About Cal-Tex Electric

“Everyone at Cal-Tex is ‘all in’ on projects. Each of us takes Cal-Tex’s reputation personally and clients know that we will do whatever is needed to take care of our clients.”

In April of 2005, Ronnie Bassett turned a dream into reality, and named it Cal-Tex Electric. Although he had zero employees and not a single customer when he started, he had a belief in the knowledge that he acquired from observations in the field that a client and team focused merit-based electrical company could thrive in the Twin Cities market.  Fifteen years later, Cal-Tex Electric has expanded to include divisions in technologies services, 100 employees, hundreds of clients and a reputation as a leading electrical and technology services company in the Twin Cities.  

 “Early on, our growth was due to who we were and our connections in the design and build industry,” says Ronnie, who notes that Cal-Tex has increased its revenue every year since 2005.

“But our company really started gaining traction when the word got out that we were a very professional company that could outwork our competition and always strive to make our clients happy. It was kind of like a snowball rolling downhill – once it got going there’s was no stopping it. That was and is Cal-Tex.”

Cal-Tex’s growth is linked in large part to three core strengths, according to Ronnie. “One, our guys in the field. Two, everyone in the company embraces Cal-Tex’s mission. And three, our never-ending focus on training. Our guys in the field are better trained than any of our competition. And that translates into better outcomes for our clients.”

Ronnie got his start in the industry from the ground floor. He was an electrician for almost a decade in Minnesota, California and Texas before starting Cal-Tex and still can understand the challenges facing the electricians in the field. “We wouldn’t get the jobs we do if we didn’t have such talented guys in the field and their pursuit of excellence.

Ronnie and his wife Cara live in Prior Lake with their four daughters. They love to travel – Europe is one of his favorite destinations – and Ronnie is a passionate reader.

“I can’t say enough good things about this company. It seems everyone always strives to be better not just from last year but from last week. I love the sense of dedication I see.”

Matt Trevis has known Cal-Tex Owner Ronnie Bassett for almost two decades. They first worked together beginning in 2001 at a south metro electrical construction company. He joined Ronnie at Cal-Tex Electric in March 2007, working as a journeyman electrician and a job site foreman. Eventually, in 2011, Matt moved into an office job as a project manager/estimator. In late 2018, Matt was promoted to Vice President of Cal-Tex Companies and became a shareholder in the company in January 2019.

Matt and Josh Humphrey oversee most of Cal-Tex Electric’s operations – estimating, managing projects, and searching for new projects for Cal-Tex through their network of happy, current, and past clients. “I always wanted a challenge like this, and it still challenges me every day.”

Matt grew up in Farmington and eventually earned an AAS degree in electrical construction at Dunwoody Institute. He now lives in South Minneapolis with his wife Kobi, and their two daughters. Matt’s wife is from British Columbia and played four years of college hockey at St. Cloud State University.

Matt loves to fish year around – especially at the family cabin in Brainerd – and spend quality time with his family.

“We have such a great team of people here at Cal-Tex who motivate each other to be the best at their jobs. That kind of teamwork is what produces the level of customer service that we are noted for in our industry.”

The lure of working with a company bursting at the seams with growth opportunities plus being closer to his daughter was enough of an incentive for Mike Toepfer to move from warm California to the frozen tundra called Minnesota in 2017. Mike is the Chief Operating Officer for Cal-Tex , a new position that is a result of the company’s expansion to three divisions and explosive growth in its client project list.

The move to Minnesota was made a bit easier by the fact that Mike’s daughter Cara is the wife of Ronnie Bassett, the founder and President of Cal-Tex. Plus Mike had owned a trucking company with Ronnie  more than a decade ago. “I had been involved off and on with Cal-Tex since their inception, mainly with strategic insights and operational organization. In 2016 Ronnie told me he would be honored if I would come to work for him in Minnesota. My wife had just retired, so it figured ‘why not’ and we moved to Minnesota and I started in the middle of winter – January 16, 2017. I’ve enjoyed every moment since I moved here.”

Mike’s job is a little bit of everything, from developing and implementing policies and procedures designed to strengthen the company’s client-centered approach to keeping an eye on finances and making sure the company thinks strategically as they expand. “I bring decades of experience working in large companies at the management level to Cal-Tex, and there isn’t much I haven’t experienced first-hand in business.”

Mike earned an undergraduate degree in economics “many, many years ago” he notes, and it gave him the foundation to thrive in the construction industry. He has managed more than one billion dollars (yes, $1,000,000,000) in construction projects in his career, but also has lots of hands-on experience in construction. “I started working construction when I was 17, and worked as a pipe-fitter before moving into the office and getting a college degree. I loved working in the construction industry and what we do at Cal-Tex feels very comfortable. I still jump out of bed every morning because I love working, mentoring young talent, and sharing my experiences.”

Mike and his wife Michelle have three children from their marriage plus two they adopted when Michelle’s sister passed away many years ago. All of their children are now grown, and they have 17 grandchildren. In his spare time, Mike loves to golf and do “anything outdoors.”

“Client service is king here. We beat our competitors because of the superior service we provide. It places a lot of pressure on our field guys, but they always finish on time and do it professionally.”

Brandon Block joined Cal-Tex Company in October 2016 after working in a public accounting firm as a senior tax accountant. He wasn’t looking for a new job, but a family friend told him about the Controller job at Cal-Tex and Brandon decided to apply for the position. He interviewed with Owner Ronnie Bassett and liked his vision for Cal-Tex.

“I liked Ronnie and the other people I met during the interview process,” recalls Brandon. “It was a very attractive opportunity for me to be a part of the vision they had for growth and excellence.”

Brandon, who has a bachelor’s degree in accounting and earned his CPA license in 2013, says that is has been “really rewarding seeing the direction the company is growing and heading and being a part of that progress. A couple of months after I started they added a tech company and It surprised me how fast they were able to take on these new challenges. Ronnie and Matt Trevis are calculated risk takers, which I really appreciate, and they are always looking at new business opportunities. We really know where our ‘compass’ is pointed now.”

“The people here are #1”, notes Brandon, who in his role as Controller is responsible for financial statements, managing relationships with bankers and external auditors, and Cal-Tex’s cash flow. “I really enjoy working with our management team and being challenged by them and challenging them. Our management team values are excellent and that’s a big reason why this is such a dynamic organization.”

Brandon points to Ronnie’s background as an electrician as being a central reason for the company’s explosive growth. “He understands every facet of the company, from the bottom up, and he purposefully puts people in positions where they can help take the company to the next level. He understands that you have to add people with expertise he doesn’t have.”

Brandon lives in Lakeville with his wife Janelle, his son Braxton and their dog Dobby. In his spare time, he likes to run, do jiu-jitsu, and watch the Minnesota Vikings.

In 2014, after over a decade of being in Salon Management, Holly went back to school and received her AAS in Accounting. She worked for a few years doing strictly payroll and decided it was time for a change, one with more variety in the Accounting field.

Holly started at Cal-Tex in January 2019 as the Assistant Controller.  The position was created to aid the Controller, Brandon Block, after some significant growth in the company.

Holly loves every aspect of her job at Cal-Tex and has gained an incredible amount of knowledge while working with Brandon.  She remembers everyone being very friendly when she came in for her interview and still feels the same way today.  “I really love that even with the growth of Cal-Tex over the last few years, there is still room for flexibility, good humor, fun, and a family-orientated feel.”  Holly said in our interview.  “This combination creates an amazing work environment where you want to come to work every day!”

Holly is always helpful and willing to assist where ever she can and is excited to be a part of a growing team.  She adds,  “I really like working for a company where everyone genuinely cares about each other and works hard to achieve excellence and success.”

Holly lives in Montgomery with her boyfriend, Chad, and their dogs Ralph and Rambo.  In her spare time, she enjoys camping and spending time with friends and family.

“Cal-Tex clients truly appreciate the level of professionalism they encounter at every level of our company. They know they can count on everyone here to be accessible, work hard and do their job as well as possible.”

Cathy Theis looks forward to each day at Cal-Tex Companies in her role as the Office Manager. “I love the people here,” she says with a smile.  “Matt and Ronnie (Cal-Tex co-owners) run an amazing company. Their core philosophy is centered on treating employees fairly while meeting customer needs. We have a positive energy and culture shared by employees at all levels. As a result, Cal-Tex is doing very well and growing quickly.”

Cathy’s responsibilities include on-boarding of new employees, management of the reception area, planning company events, and corporate administrative activities. Additionally, Cathy assists with payroll, insurance, and assists Brandon Block, Cal-Tex’s Controller.

Cathy joined Cal-Tex in January 2017, bringing with her significant experience. She worked for more than 10 years as an office manager for an electrical contractor and more than 5 years managing a team of 100 operators working remotely on third-party verifications.

Cathy’s job at Cal-Tex has been her favorite. “I feel like I’m making a difference and helping the company grow. In my role there is constant change and I really love that. It’s not a stagnant environment and it’s a position that rewards and challenges me daily.”

According to Cathy, Ronnie and Matt have “very different personalities, but they work very well together.” Both have an open door policy with employees, notes Cathy. “They’ve created a positive work environment and you feel like you are heard here.”

Cathy has two daughters and six grandchildren. She enjoys spending time with her family and friends and loves traveling in her free time. “I love to go to new places. I’ve been to Spain, Costa Rica, Morocco, New Zealand, France, England and Ireland, but there are still lots of places I want to visit.”

“Quality is our #1 goal. That’s what we are all about. Our team is detail oriented, customer focused, and filled with talented people.”

Josh has been “living electric” since he graduated from high school in Elk River, where he grew up. He started working as an installer and quickly was promoted to designing projects and managing installations on-site by the time he was 21. He earned a degree in electrical construction at Saint Cloud Technical College to enhance his knowledge base and joined Cal-Tex in 2008, just a couple of years after it opened for business.

Josh believes that a key reason why Cal-Tex has continued to grow into one of the Twin Cities leading electrical service providers is the company’s approach to its clients.  “Because our project managers design, estimate and manage a project, our clients receive superior overall service and quality. It’s one of the areas that really sets us apart from much of our competition, which divides each of those phases in a project to different people.”

The quality of the on-site teams of electricians that Cal-Tex assigns to a project are unmatched in the industry, Josh notes. “I’ve seen a lot of companies, and I’ve worked with a lot of electricians, and the Cal-Tex team is by far the highest in terms of teamwork and quality of work. Let’s face it, those guys are the reason we have grown to where we are today!”

Cal-Tex gets a lot of repeat business from clients because of “our unwavering devotion to the successful completion of their project. I talked with a contractor recently who said that we may not have had the lowest bid, but he was going to go with our bid because no one else could pull the whole project together from design to installation and do it under budget and on time.”

A big motivator for Josh is the ability to help other members of the Cal-Tex team grow in their jobs. “It’s all about giving back to the people around me, and helping other people grow and succeed.”

Josh lives in Becker with his wife, Laurie, and their two daughters and one son. He loves to deer hunt, go ice fishing in the winter and walleye fishing in the summer, and spend time with his family outdoors. He coaches his younger daughter’s softball team and teaches a religion class at his church to 2nd graders every week.

“I love to contribute to our customer’s success. They look to us to be a trusted resource and I want to help Cal-Tex grow on that until we are the largest electrical provider in the Twin Cities.”

“We’ve earned our reputation as an outstanding company because of the work we do. Clients can always count on us for quality and reliability.”

Dan Cameron moved from working in the field as an electrician to an office job with Cal-Tex Electric as an estimator and project manager in 2016. He brought with him 22 years of experience working in the field as a journeyman electrician, and he also brought with him his desire to always get better at what he does in his job.

As a project manager and estimator, Dan manages Cal-Tex Electric jobs on a day-to-day basis, along with estimating of potential future projects.

Dan notes that the core strength of Cal-Tex Electric is the electricians in the field. I really like the challenge of pursuing work and ensuring that our field electricians stay busy. I have noticed that once clients have us do a project for them, they always want us to bid on their future projects.”

Dan lives in Prior Lake – the same town he grew up in – and has been in the area most of his life except for a decade spent in Colorado working and skiing. Dan has one daughter.

“Cal-Tex customers know we are reliable, and we’ll get their work done on time and on a budget.  It is rarer than you think; that a company will deliver day in and day out.”

Matt joined Cal-Tex Electric in 2013 as a field Electrician. He was promoted to office in 2017 managing the Service Department and later an Estimator/Project Manager. Matt is currently a Senior Project Manager overseeing various commercial and industrial projects.

“The position offers me the chance to perform many types of problem solving, which keeps the job fresh and motivating.”

Matt grew up in Eden Prairie and now lives in Northfield, MN. He has had a life-long passion for being a “maker”, always building new things from guitars to arcade cabinets.

“Our clients stay with us because we go above and beyond their expectations.”

Gerry Velo has been an electrician ever since he graduated from high school almost two decades ago. For all of those years, he worked in the field as an electrician – and since 2016, he’s been working for Cal-Tex Electric. In the summer of 2018, Gerry had the opportunity to move into the Service Manager’s position at Cal-Tex Electric.

“I really liked the profession I chose to work in, and I enjoyed working in the field,” says Gerry. “But when the Service Manager position opened up, I thought I would apply for it. I like challenges and I thought this would be a definite challenge. Everybody I work with here has been great – in the field and in the office.”

In his new job, he organizes schedules, fields phone calls, visits job sites, researches projects, and submits bids. “I work on smaller projects for our commercial clients, builders, and handle our residential customers.”

Cal-Tex is the largest company Gerry has worked for, and he says it’s a “wonderful company that puts out a great product.”

Gerry lives in Prior Lake with his wife Summer. They have four boys– the two youngest are involved in soccer, baseball, and basketball. Gerry enjoys spending time with his family.

Rick started at Cal-Tex in 2014 as an apprentice electrician with no knowledge of the industry.  He caught on very quickly and honed his craft taking advantage of Cal-Tex’s Apprentice Training Program.  He soon rose to become not only a highly skilled electrician but someone you could always rely on to get any job done.

Although he loved what he did in the field, Rick felt he had a valuable skillset that Cal-Tex was yet to tap into. “I spent my professional career before Cal-Tex in management and sales and also spent time as Sales Director at a tech start-up which really gave me insight on B2B relations and how valuable they are.”  So when the time came for Cal-Tex to add an additional project manager Rick jumped at the opportunity to interview and once he was offered the position he never looked back.

“From the moment I started at Cal-Tex three things we obvious; their emphasis on quality, reliability, and fostering a positive culture”

Even as the newest project manager in the office Rick has the ability to bid on and manage all sorts of local projects and his past work experiences are already paying dividends.  He has taken a small group of projects with the global automation company EnergyBox and nurtured it into an official partnership that has expanded Cal-Tex’s quality of service into 9 states.  If it’s a multi site rollout or logistical headache, Rick will assure it goes smoothly. “We know we have the high level guys to accomplish any task, so when I’m orchestrating a large in state or out of state rollout its really nice to have the peace of mind that whoever I send will nail it!”

Rick grew up in Lakeville and has lived all over the state but now resides in Apple Valley.  In his off hours he spends time with his close friends, going to sporting events and concerts, enjoys being out on the lake, and playing with his German Shepherd Douglas.

Kohl Bailey has been a part of the Cal-Tex team since 2007. After graduating from Dunwoody College of Technology, Kohl completed his apprenticeship with Cal-Tex and obtained his Journeyman’s and Master’s license. Throughout his career at Cal-Tex, he has taken on the roles of an Apprentice, Journeyman, Foreman, and Field Operations Manager. Most recently he was awarded the role of a Project Manager at Cal-Tex Electric.

Kohl enjoys teaching and mentoring his fellow team members and is always looking for ways to grow his knowledge and professional development.

Kohl grew up in Prior Lake, MN where he currently resides with his wife Morgan, and their four children. Kohl spends a lot of his time on Minnesota Lakes, enjoys completing DIY home projects, and loves spending quality time with his young family.

“The people on the Cal-Tex team have a passion for their work. They really hold true to our mission statement and take pride in the service they provide to our clients.”

When Stephanie Thom joined Cal-Tex in February of 2018 as the Executive Assistant to the senior leadership team, she wasn’t quite sure what her job would include or how busy she would be.

After about a year as Executive Assistant it became apparent that Stephanie’s talents were not being used to their fullest, so, she was moved to a much greater and more challenging position as an Assistant Project Manager where she helped Matt Bright, and Dan Cameron.

In 2021 Cal-Tex opened a branch location in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.  Stephanie was given the opportunity to start managing some of the projects herself.  Two years into the branch opening, Stephanie and Dave Kleis our Sioux Falls Branch manager are running a crew size of 20+ electricians and have an ongoing line up of projects. 

Stephanie appreciates the opportunity to grow in her job and be challenged. “Ronnie takes pride in the people that work for Cal-Tex, and it’s amazing how they (Cal-Tex) take care of their employees. Although it is a fairly large company (over 100 employees) it feels more like a family run business.”

So, what does Stephanie like to do in her spare time? When she’s not at Cal-Tex, you’ll find Stephanie spending time with her family – she has three kids that keep her busy. She also enjoys bow hunting, fishing, camping, riding motorcycles or dirt bikes, and watching her kids play sports.

Maddie has been with Cal-Tex since August 2018, she was originally hired as the Administrative Assistant. After a year with the company Maddie applied for a promotion as an Assistant Project Manager. She now works directly with Matt Trevis, assisting him on projects.

In 2017, Maddie graduated from Normandale Community College with an Associates in Business. Throughout college she coached Tennis in the summer and worked at the Member Service Desk at the YMCA in Prior Lake. While working at the YMCA she met Cathy, who is our HR Manager.  Cathy gave Maddie the opportunity to interview with Cal-Tex.

When she first started at Cal-Tex she was intimated by the industry however, “Cal-Tex has given me every resource I needed to become successful in my position” she states. Maddie’s favorite part about working at Cal-Tex is the appreciation upper management shows towards their employees. The environment in the office is one you want to come back to every day. Every day we are set with new challenges, and as a team we accomplish our challenges and reach our goals.

Maddie says, “In the summer, I stay outside as long as possible by playing tennis, going biking, going to the dog park. I love having family barbeques on the weekend. However, in the winter, I stay out of the cold, by catching up on TV Series and trying new baking recipes.”

“The culture and environment at Cal-Tex is unmatched. The family feel and cohesiveness of our team allows us to excel, both in our personal and professional endeavors.”

Sam has been one of our APM’s since Janurary 2022. She assists one of our Senior Project Managers, Matt Bright.

Aside from the people she works with, some of her favorite things about the job are the excitement of the bidding process and seeing a successfully completed project. “When done timely and on-budget, it is so satisfying.”

Sam is a devoted dog mom to a sweet crazy Aussiedoodle named Rizzo, she enjoys taking her with on all types of outdoor activities. This includes fishing, golfing, camping, biking, etc. Her other hobbies include reading books and painting.

“We strive for excellence at Cal-Tex Electric.  My goal is to create a reputation with our customers, and our service team, that is built on both respect and trust.”

Jessica joined Cal-Tex Electric in 2020.  At that time, she came aboard in an administrative role.  She was quickly promoted to Assistant Project Manager for our Service Manager, Gerry Velo. 

Jessica is a service-oriented professional who enjoys connecting with clients and building long-lasting professional relationships.  As the Assistant Project Manager for the Service team, Jessica uses her wealth of experience in client relations, time management and organization, and higher education, to provide a positive experience for current and prospective new clients alike.

Jessica holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from the College of Saint Benedict.  She and her husband of 16 years have two teenage daughters and two dogs and live in a quiet suburb in the Twin Cities.  

“I wanted to be part of the Cal-Tex team for years before I joined. I always admired the leadership strong, positive, hard-working mentality. It makes me proud of the work I do and grateful to be part of this team.”

April joined us in August of 2022. Prior to working with Cal-Tex, April ran her very own photography business. She now assists two of our Project Managers, being Josh Humphrey and Kohl Bailey.

Her favorite part of her role here at Cal-Tex is working with the field teams on projects. She enjoys making sure our electricians have everything lined up and ready so they can have a successful day every day. Seeing a large job run from start to finish feels very rewarding for her.

April and her family have lived in Prior Lake for over 120 years. She has a 9 year old corgi named Butters that comes to the office to visit us on a weekly basis. She is a step-grandma to 3 kids, and her favorite place to vacation is Mexico.

“Cal-Tex is one of those companies that always has excellent name recognition, whether it be from customers, inspectors, or other team members. Being a part of the hard-working team we have is why I’m proud to be a part of Cal-Tex, and why we keep our clients happy.”

Ryan started at Cal-Tex as a Journeymen in 2009 after graduating from Riverland Community College in Albert Lea with a Construction Electrical Degree in 2008. Ryan was then promoted to an Electrical Foreman position and 2015, and was awarded the Field Operations Manager at the beginning of 2023!

Ryan enjoys teaching the apprentices and watching them progress throughout their electrical career. He says it’s great to be able to watch them improve in real time. He feels it’s exciting to be able to be a part of the decisions that help Cal-Tex grow and make it a great place to work with and for.

Ryan was born, raised, and currently resides in Webster, MN with his Boston Terrier, Bena. He enjoys spending time with friend and family, traveling, working on home projects, and spending time up north fishing, canoeing, and riding ATVs.

“As large as Cal-Tex has become, it still feels like a small family run shop. Everyone knows you and you feel valued every day you work here.”

If it’s 7 a.m. on a Sunday morning and you decide to drop by the warehouse at Cal-Tex Company headquarters, don’t be surprised if you find Adam Kack working feverishly to fill an order for a field crew. More than likely, it was an order placed late on a Friday afternoon or sometime Saturday.

“I love working under stress,” says Adam, who joined Cal-Tex Company in October 2017 and brings 14 years of warehouse management experience to his job. “Guys will text me over the weekend for supplies they need next week, and I’ll just come into the warehouse and fill the order. That’s my work ethic. I like feeling overwhelmed because I know I can get the job done no matter what the obstacles.”

Part of what motivates Adam to “get it done right away” is the sense of team that he feels working at Cal-Tex Company. “They made me feel welcome and like I belonged here as soon as I started. It is a really tight group here in the building and we get along really well. I value our guys in the field, and it is important to me that I build trust with them so they know that they can rely on me the same way our clients rely on them.”

So what exactly does Adam do in his role as warehouse manager? “If the guys need any tools or products, they call or text me. I handle all the shipping and receiving for our projects. We ship directly to the job site about 70% of the time – the rest comes to the warehouse and I make sure it gets to the job site when it is needed.”

Adam lives in Prior Lake with his wife Stephanie, their son Brantley, and his two step-children. When he’s not working in the Cal-Tex warehouse, Adam does a lot of bow hunting in the fall and fishing for muskies or walleye (especially on the ice).

Josh began his career at Cal-Tex as an Apprentice back in 2011. He has moved up the food chain and was promoted to a Journeyman, then a Foreman, and is now our Safety Director! He is driven to make sure all of our electricians are working efficiently and safely out in the field.

Before he came here, he went to school and was working as an Apprentice as a shop in central Wisconsin.

Some of Josh’s favorite things about his role include being able to see several of the field guys throughout the day, his daily routine fluctuating, and ofcourse getting paid!

In Josh’s free time, he enjoys traveling and just waiting to go back to work!