Taylor Electric Company, having been in business since 1922 has been chosen to light the City of Chicago’s Christmas Tree. The company will light the 53-foot Colorado Blue Spruce in the 111th Annual City Ceremony on Friday, November 22nd in a free public ceremony starting at 6pm in Millennium Park. All are welcome to attend the event that will be broadcast on CBS local news.
Taylor Electric, the oldest African American owned and operated electrical contractor in Chicago, is a multi-million-dollar corporation with a seasonal workforce of more than 100 employees. Family owned and operated by the 4th generation, President and CEO Kendra Dinkins was honored to take on this project for the City of Chicago. “Having worked on many iconic sites all around the city, we look forward to lighting up the tree this holiday season.” Kendra took over the business in 2015 with her sister Karen Michele Dinkins after their cousin retired.
The Taylor field crew has been working since mid-October on the project. “There is a lot of coordination and planning necessary to make this a success.” Christopher Warke, Project Manager. “From calculating the number of lights needed, to pre-fabrication to get those lights ready to be hung and strung on the tree, it’s not putting a couple of strings on your 6 foot tree at home.”
Taylor Electric Company has completed many notable projects throughout the Chicagoland area including special event set up for the Democratic National Convention (both in 2024 and 1996); Willis Tower: electrical upgrades (Sears Tower, work completed prior to 1972), the McCormick Place Expansion (1986), Navy Pier: Ferris Wheel electrical upgrades (2014) O’Hare Airport: People Mover (1993) and Terminal Five Expansion (2022) and Engine Company 115: new construction of the largest firehouse in Chicago (as of March 2021). Taylor Electric provides maintenance for the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field and the White Sox at Guaranteed Rate Field since the 1990s, and maintenance of the security doors at O’Hare International Airport and electrical maintenance at Navy Pier. Taylor has completed work for Chicago Public Schools, the University of Chicago, Loyola Medical, the University of Illinois at Chicago, the United Center, and the Chicago Transit Authority / Illinois Department of Transportation.
In 2021 TECares, NFP was formed. The non-profit is dedicated to ensuring the inclusion and success of minorities and women in the electrical construction industry.