IPS journeyman/foreman Jonathan Lotycz was a spotlight on the 30 under 30 EC&M (electrical construction & maintenance magazine) all star.
This award highlights up and coming electrical professionals that demonstrate innovation, outstanding work ethic, and technical savvy on the job.
Here is Jonathan’s full interview:
- Job Title: Journeyman and Foreman
- Company: Industrial Power Systems – Rossford, Ohio
- Age: 26 (7 years on the job)
- Interests: Traveling to the Upper Pennisula to ride his snowmobile, hanging with his family, jet skiing, and spending time outdoors
While working on his dad’s new house and wiring luminaires in the basement, Jon Lotcyz’s uncle introduced him to the trade. He then attended the Tiffin Trade School for electrical trades and participated in Sentinal Team Works, which competed and won top awards in the state and national competitions. After his high school graduation, he continued his education in the electrical field at a non-union shop. He was then accepted into the union and recently wrapped up a five-year apprenticeship.
As a general foreman, he starts out every work day by ensuring he has the proper safety paperwork and his workers have the correct PPE. He then outlines the tasks for the day, but he says he is open-minded to other ways to get the job done. “There are multiple ways to do every single task, and we are always looking for the easiest and cheapest ways to complete a quality install, especially with the price of everything nowadays,” he says.
In his role, he said communication is the most challenging part of the job, followed by computer skills. While he said he has never been a tech-savvy person, he is learning a lot about computers in his role and is always looking for new tools. “I am a firm believer in the right tool for the right job, so if there is a new tool that I see in the industry that will make the job go faster, I see if we can get it,” he says. Ten years down the road, he would like to have five rental properties, a dream house, and be married with two kids. To reach these goals, he plans to work even outside of working hours.
“You’re not going to hit your goals if you’re working 40 hours a week,” he says. “When you get tired, you keep pushing through. If you get that little more done, then you can be that much closer to your goals in life.”
