkintown, PA, to North Wales, PA.
1968
A New Invention
Henkels & McCoy employee Marty Helmus invents the Railroad Mounted Cable Plow.
It’s an industry-changing tool which allows for rapid placement of communications cable by digging the trench, laying cable and covering it with one piece of equipment.
1968
New Office in York
Henkels & McCoy opens a new division office in York, PA.
1969
The List Goes On and On
Henkels & McCoy adds Industrial Design to an extensive list of engineering services including Telecommunications, Corrosion Control, CATV, Electric Power, Project Engineering, Technical Services and Special Services
1969
New Headquarters in NJ
Division 07 breaks ground on its headquarters in Burlington, New Jersey.
Expanding Divisions
1970s and 1980s
1970
Western Expansion
John B. Henkels III oversees expansion into California, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, Wyoming and Montana.
1972
Paul Henkels Elected President and CEO
Paul M. Henkels is elected President and CEO and will go on to guide Henkels & McCoy to the international market as a company with more than 6,000 employees and sales exceeding $400 million.
1973
H&M’s Semi-Centennial Celebration
H&M celebrates its 50th anniversary.
1973
Henkels and McCoy Reunite
The company's original founding partners, Jack Henkels and John McCoy, reunite.
1973
Expanding into New Offices
Henkels & McCoy opens a new office in Rising Sun, Maryland.
February 13, 1974
HQ in Blue Bell
Henkels & McCoy celebrates the groundbreaking for its new Blue Bell headquarters.
Five months later, the building’s distinctive blue brickwork is completed.
October 27, 1974
Loss of a Legend
Founder John B. (Jack) Henkels, Jr. passes away.
1974
Ice Storm Felix Restoration
H&M performs emergency power restoration work after Ice Storm Felix slams Connecticut.
1975
First Pipeline Project
H&M completes its first ever pipeline project in the Bay of Fundy area of New Brunswick, Canada.
1977
The Pipeline Division
Henkels & McCoy establishes its pipeline operations division.
1978
A Major Contract
H&M negotiates a contract with Aeronutronics Overseas Inc. (AOSI)
1978
Work in Iran
H&M upgrades the telephone system for Telecommunications Iran (TCI).
1979
Growth Checkpoint
Henkels & McCoy has 10 Division offices and more than 41 area offices in the United States.
1980
The Training Services Department
Henkels & McCoy establishes a training services department, teaching underemployed youths to work within the rapidly growing cable TV industry.
1981
Telecommunications in China
H&M, in conjunction with General Telephone & Electronics Corporation, installs major segments of a highly sophisticated telecommunications system for the Jian Guo Hotel in Beijing, China.
1982
Work at the National Aquarium
H&M's Corrosion Control Department completes work at the National Aquarium in Baltimore, Maryland.
1983
60th Anniversary
H&M celebrates its 60th anniversary and employs 5,000 engineers, craftspeople and support personnel.
1983
The Teledata Division
H&M creates a new Teledata Division devoted exclusively to network cabling. The division, since expanded, is known today as HMI Technical Solutions.
1985
Kenneth Rose Joins H&M
Kenneth L. Rose joins H&M as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer.
1986
Rod Henkels Joins H&M
T. Roderick (Rod) Henkels joins H&M as a Supervisor in the York Division.
1987
A New Chairman and CEO
The Henkel’s & McCoy Board of Directors elects Paul M. Henkels as Chairman and CEO.
International Projects
1990s
1990
Educating Youth
Henkels & McCoy’s training services department, established in 1980, provides summer programs for teens wanting to learn how to assemble TVs, AM-FM radios and other electronics while acquiring basic academic skills.
1991
Work for Mobil
Henkels & McCoy’s Industrial Division installs 130,000 linear feet of piping to carry steam, utilities and petroleum products at Mobil Oil Corporation's new blending plant in Paulsboro, New Jersey.
1992
NJ Division’s Largest Assignment
H&M installs 79 miles of steel gas line for Transwestern Pipeline Company in Northern Arizona.
1992
Kenneth Rose Elected President and CEO
Kenneth L. Rose is elected President and Chief Executive Officer.
1993
Work in Michigan
H&M’s Industrial Division office in Gaylord, Michigan, builds a gas compressor station for Michigan Consolidated Gas Co.
1993
Surpassing Expectations in the Midwest
H&M helps MCI link Chicago and Denver with fiber optic long distance lines stretching 420 miles. The H&M segment of the project is completed a month ahead of schedule.
1994
Anne Henkels Passes Away
Anne Henkels, a crucial player in the early days of Henkels & McCoy, passes away at 96.
1995
Installing a Revolutionary System
Henkels & McCoy installs Bell Atlantic's new Asymmetrical Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL) to 1,000 homes in Northern Virginia, testing the new revolutionary cable TV system – a precursor to today’s on-demand systems.
1996
Work at the Summer Olympics
Henkels & McCoy crews assist in designing and placing cable for video, voice and data for the Summer Olympics in Atlanta.
1996
Breaking Fiber Optic Network Records
Henkels & McCoy completes a 3,293-mile fiber optic network -- the largest network ever built -- extending from the northern border at El Paso, Texas, through cities and towns in Mexico.
1997
Project Commercialize
Henkels & McCoy engineers travel to Kaposvar, Hungary to survey U.S. Army logistical bases for Sprint prior to Project Commercialize, an effort to help support U.S. ground troops in war-torn Bosnia.
1998
75th Anniversary
Henkels & McCoy celebrates its 75th anniversary.
1998
397 Miles of Cable
The Northwest Division installs 397 miles of 1.5-inch conduit for fiber optic cable as part of an 800-mile-long network through Alaska.
1999
Critical Work for Alliance Pipeline
H&M's pipeline division performs 13.8 miles of critical work for the Alliance Pipeline, a 2,333-mile pipeline stretching from British Columbia to Chicago.
1999
An H&M Invention Travels to Brazil
H&M's Railroad Mounted Cable Plow, invented by Marty Helmus 30 years prior, makes its debut in Contagem, Brazil.
1999
ENR’s Top Specialty Contractor Listing Ranks Henkels & McCoy 7th
Henkels & McCoy is recognized by Engineering News-Record (ENR) as a Top 600 Specialty Contractor, placing seventh on the list. H&M has ranked in the top 10 every year since.
Looking Forward
2000 and Beyond
2000
Meeting America’s Demand for Bandwidth
Henkels & McCoy responds to the nation's thirst for bandwidth as internet usage explodes.
September 11, 2001
Problem at the Pentagon
Much work on Henkels & McCoy’s Network Cabling Solutions group’s prestigious, significant communications renovation project at the Pentagon is destroyed in the September 11 terrorist attacks. Fortunately, no employees are injured.
2001
Preserving the Project at the Pentagon
The Pentagon Phoenix Project is initiated, tasking contractors with replacing previously installed work and completing previously scheduled tasks.
2002
Contract with Conectiv
H&M is contracted by Conectiv, a utility supplying electric service to almost one million customers in New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland and Virginia.
2002
Leadership Changes
Kenneth L. Rose is elected Vice Chairman and retains the title of Chief Executive Officer. T. Roderick (Rod) Henkels is elected President and retains the title of Chief Operating Officer. Vice President and Division Manager Jonathan C. Schoff is elected Chief Operating Officer.
September 11, 2002
Rededicating the Pentagon
In a ceremony at the site of the previous year's terror attack, President George W. Bush rededicates the Pentagon. Among the honored guests and attendees are Henkels & McCoy employees, who successfully completed their part of the Phoenix Project within a year of the attack.
2002
H&M Wins Safety Award
Despite the intense workload in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks, H&M wins a Safety Award from its insurer for 100,000 hours without an employee man-hour lost due to injury.
2003
A Project of Extremes
Henkels & McCoy’s pipeline division completes a 135-mile natural gas pipeline across Baja California for Sempra Energy International. Known as a Project of Extremes, it runs from Algodones, Mexico all the way west to Tijuana.
2004
Grand Coulee-Bell Transmission Project
Henkels & McCoy successfully executes a project to relieve a major electrical bottleneck between Spokane and Grand Coulee Dam.
2004
OSHA ET&D Safety Partnership
Henkels & McCoy is a founding member of the OSHA ET&D Safety Partnership, a group committed to developing "Best Practices" and training programs specifically targeting the T&D industry. H&M is a signatory to the original agreement and serves as a proud Charter Member of the OSHA ET&D Strategic Partnership.
2004
Henkels & McCoy Earns Top 10 Ranking
Electrical Construction & Maintenance magazine recognizes Henkels & McCoy as a Top 50 Electrical contractor. H&M ranks seventh and makes the list in every subsequent year.
2005
Hurricane Help
Henkels & McCoy dispatches 786 employees and 445 pieces of equipment in response to Hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Wilma and raises more than $230,000 in hurricane relief funds.
2005
Creating Solutions
Henkels & McCoy installs a 138 kV XLPE cable system in a Southern California municipality. The project requires unique safety precautions to remove oil-filled cable and ensure safe processes in a heavily trafficked area of a major city.
2006
Continuing to Break Records
Henkels & McCoy completes the civil construction and power line work for the installation of the largest GIS station in North America.
2006
Improving City Coverage
Henkels & McCoy provides design, engineering and permitting services for a Distributed Antenna System network to improve wireless coverage and voice/data capacity a major northeast city.
2007
Wind Energy Initiatives
Henkels & McCoy begins the Grand Ridge Wind Project, the first complete wind project electrical package awarded to H&M.
2007
Goals, Values, and Mission
Henkels & McCoy publishes its Goals, Values and Mission, providing a unified vision for employees and new hires throughout the country.
2007
H&M NetWorks Opens New HQ
H&M NetWorks opens its new headquarters in Plymouth Meeting, Pennsylvania, serving the voice, security, wireless and structured cabling solutions markets. Today, H&M NetWorks is known as HMI Technical Solutions.
2008
Celebrating 85 Years
Henkels & McCoy celebrates its 85th anniversary and reaches the one billion dollar revenue milestone.
2008
Hawaii Location
Henkels & McCoy’s West Region relocates to Hawaii.
2008
North of the Border
Henkels & McCoy Canada, Inc. is incorporated.
2008
Project Power On
Henkels & McCoy’s Central Region is awarded construction services as part of AmerenUE's "Project Power On" Reliability and Environmental Improvement Program, the largest distribution system investment project in Ameren's history.
2008
Pipeline Division’s New Facility
Henkel’s & McCoy’s Pipeline Division opens new facility in Norman, Oklahoma.
2008
The Minn-Can Project
Henkels & McCoy builds a 150-miles pipeline from just south of the Canadian border to the Minneapolis-St. Paul area.
2008
Keystone Pipeline Project
Henkels & McCoy constructs a 1,300-mile pipeline to transport crude oil from the Canadian oil sands through the Upper Plains States.
January 8, 2009
Paul Henkels Passes Away
Chairman Paul M. Henkels passes away after leading Henkels & McCoy for more than 60 years.
2009
Lineman’s HOF Inductee
Henkels & McCoy’s Bill Boell, Sr. is inducted into the Lineman's Hall of Fame in recognition of outstanding contributions to safety and excellence in the electrical industry.
2009
Alliance with ATC
Henkels & McCoy is awarded a four-year alliance agreement by American Transmission Company (ATC) to provide transmission line and substation construction services and maintenance in the company's southern territory.
2009
Safety First
Henkels & McCoy initiates a cultural safety transformation to fulfill our daily mission of "Nobody Gets Hurt!" Five additional Safety Transformation Process Improvement Teams are formed to create and improve safety processes.
2010
Solar Projects
Henkels & McCoy’s York staff complete solar array installations for the Carlisle Public School District, the largest of its kind for a public school system in Pennsylvania, and PSEG Edison Training Center.
2011
Photovoltaic Project of Distinction Award
Henkels & McCoy is recognized for the Carlisle Area School District’s Ground Mount Solar Array project at the PV America show in Philadelphia.
2011
Adding to the Family
H&M NetWorks, known today as HMI Services, acquires In-Building-Wireless, a pioneering firm with more than a decade of experience in the cellular and wireless markets and a customer base of more than 1,000 projects and sites.
2011
Phoenix Rising Project
Henkels & McCoy training services department helps Florida youths develop their professional skills, build a house from the ground up and earn at least one specialized job certification.
2011
Pentagon Renovation Program (PENREN) Completion
Henkels & McCoy’s work on the Pentagon Renovation Program for General Dynamics concludes following 12 years of work to enhance the Pentagon’s communications infrastructure.
2011
The Leadership Development Program (LDP) is Established
The Leadership Development Program is a formalized, ongoing learning and training program instituted by Henkels & McCoy corporate. Its goal is to help the company and customers by training candidates to become the effective business leaders of tomorrow
2012
Ranked Number 1
Engineering News-Record ranks Henkels & McCoy number one for Mid-Atlantic Specialty contractors. H&M also places in the top tier of these firms in ENR's national rankings.
May 7, 2012
Safety Stand Down
The Electrical Transmission and Distribution (ET&D) Strategic Partnership, of which H&M is a founding member, holds a Safety Stand Down to put undivided and unified attention on safety through jobsite discussions of Partnership-developed Best Practices.
2012
Kaheawa Wind Construction
Construction finishes on the second phase of Hawaiian wind farm Kaheawa Wind. The
KWP2 substation is energized successfully with an exemplary safety record in logistically and environmentally challenging conditions.
2012
Superstorm Sandy Relief
Henkels & McCoy crews restore power in the wake of Superstorm Sandy as personnel are dispatched across all affected states to provide assistance.
2012
East Region & West Region Awarded
LS Power awards Henkels & McCoy an Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) Contract for a new gas pipeline, meter and regulator station and transmission line, which will tie into the new West Deptford Energy station in West Deptford, New Jersey.
2012
AmericasMart Project
Henkels & McCoy NetWorks completed a 12-week project consisting of 1,284 antennas, 258 fiber remotes, 3,084 connectors and over 250 splitters.
2012
Vectren’s Gibson-Brown-Reid Transmission Line Project
Henkels & McCoy installs a 345 kV transmission line with steel H-frame and 954 Cardinal vertical bundle conductor with OHGW and OPGW using 422 structures over a 56- mile route. H&M concludes the project by crossing the Ohio River with two 265’ river crowing lattice towers and one 150’ lattice tower.
2013
Celebrating 90 Years
Henkels & McCoy celebrates its 90th anniversary and reflects upon the company’s many milestones; in particular, earning a consistent top 10 ranking in Engineering News-Record’s list of Top 600 Specialty Contractors.
2013
Earns Safety Excellence Award
DuPont Sustainable Solutions presents Henkels & McCoy with its E.I DuPont Safety Excellence Award in recognition of outstanding achievements throughout the past three years.
2014
Burlington to Camden Conversion Project
PSE&G awards H&M a project for the Burlington to Camden Conversion Project (BCCP) to complete the overhead line portion of the Burlington-Camden Reliability Project. Henkels & McCoy reaches their project’s objective of enhancing reliability and increasing electrical capacity by upgrading the 138 kV overheard circuits J-1310 and I-1309 between Camden, Cinnaminson, Levittown and Burlington Switching Stations to 230 kV.
2014
Pipeline Services New Headquarters
Pipeline Services opens its new headquarters in Birdsboro, Pennsylvania.
2014
A New Top 100
Broadband Communities names Henkels & McCoy a leader in the fiber-to-the-home arena for 2014, marking the company’s first appearance in the FTTH Top 100 list.
2015
Southern California Edison’s (SCE) Tehachapi Renewable Transmission Line Project
Henkels & McCoy constructs 18 miles of a 500 kV, double bundled, double circuit connecting SCE’s Mira Loma substation with its Chino substation. The company also completes a portion of the transmission line that is expected to be connected to the system in a few years.
2015
Jon Schoff Retires from Henkels & McCoy
Jon Schoff retires after serving as the Chief Operating Officer for 13 years.
2015
Pennsylvania’s Best
Henkels & McCoy is recognized by The Legal Intelligencer as having one of the best in-house legal departments in Pennsylvania for in-house management.
2015
Fleet Masters Award
Henkels & McCoy receives the prestigious Fleet Masters award for 2015 at the annual Association of Equipment Management Professionals (AEMP) conference. H&M’s outstanding equipment professionals are recognized for excelling in meeting the unique challenges inherent in cost-effective, efficient and effective management of mixed fleets.
2015
Two Top 10s
H&M ranks eighth on Electrical Construction & Maintenance’s annual list of Top 50 Electrical Contractors and ninth on Engineering News-Record (ENR)’s list of Top 600 Specialty Contractors.
2016
Establishes New Parent Company
Henkels & McCoy Group, Inc. is established as a new parent holding company of Henkels & McCoy, Inc. and the recently formed HMI Services, Inc. and Henkels & McCoy Shared Services, Inc.
2016
Henkels & McCoy Group Announces Executive Team
- T. Roderick Henkels as the Chairman, President & Chief Executive Officer of Henkels & McCoy Group, Inc.
- James M. Dillahunty as the Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Henkels & McCoy Group, Inc. and the Chief Operating Officer and President of Henkels & McCoy, Inc.
- J. Daniel Pigott Jr. as the Senior Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer of Henkels & McCoy Group, Inc. and President of H&M Shared Services Inc.
- Edward J. Murphy as the Senior Vice President of Oil & Gas Pipeline for Henkels & McCoy Group, Inc. and the Senior Vice President and Division Manager of the Pipeline Division of Henkels & McCoy Inc.
- James A. Duffy Jr. as the Senior Vice President of Gas Distribution of Henkels & McCoy Group, Inc. and the Regional Vice President of the East Region of Henkels & McCoy, Inc.
- Michael J. Giarratano as the Senior Vice President of Power of Henkels & McCoy Group, Inc. and Regional Vice President of the West Region of Henkels & McCoy, Inc.
- Carmine Battafarano as President of HMI Technical Solutions, LLC and Vice President of Strategic Planning for Henkels & McCoy Group, Inc.
- David J. Cox as Senior Vice President of Communications of Henkels & McCoy Group, Inc. and President of HMI Communications, LLC and President of HMI Services, Inc.
2016
Donation of Training Services Group
Henkels & McCoy Group, Inc., donates Henkels & McCoy, Inc.’s Training Services Group, a wholly owned subsidiary of Henkels & McCoy, to Eckerd Kids, a national leader in child welfare and juvenile justice programs.
