When Chain Electric celebrated its 50th Anniversary in 2006, little did the management know it would be the biggest year in the company’s history. In fact, Chain Electric nearly doubled in size, with a longer Client List and an annual payroll double that of 2005! “We now have a bigger presence in South Louisiana, Alabama, and Florida,” declared Bobby L. Chain, founder and CEO of Chain Electric. “In the past year we’ve added more than 20 new crews, 100 utility trucks, and 200 other pieces of heavy equipment ... all to meet the needs of our clients,” he declared. The most destructive national disaster in American history became one of the biggest projects to hit the staff of Chain Electric. According to Chain, his crews were still engaged in repairing damage from 2004’s Hurricane Ivan when Hurricane Katrina roared ashore into Mississippi, Louisiana, and Florida. Chain Electric partnered with its many electrical utility clients to restore essential services to the millions of individuals who were traumatized by the brutality of Hurricane Katrina. From the crisis of Katrina came many very sizable projects for Chain Electric. Uppermost is establishing an Emergency Power Plant within Forrest General Hospital of Hattiesburg, Mississippi. While Katrina made a lasting impression on every city, business, and citizen, it wasn’t the only source of work for Chain Electric. Throughout all of 2005 and 2006, Chain Electric has been a driving force in South Mississippi and beyond. Bobby Chain has personally overseen the construction of the Lincoln Center in Hattiesburg. Owned by Dr. David Lee and his father, John Lee, the Lincoln Center is a $13 million three-story, 84,000-square-foot neuroscience center sitting on 20 acres. There are three phases planned to the complex. Phase One opened in December 2005. The next phase will be an 80,000-square-foot retail center west of Lincoln Center. That will be followed by a two-story specialty hospital and rehabilitation center adjacent to Lincoln Center. Additionally, Chain is the National Coordinator of the campaign to build and endow The Trent Lott National Center for Excellence in Economic Development and Entrepreneurship at the University of Southern Mississippi. While the company has grown, and the size of current projects have increased, the business philosophy of Chain Electric is the same today as it was when Bobby Chain began his company in 1955. “Everything we do is to serve our customers ... we recruit employees who will work with the thought of pleasing our customers. We produce quality work with the idea of pleasing our customers,” stated Chain. Chain believes the quality of his management staff is responsible for the superior reputation of Chain Electric. “ We have great supervisors. Most have a minimum of 15 years of supervisory experience, and many are college graduates,” he boasted. When asked what sets Chain Electric apart from other companies, Chain’s eyes light up and a smile comes to his face as he leans forward to make a point. “We respond quickly and in a more personal way, because most times when you need something from our company you talk with somebody who’s name is Chain, which means customers have access to our key people,” explained Chain, the proud founder and CEO.