Bobby L. Chain, Sr. is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of Chain Electric in Hattiesburg, Mississippi.  While accurate, that statement doesn’t even begin to describe Bobby Chain. Across the south and the nation, the name Bobby Chain is synonymous with innovation and excellence. In fact, the technology building at the University of Southern Mississippi bears his name in recognition for his service to education, and the municipal airport in Hattiesburg bears his name for his dedication to improving aviation facilities and services in south Mississippi.

Chain began his career in the electrical industry at Mississippi Power and Light Company in its management training program. However, his training was interrupted by the Korean War. After serving as a Radar Technician, he returned to MP&L for three more years of service.  At that point in time, he was Chief Electrician of the Steam Plant Division.  After one more year of college he moved to Oak Ridge, Tennessee, where he was employed by Rust Engineering in its atomic energy conversion plant. He was the assistant to the general manager, in charge of all engineers, the Y-12 Project, plus the company’s 2,000 electricians and linemen. 

Chain has always focused on, and loaned his expertise, to business and education. He has served on the Board of Directors for the Mississippi Economic Council, the Mississippi Research and Development Foundation, Mississippi Workforce Council, and the Commission on Efficiency in Government. With his sights focused on education, Chain served a 12 year term on the Board of Trustees, Institutes of Higher Learning (IHL) for the State of Mississippi. During his term he also served a president of the IHL Board . He has also given of his time and insight to the Southern Regional Education Board, and the Post Secondary Education Planning Board.  With his two sons -- Bob and John -- now in executive roles within Chain Electric, Bobby Chain presently spends roughly 50% of his time guiding the corporation he began growing in 1955, and the other 50% of his time giving back to the community and nation which have been good to him and his family. 

His list of honors stand as tall as the utility polls his company erects. Chain was the 1975 winner of the Albert Gallatin Award for Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Tennessee ... an award presented to independent business professionals. He was inducted into the Mississippi Business Hall of Fame in 1994, given the Distinguished Citizen Award by the Pine Burr Area Council of the Boy Scouts of America, and presented the Phi Delta Kappa Service to Education Award in 1980.  Chain is listed in Marquis Who’s Who in the South and Southwest, Marquis Who’s Who in the World, and Marquis Who’s Who in America. He was on the Commissioning Committee for the USS John C. Stennis, and is is an Honorary Plank owner of the USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74) Aircraft Carrier. He is also an Honorary Colonel, First Calvary Division and 155th Armored Brigade MS ARNG.

From the time he was a young man, Bob Chain knew there was only one place he
wanted to work ... Chain Electric.

Working summers growing up, and now with nine consecutive years of learning the
business from the bottom up, Bob Chain is now president of Chain Electric.
“There is a big feeling of responsibility,” said Bob Chain. “My brother, John, and I
always knew we wanted to work with our dad and someday run the business,” he
added.

As President of Chain Electric, Bob Chain fills many roles; estimator for all commercial
projects and many underground projects, supervises bidding for all utility and
Department of Transportation projects, as well as management of all commercial
projects. He also oversees the day-to-day activities of a company with nearly 200
employees.

As the third generation at the helm of Chain Electric, Bob Chain credits his father -- founder Bobby Chain -- with being a good teacher in how the business should be run.  While Bobby Chain no longer deals with the day-to-day running of the business, he is still in the office each day working with Bob and John in appraising major decisions on major jobs, increases in employees, and major equipment purchases ... something Bob Chain sees as an asset for the business. 

“John and I hope to see the business expand in the coming years,” he said. “We have high ambitions and are willing to work hard, and do whatever it takes to grow our company ... maybe even have another generation stepping into the business at some time in the future.”

Since he was old enough to work, John Chain has been employed by just one company ... Chain Electric.

At age 19, John began his climb up the corporate ladder at Chain Electric, at the same
time he worked in three years of college study. He began working as an electrician’s helper, then as an electrician journeyman, then to foreman.  When Chain Electric expanded its utility business, John was named Vice President.  When the new century began, John began his new duties as Senior Vice President. 

John Chain oversees nearly 200 workers on various job sites in Mississippi, Alabama, and Louisiana. He supervises all work crews in the commercial, industrial, and utility divisions of Chain Electric. Additionally, John is responsible for the purchasing of Chain’s fleet of trucks, equipment, and tools, as well as assigning key personnel to specific jobs, and the status of accounts receivable.  He is also responsible for jobs involving: