Lark Electric Launches Lark Service, Names Terry Cooney to Lead New Service Division
Business Wire – September 22, 2026
Building on the service business established by Chris May and Terry Cooney at May Electric, Lark is launching a dedicated commercial, industrial, and residential service division with 24/7 emergency response, expanded customer support, and the resources of American Gridwork Partners.
OWENSBORO, Ky.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Lark Electric today announced the launch of Lark Service, a dedicated commercial, industrial and residential electrical service division led by Terry Cooney, who spent more than two decades building and managing the service department at May Electric.
“We have a second chance to build upon what Chris and Terry created.” — Ross Hyland
The launch marks a renewed commitment to the service business Lark acquired when it purchased May Electric in 2024, restoring the dedicated operating model and customer relationships that made May Electric a trusted name throughout western Kentucky.
With the backing of American Gridwork Partners, Lark Service will introduce dedicated account managers, real-time 24/7 scheduling, text-to-schedule capabilities, and around-the-clock emergency service response. The division will initially operate in Owensboro, with plans to expand into Bowling Green, Kentucky, and Nashville, Tennessee.
Building on the May Electric Legacy
In 2024, Lark Electric acquired May Electric, bringing together two of Owensboro’s longest-standing electrical contractors under a single organization.
Founded in 1959, May Electric built its reputation around industrial electrical work, controls, automation and dedicated service. Its service department, developed under the leadership of Chris May and Terry Cooney, became a significant part of the business, establishing relationships with industrial and commercial customers that lasted for decades.
Following the acquisition, Lark focused on integrating the two companies’ employees, capabilities, and operations. While the combination expanded Lark’s industrial capabilities, the company acknowledges that it did not place enough emphasis on maintaining the dedicated service operation that May Electric had spent decades building.
“When we acquired May Electric, our focus was on bringing two strong companies together and building one larger organization,” said Ross Hyland, CEO of Lark Electric. “But in doing so, we didn’t do a good enough job prioritizing the service department that Chris May and Terry Cooney had spent so many years building. We didn’t always have the right electrician assigned to the right customer or the right type of work, and we allowed service to become too closely integrated with our broader construction operations.”
Hyland said the launch of Lark Service represents an opportunity to return to the dedicated service model that May Electric’s customers had come to expect.
“We have a second chance to build upon what Chris and Terry created,” Hyland continued. “The relationships, the experience, and the people who built that service business are still here. Now we’re bringing back a dedicated service department under the Lark Service name, with Terry leading it and the same commitment to customers that made May Electric successful. The difference is that we now have more resources, more reach and the ability to build this into something much larger.”
With the backing of American Gridwork Partners, Lark is now positioned to give its service business the dedicated leadership, resources and operational support it needs to grow. Lark joined the infrastructure platform in August 2026, gaining access to a broader network of electrical and infrastructure companies, additional resources for recruiting and training, and the ability to expand service operations into new markets.
“Chris May and Terry Cooney built a service business that customers trusted, and that foundation is still there,” said Grant Stark, Co-Founder and CEO of American Gridwork Partners. “Our role is to give Terry and his team the resources and support to build upon what they created. We’re not starting from scratch. We’re investing in the people, experience and customer relationships that already made this business successful.”
Terry Cooney to Lead Lark Service
At the center of the new division is Terry Cooney, who will serve as Director of Lark Service.
Cooney joined May Electric in 2000 as a service electrician, became an owner of the company in 2010 and helped grow its service department into approximately one-third of May Electric’s overall business.
Working alongside Chris May, Cooney developed long-standing relationships with industrial and commercial customers throughout western Kentucky, building a service operation recognized for its responsiveness, technical expertise and familiarity with the facilities it maintained.
Following May Electric’s integration into Lark, Cooney continued with the combined organization. The establishment of Lark Service will allow him to return his full attention to the dedicated service business he spent much of his career building.
“At May Electric, if a plant called, somebody went,” Cooney said. “It didn’t matter what time it was or how small the job looked. That’s how you end up with customers for thirty years. We’re bringing that same approach to Lark Service, but now we have the resources to build a dedicated team, invest in our people and reach customers in markets we couldn’t serve before.”
Cooney will oversee the division’s operations, customer relationships, recruiting and continued expansion.
A New Service Model Built Around Customer Access
Lark Service will operate as a dedicated commercial, industrial and residential electrical service division with its own electricians, scheduling and customer relationships.
As part of the launch, the division is introducing 24/7 scheduling support, allowing customers to request service at any hour. New text-to-schedule capabilities will enable customers to book appointments and communicate directly with the service team by text message.
Dedicated account managers will oversee customer relationships, coordinate service requests and help ensure that customers are matched with electricians who understand their facilities and specific electrical needs.
Lark Service will also provide 24/7 emergency service response, giving commercial, industrial and residential customers a direct point of contact when equipment failures, power interruptions or other electrical problems require immediate attention.
The division will serve manufacturing plants, food and agricultural processors, distribution facilities, healthcare facilities, municipal buildings, schools, commercial properties, apartment complexes and larger residential properties with more complex electrical needs.
Services will include emergency troubleshooting and repair, preventive maintenance, motor and controls troubleshooting, switchgear and electrical distribution service, generator and backup power testing, infrared scanning, lighting and controls upgrades, EV charging support and quick-turn capital projects. Residential offerings will include generator installations and servicing, as well as electrical service upgrades and replacements.
Why Lark Is Prioritizing Service Now
Lark is prioritizing a dedicated service division as its customers face increasing demands on their existing electrical infrastructure.
Industrial and commercial facilities are adding automation, robotics, networked controls, onsite generation and increasingly sophisticated electrical systems. As these facilities become more complex, customers require specialized electricians who understand their operations and can provide ongoing maintenance, troubleshooting and emergency support.
At the same time, Lark now has the organizational capacity to establish service as a dedicated business rather than managing it alongside larger construction projects.
Expansion Beyond Owensboro
Lark Service will initially operate in Owensboro, with plans to expand into Bowling Green, Kentucky, and Nashville, Tennessee.
In these markets, electrical businesses within the American Gridwork Partners platform will incorporate Lark Service into their local offerings, extending the division’s capabilities into markets where the platform already has operating teams and established customer relationships.
The division is hiring licensed service electricians and apprentices across all three markets.
About Lark Electric
Founded in 1963 and based in Owensboro, Kentucky, Lark Electric is a commercial and industrial electrical contractor serving customers across Kentucky and the surrounding region.
Lark provides commercial and industrial electrical construction, industrial maintenance and service, power distribution, controls and automation, fiber and data, and related electrical infrastructure services.
The business has expanded through its combinations with May Electric and Patterson-Westbrook Electric and continues to invest in its people, capabilities and regional growth as part of American Gridwork Partners.
About American Gridwork Partners
American Gridwork Partners is a Nashville-based infrastructure platform focused on building and growing specialized companies serving America’s physical infrastructure. The platform brings together complementary capabilities across civil and utility construction, underground power and water infrastructure, commercial and industrial electrical, fiber and communications, controls and industrial automation.
American Gridwork Partners’ operating model allows its companies to maintain their local brands, leadership teams and customer relationships while gaining access to the capabilities, resources and relationships of the broader platform.
Lark Electric launches employee ownership plan for crews as company expands
Owensboro Times – September 17, 2026 | 12:01 am
Kentucky electrical contractor marks more than 60 years in business by giving crews a direct ownership stake, alongside new training programs, career paths, and regional growth backed by American Gridwork Partners
Lark Electric, one of Kentucky’s longest-standing commercial and industrial electrical contractors, today announced the launch of an employee ownership program that gives its field crews and staff a direct equity stake in the company they helped build.
The new Employee Stakeholder Program extends ownership and profit-sharing to the electricians, apprentices, and support staff across Lark’s Owensboro and Bowling Green offices — the people who have powered the company’s growth since it was founded in Owensboro in 1963.
“Our crews built this company one job at a time, and it’s time they own a piece of what they built,” said Ross Hyland, CEO of Lark Electric. “This isn’t a bonus program — it’s real ownership. If Lark grows, our people grow with it.”
A Local Company, Six Decades in the Making
Lark Electric has spent more than 60 years serving commercial and industrial customers throughout Kentucky, growing from a local electrical shop into a regional leader through the combination of established firms including May Electric and Patterson-Westbrook Electric. Despite that growth, the company has kept its roots firmly in Owensboro, where it remains headquartered.
Investing in Training and Career Paths
Alongside the ownership announcement, Lark is expanding its investment in workforce development, building on the training center it opened earlier this year. The company is deepening apprenticeship and career-path programs designed to take entry-level hires through structured training into long-term, skilled careers — and now, ownership.
“We want people to see a real future here — not just a job, but a career and a stake in the outcome,” Hyland said.
Recruiting the Next Generation of Crews
With employee ownership now part of the pitch, Lark is actively recruiting electricians, apprentices, and support staff across its Kentucky markets. The company is positioning the combination of steady work, structured training, and equity ownership as a differentiator in a competitive labor market for skilled trades.
Backed by Expansion Through American Gridwork Partners
The ownership program comes on the heels of Lark’s strategic partnership with American Gridwork Partners, announced in September 2026, which is fueling the company’s next phase of growth. The partnership is designed to expand Lark’s reach into Middle Tennessee and the Ohio Valley while preserving the leadership, workforce, and customer relationships that have defined the business for decades.
As part of that growth, American Gridwork Partners has also brought a Nashville-based commercial and industrial electrical contractor into its platform, giving Lark a direct entry point into the Nashville and Middle Tennessee market and adding scale to the company’s regional footprint.
The partnership is also connecting Lark more closely with PMT Site, a civil and underground infrastructure contractor within the American Gridwork Partners platform. The two companies are now working side by side on projects that combine site development and underground utility work with electrical construction — giving customers a single, broader infrastructure solution instead of coordinating separate contractors.
American Gridwork Partners is also bringing a government fiber and data infrastructure company, currently based in Virginia, into the platform, with plans to open operations in Kentucky and Tennessee. That expansion is expected to extend Lark’s reach into government and mission-critical fiber and data work across the region.
“This partnership gives us the resources to invest more aggressively in our people and expand into new markets,” Hyland said. “Employee ownership is the clearest way we know to make sure our crews share directly in that growth.”
Benjamin Krall, Founder and President of American Gridwork Partners, has pointed to Lark’s decades of earned reputation as the reason for the investment, saying the goal is not to change what already makes the company work, but to back Ross and his team with more resources, more capabilities and a bigger platform to grow from.
Grant Stark, CEO of American Gridwork Partners, has said skilled labor, not capital, is the real constraint on the next wave of industrial and grid infrastructure work — and that Lark’s experienced workforce, and the opportunity to grow it further, is a central part of why the partnership makes sense.
New Opportunities Ahead
As Lark expands its geographic footprint and service lines, the company says the ownership program creates a direct line between the business’s growth and the financial futures of the people doing the work — from new project opportunities to long-term equity value as the company scales.
About Lark Electric
Founded in Owensboro, Kentucky in 1963, Lark Electric is a commercial and industrial electrical contractor with offices in Owensboro and Bowling Green, KY. Lark is now part of American Gridwork Partners, an infrastructure platform building, modernizing, and maintaining the physical systems that support the next industrial revolution.
Lark Electric offering an employee ownership program
Owensboro’s Lark Electric has merged with Nashville-based American Gridwork Partners to help it expand.
And it’s offering an employee ownership program to help it attract more workers.
Ross Hyland, who bought Lark Electric six years ago, said, “We probably need 30 electrical workers now and 10 more in project management, human resources and other departments. We’re trying to solve the shortage of trade workers that’s only getting worse.”
Hyland said, “The ownership will be based on the time they’re with us. May Electric employees can count their time from when they joined May. They’ll get equity shares and paid dividends yearly.”
He also bought May Electric, then the city’s oldest electrical contractor, two years ago.
Hyland said, “We’re going to use this as a tool to grow. The more we grow, the more they get.”
He said, “Our crews built this company one job at a time, and it’s time they own a piece of what they built. We want people to see a real future here — not just a job, but a career and a stake in the outcome.”
Lark is now the electrical division of American Gridwork Partners, which was founded in Nashville two years ago.
PMT Site, which was acquired by American Gridwork Partners in 2025, is a Nashville-based civil and underground infrastructure contractor “focused on the foundational work required to repair, replace, expand and modernize America’s aging power and water grids.”
The business performs site preparation, underground utility, power and water infrastructure work supporting grid modernization, hyperscale AI data center infrastructure, EV infrastructure, industrial facilities and other large-scale projects.
Lark growing into more states
Hyland said the new company will be working in Tennessee, Kentucky, Indiana, Virginia and Ohio. AGP said it is positioning itself with plans to expand into Florida and other Southern markets soon.
Hyland said, “We’re becoming one very large company.”
Benjamin Krall, founder and president of AGP, projects a national shortfall of approximately 300,000 electricians over the next decade just to meet the demands of data centers and “the broader electrification of the economy.”
He said, “We think one of the biggest constraints on America’s next industrial buildout is going to be people. Electricians and technicians are going to be at the center of that buildout, and we want to be investing directly into that workforce and the businesses that employ them.”
Krall said Lark Electric has already partnered with Owensboro Community & Technical College to establish a new training center.
In 2022, Hyland purchased Patterson Westbrook Electrical Contractors in Bowling Green.
He also owns Hyland Enterprises, an excavation company that also does electrical work, cable construction and drain systems.
Hyland said American Gridwork Partners has also brought a Nashville-based commercial and industrial electrical contractor on board, giving Lark a direct entry point into the Nashville and Middle Tennessee market.
American Gridwork Partners is also bringing a government fiber and data infrastructure company, currently based in Virginia, into the platform, with plans to open operations in Kentucky and Tennessee.
That expansion is expected to extend Lark’s reach into government and mission-critical fiber and data work across the region, Hyland said.
“This partnership gives us the resources to invest more aggressively in our people and expand into new markets,” he said.
Lark also has an office in Bowling Green.
Lark Electric Joins American Gridwork Partners in Strategic Partnership to Accelerate Regional Growth and Expand Industrial Automation Capabilities
By Business Wire – September 3, 2026
Kentucky electrical contractor with more than 60 years of history enters its next phase of growth with expanded resources, regional reach and new investment in industrial automation, energy infrastructure and its workforce.
OWENSBORO, Ky.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Lark Electric, one of Kentucky’s longest-standing commercial and industrial electrical contractors, today announced that it has joined American Gridwork Partners through a strategic partnership designed to accelerate Lark’s regional growth while preserving the leadership, workforce, customer relationships and operating identity that have defined the business for more than six decades.
“Lark is still Lark. The same people are running the business, the same teams are serving our customers and our commitment to the communities where we work is not changing.”
Ross Hyland will continue to lead Lark as CEO, while Charles Hughes and Terry Cooney will be elevated to executive roles responsible for division growth, performance and community development, working alongside Lark’s existing management and field teams.
Hughes is a fourth-generation electrician with extensive experience in the commercial electrical industry, while Cooney previously co-owned May Electric, which provided decades of critical electrical service to Kentucky communities before its sale to Lark in 2023.
“Lark is still Lark,” said Hyland. “The same people are running the business, the same teams are serving our customers and our commitment to the communities where we work is not changing. What this partnership gives us is the ability to invest more aggressively in our people, expand into new markets and broaden what we can offer customers who are asking us to do more.”
Founded in Owensboro in 1963, Lark has built a strong position across commercial and industrial electrical construction, service and industrial maintenance throughout Kentucky and the surrounding region. Prior to joining American Gridwork Partners, Lark expanded its regional footprint by combining with May Electric and Patterson-Westbrook Electric, bringing three established electrical businesses together under Lark’s leadership.
The partnership with American Gridwork Partners represents the next phase of that growth strategy.
American Gridwork Partners is an infrastructure investment platform bringing together specialized businesses responsible for building, modernizing and maintaining the physical infrastructure required to support the next industrial revolution. Lark joins a platform with complementary capabilities across civil and underground construction, power and water infrastructure, fiber and cabling and other mission-critical infrastructure services.
“Lark has spent more than 60 years earning its reputation one customer and one project at a time,” said Benjamin Krall, Founder and President of American Gridwork Partners. “Our goal is not to change what has made Lark successful. It is to invest behind Ross and his team and give them more resources, more capabilities and a larger geographic platform from which to grow.”
The partnership comes as Lark sees significant growth opportunities across Kentucky, Tennessee and the broader Southeast and Ohio Valley. Population growth, rising electricity demand, industrial investment, the reshoring of American manufacturing and the increasing automation of industrial facilities are creating substantial demand for electrical infrastructure and skilled field labor across the region.
Lark plans to expand beyond its existing Kentucky markets, including a larger push into Nashville and Middle Tennessee, where American Gridwork Partners already has an established operating presence.
The partnership also connects Lark more directly with PMT Site, acquired by American Gridwork Partners in 2025. PMT is a Nashville-based civil and underground infrastructure contractor focused on the foundational work required to repair, replace, expand and modernize America’s aging power and water grids. The business performs site preparation, underground utility, power and water infrastructure work supporting grid modernization, AI hyperscaler infrastructure, EV infrastructure, industrial facilities and other large-scale projects.
Bringing PMT’s underground capabilities together with Lark’s electrical expertise gives customers across Western Kentucky and Middle Tennessee access to more of the service layers required on complex infrastructure projects through one coordinated platform. Those capabilities are further supported by the platform’s fiber and cabling operations.
“Modernizing the aging power and water infrastructure beneath our feet almost always creates electrical and fiber work behind it,” said Phil Terhaar, Founder and CEO of PMT Site. “Now that PMT and Lark can work together, we can follow those projects across more of the scope instead of handing them off. It opens doors for both businesses and gives our customers a much stronger regional partner.”
Lark and PMT are already working together on major projects across Western Kentucky. To American Gridwork Partners’ knowledge, the platform is the first in the region to bring underground power and water infrastructure, electrical services and fiber and cabling together as a coordinated offering for customers.
A major focus of the partnership will be industrial automation and expanding Lark’s capabilities within the industrial market.
Lark already has a strong position in industrial maintenance and service, with teams working inside food processing plants, manufacturing facilities and other industrial environments across the region. That existing customer base and field presence provide a foundation for Lark to expand further into industrial automation and the infrastructure required to support increasingly sophisticated manufacturing systems.
Artificial intelligence is beginning to move beyond software and into the physical world, bringing robotics, autonomous equipment, machine vision and increasingly intelligent systems into multi-trillion-dollar industries including food production, mining and manufacturing.
“Many of those technologies will be deployed inside facilities built decades before modern automation, industrial networking and autonomous systems were contemplated. Those plants will require upgrades to electrical capacity, controls, connectivity and other supporting infrastructure before increasingly intelligent equipment can operate reliably at scale,” said Grant Stark, CEO of American Gridwork Partners.
As part of the partnership, and off the back of Lark’s existing industrial automation and service offerings, Lark and American Gridwork Partners are investing in the development of a dedicated Industrial Automation & Physical AI division focused on helping industrial customers prepare their existing facilities for that transition.
“Lark already has a strong position in the industrial maintenance market across the region, and we have spent decades working inside many of the factories and food processing plants that are now being asked to modernize,” Hyland said. “As robotics, automation and increasingly intelligent equipment move into these facilities, our customers are going to need more electrical capacity, controls, connectivity and ongoing technical support. We see a major opportunity to expand what Lark can offer those customers.”
The division will build on Lark’s existing electrical and industrial capabilities with an expanded focus on industrial power distribution, controls, automation, machine connectivity, industrial networking, fiber, sensors and the infrastructure required to integrate increasingly automated equipment into operating facilities.
Lark is also broadening its capabilities around the changing way commercial and industrial customers generate, store and manage electricity. Rising power demand and concerns around grid capacity are leading businesses to evaluate behind-the-meter energy infrastructure, including onsite generation, backup and standby power, energy storage, EV and fleet charging, microgrids and other distributed energy systems.
In addition, Lark is establishing a dedicated service department focused on recurring electrical maintenance, emergency service and smaller commercial and industrial projects. The department will initially expand across Owensboro and Bowling Green before launching in Middle Tennessee, creating a more dedicated service offering for existing and new customers.
The partnership will also support continued investment in Lark’s workforce as demand for skilled electricians and technicians increases across the region. American Gridwork Partners and Lark plan to invest in recruiting, training, career development and additional opportunities for employees as the business expands geographically and adds new capabilities.
American Gridwork Partners and Lark also plan to introduce an Employee Stakeholder Program giving electricians, field leaders and other key employees a direct stake in the long-term growth of the business. The program is unusual in the electrical contracting industry and is being made possible by the scale and structure of the American Gridwork Partners platform.
“We believe one of the biggest constraints on America’s next industrial buildout is going to be skilled people,” said Grant Stark, CEO of American Gridwork Partners. “Lark has spent decades building a workforce that knows these facilities, knows these customers and knows how to get difficult work done. That is a tremendous asset, and a major part of this partnership is investing in that team and creating more opportunities for the people already inside the business.”
For Hyland, the partnership is intended to preserve what Lark has built while giving the business a larger platform for its next stage.
“We have an opportunity to take a business with more than 60 years of history and position it for the next 60,” Hyland said. “We can expand geographically, invest in our people, add capabilities that our industrial customers increasingly need and do it without losing the local culture and relationships that made Lark successful in the first place. That is what made this partnership attractive to us.”
ABOUT LARK ELECTRIC
Founded in 1963 and based in Owensboro, Kentucky, Lark Electric is a commercial and industrial electrical contractor serving customers across Kentucky and the surrounding region. Lark provides commercial and industrial electrical construction, industrial maintenance and service, power distribution, controls and automation and related electrical infrastructure services. The business has expanded through its combination with May Electric and Patterson-Westbrook Electric and is now investing in further regional growth and expanded industrial capabilities.
ABOUT AMERICAN GRIDWORK PARTNERS
Founded in 2024 and based in Nashville, American Gridwork Partners is an infrastructure investment platform partnering with and growing established businesses serving America’s physical economy. The platform has acquired Group Electric and PMT Site and is preparing to announce the addition of a national fiber and cabling business serving military, federal and other mission-critical customers. Backed by strategic, industrial-focused family offices throughout the United States and Europe, American Gridwork Partners invests across power and water infrastructure, electrical, civil construction, fiber and cabling, mission-critical infrastructure and industrial automation. The platform is building a network of specialized infrastructure businesses positioned to benefit from the long-term investment required to modernize America’s infrastructure and support the next industrial revolution.
Learn more at americangridwork.com.
Lark Electric acquires May Electric, establishes new training facility
By John Kirkpatrick October 27, 2024 | 12:10 am Updated October 27, 2024 | 7:43 am
Lark Electric has officially acquired May Electric, bringing together two of the oldest electrical contractors in Owensboro.
May Electric was founded in 1959, while Lark Electric was founded in 1963. Ross Hyland of Lark Electric said the acquisition makes them the city’s longest-running electrical company. He said the decision to acquire May Electric was based on its strong reputation in the industrial electrical sector.
“May has an excellent reputation, specifically in the industrial electrical world and controls and automation,” Hyland said. “Lark’s specialty was commercial and residential, so this merger allows us to bring industrial expertise in-house and better serve our customers.”
The acquisition occurred last month, and Hyland noted that the May Electric team was eager to join forces.
“They’ve got some very experienced electricians who understand the need for more skilled workers in the industry,” Hyland said. “They’re excited to help train the next generation through the new facility we’re creating.”
A significant aspect of the merger includes creating a new downtown training center for apprentices. Partnering with Owensboro Community & Technical College (OCTC), he said they plan to address the current shortage of electricians by fast-tracking the development of new talent.
“There’s been a big push for the last 15 years to go to college and get a business degree, but that’s created a huge gap for electricians,” Hyland said. “This new facility will help apprentices get field-ready faster and give them hands-on experience in a controlled environment.”
The training center will be housed in part of May Electric’s existing building. Hyland said it would offer apprentices the opportunity to work with experienced electricians while learning to safely navigate the demands of industrial and commercial job sites.
In addition to the training program, Hyland mentioned that Lark Electric is currently hiring licensed electricians and apprentices interested in joining the trade.
“We’re looking for good electricians and those who want to teach and help raise up the next generation,” Hyland said. “The need is there, and we’re excited to take this next step in building the future of the electrical workforce.”
OCTC partnering with local businesses for electrical apprenticeship
- By Karah Wilson Messenger-Inquirer Mar 4, 2023 Updated Apr 13, 2023
Workforce Solutions at Owensboro Community and Technical College is partnering with three local business to offer the Greater Owensboro Electrical Apprenticeship program.
Students who apply for the apprenticeship will work for prospective partners — Norman King Electric, Westerfield Electric and Lark Electric, LLC.
Katie Vincent, director of workforce partnership at OCTC, said this program is new.
Vincent said Norman King Electric and Westerfield Electric reached out to the college about offering this program.
“(Kentucky Community and Technical College System) was pushing for more apprenticeships,” she said. “Our goal is to expand to other electrical companies. Norman King Electric, Westerfield Electric, and Lark Electric, LLC are participating currently.”
The apprenticeship is a four-year program and students will receive an associate degree in applied science in electrical technology — construction track upon completion. They will also be able to sit for the electrical journeyman’s license exam.
Vincent said she has received interest in the program already.
Applicants must be high school graduates or hold an equivalent degree and work full-time with one of the three companies while attending class twice a week in the evening.
An open house for the program will be held March 23 at 5:30 p.m. in OCTC’s Advanced Technology Center at the main campus at 4800 New Hartford Road.
The event is for prospective students, community members and electrical companies. Companies participating in the program will be present to discuss electrical career opportunities and benefits of the program.
OCTC representatives will be available at the event for students to answer questions related to program applications, college enrollment requirements and federal financial aid opportunities.
For more information on the program, contact Vincent at katie.vincent@kctcs.edu or at 270-686-4423.
Karah Wilson, 270-691-7315, kwilson@messenger-inquirer.com, Twitter: @karahwilson19
Lark Electric installing EV charging stations at residential and business locations
DECEMBER 23, 2022 | 12:09 AM
Ross Hyland is growing Lark Electric, LLC again. This time, he is helping Owensboro become greener by installing electric vehicle (EV) charging stations at residential and business locations.
“We have seen more requests for them,” he said. “And more are starting to pop up.”
Home chargers are usually 120 volts because it charges at a much slower rate — 3-5 miles per hour.
“We have been working with businesses on installing level two and three chargers,” Hyland said of the ones that charge more quickly.
Don Moore Hyundai recently installed two 480-volt ChargePoint chargers to support Hyundai’s new IONIQ electric cars.
“Those offer significantly faster charging,” Hyland said.
As the cost of electric vehicles drops, putting in the electrical charging needs becomes more affordable – especially with the fluctuation of recent gas prices.
Lark Electric helps with the design and implementation of the larger setups and also prides itself on offering the same service to resident installations.
Hyland said that businesses are becoming interested in putting EV charging stations in shopping centers, which would allow people who are traveling through Owensboro to use it as a charging destination while also shopping locally.
“It’s a good thing for Owensboro, I think,” he said, adding that many GPS systems show electric vehicles where charging locations are as they drive.
As a design-build electrical firm Hyland purchased in 2020, Lark Electric has expanded into Lexington and Bowling Green. It also offers security camera installations as well as audio-visual electrical needs.
“We provide a competitive service to homes and buildings to see if it can handle the necessary charging system,” Hyland said. “We do a complete analysis and provide a list of options.”
Services range from “a couple hundred” dollars to $1,000 on average.
“We don’t want to talk someone into what they don’t need,” he said. “Switching to an electric vehicle, you need to have something on the return for your investment.”
Hyland said interested parties can contact Lark Electric at 270-683-4242 and clients can live anywhere in the state.
“We run techs across the state and can talk you through the process,” Hyland said.
Exclusive: Chick-fil-A breaking ground on new location next month
JANUARY 26, 2023 | 3:44 PM
It’s official. Chick-fil-A is adding a location on KY 54, at the old Bob Evans site in front of Walmart. Ross Hyland, whose company Lark Electric is contracted to do work on the new building, confirmed Thursday that construction is expected to start next month and wrap up by the middle of this year.
Permits were issued on January 19 to both Lark Electric and Thorndale Construction Services to do work on the new building. Project officials at Thorndale, a company based in Illinois, could not be reached by the time this article was published.
Hyland confirmed the work was for a new Chick-fil-A restaurant.
“We are honored and excited to be able to work with Chick-fil-A,” Hyland said. “This restaurant is much-needed.”
According to Lark and documents previously obtained by Owensboro Times, the Chick-fil-A site will span what were previously two adjacent properties — as 3123 and 3107 KY 54 have been combined into a single track. That’s the site of the former Bob Evans restaurant plus the lot directly west, respectively. The portion of the property that is currently a hill with no building will be leveled and turned into a parking lot.
Owensboro Times first broke the news that Chick-fil-A was looking into a new location in December 2021. That spokesperson has said multiple times in recent months that they had no further comment. OT reached out again Thursday but had not received a response by the time this article was published.
Rumors began swirling in mid-2022 that Chick-fil-A could choose the former Bob Evans spot, and OT was the first to report in August 2022 that documents had been filed that indicated the restaurant was indeed eyeing that location.
OT also gained access to a Final Development Plan that Chick-fil-A submitted to the Owensboro Metropolitan Planning Commission.
Per the Final Development Plan, Chick-fil-A’s building will sit on the far east side of the property, and the entrance would be perpendicular to KY 54 (meaning it would face west toward the parking lot). The entry/exit will be in the same location as it was for Bob Evans, at the southeast corner of the Walmart parking lot.
The double-lane drive-thru would function similarly to the Chick-fil-A on Frederica Street. It essentially circles the outside of the property, with drivers picking up their food under a covered area on the back side of the building (the side facing Murphy USA gas station). The site will also have roughly 50 parking spaces.
The property is owned by California businessman Jacob Fedder, who purchased the lots at 3107 and 3123 KY 54 for $2.1 million on July 14, 2021 under the Mali 54 LLC.
Fedder is also the man behind bringing Chipotle to south Frederica Street. He purchased that lot (4911 Frederica Street) for $1.15 million under the Mali Frederica LLC on May 28, 2021. Chipotle opened a location there at the end of June 2022.
Owensboro’s current Chick-fil-A, located at 4601 Frederica Street, opened in November 2009.
Lark Electric moving to 18th Street
Lark Electric is growing and moving.
In October 2020, Ross Hyland bought the company that was started in 1963 by Daniel Fulkerson.
Last year, he expanded into the Lexington market and beyond.
He said the building on Third Street has 4,000 square feet — 1,000 square feet of office space and 3,000 square feet of warehouse.
The new location, Hyland said, has 14,000 square feet — 3,000 square feet of office space and 11,000 square feet of warehouse.
“We’re renovating it and putting in offices,” he said. “We’ve doubled the size of our staff. I don’t like to say how many people we have because my competitors are always trying to hire them away.”
Hyland said the past 15 months “have been a blessing. My staff is highly motivated and they genuinely care about our customers.”
He said he needed more warehousing space because “with supply shortages, we’re having to stock material for jobs we’ll be doing six months in the future. We have to have it in stock.”
Chamber Celebration returns after two years off
Mar. 12—The late-season snow that came to Owensboro Friday evening could not dampen the spirit of the 2022 Chamber Celebration at the RiverPark Center in downtown Owensboro.
The event marked its return for the first time in two years, caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Candance Castlen Brake, Greater Owensboro Chamber of Commerce president, said it was great to see so many friends assembled together after so long. The annual awards ceremony had been postponed three times before Friday’s event.
“We gather together to celebrate tonight you, the people who are moving this community forward every day,” Brake said during the ceremony. “Everybody here makes up this beautiful tapestry of greater Owensboro.”
Clay Ford, 2021 chair of the Greater Owensboro Chamber of Commerce, took some time to recognize some of the 2021 Chamber Board’s accomplishments.
“Infrastructure has many different faces these days and broadband is a new portion of that and we are going to make sure that each piece of that puzzle is going to be advocated on your behalf in Frankfort and in (Washington) D.C.,” he said.
Ford said an Owensboro delegation spoke with Gov. Andy Beshear about some of the things that Owensboro brings to the table that sets it apart from some of the other communities across the state.
“The leadership that we have in this community and the innovation that is being brought to the table, they need to make sure that they remember what we have to offer and what opportunities we can work on together to make not only Kentucky better but Owensboro a better place to live and work,” he said.
Ford then passed the official gavel to incoming Chamber Chair Brenda Clayton, who will serve in that role during 2022.
“The Chamber has several strategic goals for 2022, the first two are to grow membership and to create opportunities to advance the success of our members,” she said. “I would challenge you, as members of the Chamber, to participate in Chamber events, attend a Rooster Booster or a Ribbon Cutting, come to a legislative update…”
Clayton said the third goal for the year is to develop and connect leaders for the future of greater Owensboro.
“We aim to educate and build the skill sets of our leaders who improve the economic vitality of greater Owensboro.
This year, the Ambassador of the Year award, which recognizes an individual’s volunteerism, activity attending various events and ribbon cuttings, as well as someone with an invaluable commitment to Chamber, recognized two individuals in the community. The 2021 recipients are Kevin Dorth of WKU Owensboro and Justin Merritt of the Advanced Center for Sports and Orthopedic Medicine.
Clay Horton, public health director for the Green River District Health Department, was recognized as the 2021 Member of the Year.
Jaclyn Graves, the master of ceremonies for the evening, said throughout the last two years of the COVID-19 pandemic, Horton was always available to help individuals in need.
“Providing steady leadership, a calm in the storm with an air of of deep humility, the Chamber would like to honor the 2021 Member of the year Clay Horton and the amazing nurses and staff of the Green River District Health Department.
Horton was met with a standing ovation as he made his way to the stage to receive his award.
2022 Chamber Celebration award winners
* Emerging Business of the Year — Lark Electric
* Business of the Year — 1-10 Employees — Niko’s Bakery and Cafe
* Business of the Year — 11-50 Employees — Shoe Stop
* Business of the Year — 51-500 Employees — UniFirst Corporation
* Business of the Year — Over 500 Employees — Owensboro Health
* Non-Profit of the Year — Fine Arts — Owensboro Dance Theatre
* Non-Profit of the Year — Human Services — Girls Incorporated of Owensboro-Daviess County
* Education & Workforce Development Institution of the Year — Owensboro Innovation Academy
* Manufacturer of the Year — Swedish Match
* Rick Kamuf Agri-Business of the Year — Hill View Farms Meats
Chamber Awards
* 2021 Ambassador of the Year — Kevin Dorth
* 2021 Ambassador of the Year — Justin Merritt
* 2021 Director of the Year — Sarah Murphy Ford
* 2021 CYP Member of the Year — Sara Williams
* 2020 Class Member of the Year — Allyson Sanders
* 2021 Class Member of the Year — Emmy Woosley
* 2021 Member of the Year — Green River District Health Department
* 2021 Minority Business Leader of the Year — Armando Ortiz
* 2021 Bill Young Leadership Award — Daisy James
PLACE WINNERS IN BOX
———————————————
The late season snow that came to Owensboro Friday evening could not dampen the spirit of the the 2022 Chamber Celebration at the RiverPark Center in downtown Owensboro.
The event marked its return for the first time in two years, caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Candance Castlen Brake, Greater Owensboro Chamber of Commerce president, said it was great to see so many friends assembled together after so long. The annual awards ceremony had been postponed three times before Friday’s event.
“We gather together to celebrate tonight you, the people who are moving this community forward every day,” Brake said during the ceremony. “Everybody here makes up this beautiful tapestry of greater Owensboro.”
Clay Ford, 2021 chair of the Greater Owensboro Chamber of Commerce, took some time to recognize some of the 2021 Chamber Board’s accomplishments.
“Infrastructure has many different faces these days and broadband is a new portion of that and we are going to make sure that each piece of that puzzle is going to be advocated on your behalf in Frankfort and in (Washington) D.C.,” he said.
Ford said an Owensboro delegation spoke with Gov. Andy Beshear about some of the things that Owensboro brings to the table that sets it apart from some of the other communities across the state.
“The leadership that we have in this community and the innovation that is being brought to the table, they need to make sure that they remember what we have to offer and what opportunities we can work on together to make not only Kentucky better but Owensboro a better place to live and work,” he said.
Ford then passed the official gavel to incoming Chamber Chair Brenda Clayton, who will serve in that role during 2022.
“The Chamber has several strategic goals for 2022, the first two are to grow membership and to create opportunities to advance the success of our members,” she said. “I would challenge you, as members of the Chamber, to participate in Chamber events, attend a Rooster Booster or a Ribbon Cutting, come to a legislative update…”
Clayton said the third goal for the year is to develop and connect leaders for the future of greater Owensboro.
“We aim to educate and build the skill sets of our leaders who improve the economic vitality of greater Owensboro.
This year, the Ambassador of the Year award, which recognizes an individual’s volunteerism, activity attending various events and ribbon cuttings, as well as someone with an invaluable commitment to Chamber, recognized two individuals in the community. The 2021 recipients are Kevin Dorth of WKU Owensboro and Justin Merritt of the Advanced Center for Sports and Orthopedic Medicine.
Clay Horton, public health director for the Green River District Health Department, was recognized as the 2021 Member of the Year.
Jaclyn Graves, the master of ceremonies for the evening, said throughout the last two years of the COVID-19 pandemic, Horton was always available to help individuals in need.
“Providing steady leadership, a calm in the storm with an air of of deep humility, the Chamber would like to honor the 2021 Member of the year Clay Horton and the amazing nurses and staff of the Green River District Health Department.
Horton was met with a standing ovation as he made his way to the stage to receive his award.
Hyland Now Operating Companies in Three cities
By Keith Lawrence Messenger-Inquirer
September 5, 2021
Ross Hyland is a young man on the move.
He’s bought or created three companies in three cities in less than two years.
In October 2020, with the coronavirus pandemic still buffeting the economy, the 23-year-old bought Lark Electric, a company that was started in 1963 by Daniel Fulkerson.
Last year, he expanded it into the Lexington market and beyond.
Hyland said he plans to do long-term projects in Lexington, Louisville, Cincinnati, Frankfort and Elizabethtown from that office.
The company has also branched out into audio-visual systems, security cameras, fire alarms and door access security systems.
Earlier this year, he moved Lark Electric from its long-time home at 901 W. Third St to 215. E. 18th St. — the former Best-One Tire & Service location.
“We’re renovating it and putting in offices,” he said at the time. “We’ve doubled the size of our staff. I don’t like to say how many people we have because my competitors are always trying to hire them away.”
And now, Hyland has purchased Patterson Westbrook Electrical Contractors in Bowling Green.
“Its owners were starting to think about retirement and were deciding what to do about the business,” he said. “I approached them about buying it.”
The owners agreed to the sale and agreed to stay on for two years to help Hyland.
Lark Electric expanding into Lexington
By Keith Lawrence Messenger-Inquirer
Aug 10, 2021
Ross Hyland, the owner of Hyland Enterprises/Lark Electric, looks over an electrical panel being installed into a new office building at 4142 W. Vincent Station Drive.
Ross Hyland was 23 when he launched his first business in the early days of the coronavirus pandemic.
His Hyland Enterprises, an excavation company that also does electrical work, cable construction and drain systems, opened in March 2020.
In October, Hyland bought Lark Electric, 901 W. Third St., a company that was started in 1963 by Daniel Fulkerson.
Hyland is now expanding into the Lexington market and beyond.
It’s been a whirlwind,” Hyland said Monday about the past year. “The move into Lexington wasn’t intended, but we saw an opportunity.”
His Lexington staff is working out of a trailer today, but Hyland will be in Lexington on Wednesday scouting for a permanent location.
“I want to get a building up there as soon as I can,” he said.
The intent is to do long-term projects in Lexington, Louisville, Cincinnati, Frankfort and Elizabethtown from the Lexington office, Hyland said.
“We just landed one long-term project up there that should last until February,” he said. “And we’re bidding on other projects up there.”