Journey to 15 Years

On May 31, 2006, Ampirical Solutions, LLC officially registered with the state of Louisiana and opened for business.  Ampirical’s founding members and current owners have spent nearly their entire careers working in the electric utility industry, and their passion and dedication to this business enabled Ampirical to grow from its humble beginnings to a full-service professionally licensed engineering and construction firm.

The power utility industry is Ampirical’s singular focus since our founding. We engineered, managed, and supported more than 2,000 substation projects, over 1,000 transmission line projects, and more than 500 distribution line projects during this time.  Additionally, Ampirical completed numerous Engineering Procurement, and Construction (EPC) programs to increase the value and delivery of large, complex projects for our clients.

Comprised of highly experienced veterans from the utility industry, Ampirical and its sister companies support our clients with a wide range of professional engineering and design services.  Whether it is transmission and distribution line design, substation design, system protection and control design, 3D modeling and intelligent drawings, cybersecurity, project management or construction management, our team is committed to bringing technology to the power industry while understanding, respecting and improving the reliability of the electrical grid.

What’s in a name?  A name is a unique identity that defines the character and branding of an organization.  The name “Ampirical” was chosen to represent both the Power of the electrical power grid and Engineering as a professional service.

The first part of our name, Amp in Ampirical, is derived from the noun ampere, often shortened to amp or amps.  An amp is the base unit of electric current as defined by the International System of Units.  To us the word current takes on two distinct meanings: the most obvious is that of electrical current in the flow of electricity, but just as an ampere is a measurement of electrical current, we also consider the more conversational definition of current in being on the leading edge of innovation and technology and flowing forward with a positive direction.

It is also fitting that the term ampere is named after André-Marie Ampère, a French mathematician and physicist considered the father of electrodynamics, offering a nod to the French roots of Louisiana.

The second portion of our name comes from the adjective empirical, meaning knowledge based on verifiable observation and facts gained through experience.  Indeed, Ampère himself demonstrated the value of empirical findings during his work with electromagnetic phenomena, publishing his magnum opus with the title Memoir on the Mathematical Theory of Electrodynamic Phenomena, Uniquely Deduced from Experience. Engineering, when applied to helping our clients provide reliable electric energy that powers life, must be based on rigorous standards and proven outcomes that have been verified through years of empirical evidence.

Therefore, Ampirical is the combination of Ampere and Empirical.  Our name accurately defines our process of applying acquired knowledge and experience to Engineering Power-Ful Solutions℠ for the electric power industry.

When asked by prospective clients and new employees alike, “Why Ampirical?” and “What makes us different?” — We consistently respond that it is OUR PEOPLE.

Since our inception, Ampirical has been singularly focused on the power utility industry. During our nearly fifteen (15) year history, Ampirical has engineered, managed, and supported in excess of 2,000, substation projects, 1,000 plus transmission line projects, and more than 500 distribution line projects.  In addition, Ampirical has completed many Engineering Procurement, and Construction (EPC) programs to increase the value and delivery of complex projects to our clients. However, none of this would have been possible without the commitment and dedication of an elite cadre of highly experienced individuals.

Our People are our most valuable asset, making up the three pillars of the “Ampirical Difference.” Each of these is described below.

Possibilities Imagined – From the onset, each project is approached as a unique opportunity recognizing that no two customers, projects, or circumstances are exactly alike. Our approach is to take the experience and lessons learned from the past and apply these and new innovative ideas to the project before us. By being responsive to our client’s needs, we seek to maximize value and find the best solution based on current needs, future growth, available technology, and a fiduciary responsibility to our clients.

Solutions Engineered – At Ampirical every project, without exception, begins with the end in mind. This has become a guiding light for all our project engineers and managers. As part of this approach, solutions are engineered to consider maintainability and serviceability, supply chain integrity, future expansion and growth, and life-cycle costs. Additionally, our project teams consider alternative methods of design, material procurement, and constructability to see if Value Engineering can achieve significant savings for the client.

Results Delivered – At Ampirical we believe in doing the project right the first time. We are continuously promoting a culture of safety and quality through education, training, monitoring, and solicited feedback. By being mindful of the little things, we strive to develop innate attitudes toward uncompromised safety and unparalleled quality.

To further illustrate these, we have created a Challenge Coin that imbues our beliefs. On the front of the coin you will notice the words “The Ampirical Difference” and right below the wording an icon representing Our People.

Inscribed on the Outer Ring are the three pillars of the “Ampirical Difference” – Possibilities Imagined, Solutions Engineered, Results Delivered.

Finally, on the back of the coin are the logos of our three Sister Companies – Ampirical, Cybirical, and GridIntel signifying our Depth in Capability and Strength in Diversity.

We welcome you to join us on our Journey to Fifteen and invite you to experience the “Ampirical Difference” firsthand.

It has been a busy time for Ampirical and our clients as we navigate the unique challenges facing our industry.  It is hard to believe that we are entering the fourth quarter of 2020 and a third of the way to May 2021.

To celebrate our journey and this historic event in our corporate life, we have designed the following insignia.

This insignia embodies our history, services, and enthusiasm for a bright future. The circular gold band signifies our commitment to our clients as they strive to provide a reliable flow of electrical energy that powers life. It also designates our unwavering commitment to deliver solutions that meet the highest standards of safety and quality. The transformer and transmission line icons represent the professional and innovative substation, protection & control, and T&D line engineering services that embody our core focus. The three conductors within the Ampirical logo signify the 3-phase power delivery method that is the backbone of our nation’s electrical grid and the T&D lines that bind it all together. The navy blue background, the second color in our corporate logo, represents the trust our clients have in our abilities and our core value of integrity and ethics above all. Finally, the roadway beneath the transmission structures signifies the foundation of our experience and the pathway to our future.

In addition to our 15-year insignia, we will also be commissioning a challenge coin to commemorate our 15-year anniversary. The front of the challenge coin will feature our 15-year emblem. The back of the coin will feature a representation of the fleur-de-lis signifying our Louisiana roots and the phrase “laissez les bon temps rouler” – Let the Good Times Roll! After all, our 15-year anniversary is something to celebrate.

As we continue to document our year-long Journey to 15, we will be highlighting a cross-section of new and long-term Ampirical employees. These employees will share a personal perspective regarding their career-related experiences at Ampirical and how being a part of the Ampirical family has impacted their professional life.

As we continue to document our year-long Journey to 15, we will be highlighting a cross-section of new and long-term Ampirical employees. These employees will share a personal perspective regarding their career-related experiences at Ampirical and the benefits of working here.

Happy New Year! This is the eighth release in our series as we continue to document our year-long “Journey to 15.”

Although we faced many challenges, both personally and as an industry during 2020, we also saw exponential growth through our employees, office locations, and even new companies. During these unprecedented times, we continued to grow and expand our service and solution offerings and increased our professional staff by a record number of new hires.

The beginning of 2021 has also ushered in several NEW milestones for Ampirical.

In just a few short weeks, we hope to consolidate all of our corporate operations into one NEW office space. This custom-designed office building will be located at 1654 Ochsner Boulevard in Covington, LA. The new building will function as our corporate headquarters for Ampirical and our affiliate companies, Cybirical, GridIntel, and Compere, while allowing for continued growth.

Compere Construction is a NEW company that was launched during the latter part of 2020 and added a new element of service capabilities to our expanding portfolio. Acting as a separate company, Compere will provide a host of construction-related services to the power industry, including transmission & distribution line construction, substation & switchyard construction, storm & emergency response services, and project/construction management.

Additionally, with the start of 2021, we acquired the assets of Power Consulting Engineers (PCE). We welcome the PCE team as a NEW division within Ampirical that enjoys strong experience within the Municipal Utility and Electric Cooperative client sectors.

We also welcome the NEW Year with all of its promises, optimism, and hope for a brighter future as we enter this new decade and celebrate our 15^th year anniversary.

We truly believe that the best is yet to come.

From an inspired dream, to a success realized, built on a foundation of trust.

This is the ninth stop along our “Journey to 15” – commemorating the celebration of our fifteenth year in business. Since the very beginning, Ampirical has been singularly focused on the power industry in support of our client’s mission to provide reliable power to their customers.

During the past few weeks, we moved into our new corporate office space. The new office space will enable us to expand our current staff of 270 well beyond that number.

Ampirical owes its success to our clients and their trust in our ability to meet their ever-changing needs. However, none of this would be possible without the dedication of our employees and their commitment to the power industry. “A fact that we are very proud of,” said Matthew Saacks, president of Ampirical.

As a testament to the above, employee Michael Bennett is pictured below with Matthew Saacks in front of Ampirical’s historical timeline, a centerpiece of our new employee cafeteria and social gathering place.

Mike B, as he is affectionately known, has been with Ampirical almost since its inception. Having worked with the firm’s partners at a local investor-owned utility, a mutual respect developed, and it was no surprise when Mike was one of the first individuals to be asked to join the Ampirical team.

Mike saw the vision of Ampirical, became an official “Ampere” on October 11, 2006, and never looked back! We look forward to recognizing him as the first employee to receive a 15-year tenure award later this year.

This month’s Journey to 15 features two of our owners, Jeff Spence (VP of Substation Engineering) and Kurt Traub (VP of T&D Line Engineering). With just three short months away from officially celebrating our 15^th year in business, they reflect on significant milestones and what Ampirical means to them.

Q: Jeff, from your perspective, what is a significant milestone in Ampirical’s history that helped shape our future?

A: When I think of Ampirical, I think of our responsiveness to our clients. A classic example of this dates back to April of 2014. A tornado took a path diagonally across a major substation in the Arkansas service area. We were contacted the following morning by the utility stating that they would be leaning on Ampirical to help get the station back up in a temporary configuration as fast as possible to avoid rolling blackouts to their customer base, a scope of work known as re-energization. The utility client would also be relying on us to provide engineering and design services for a complete restoration of the substation to include the full protection and equipment set. We immediately began the process of reviewing existing schedules and resource loading to allow us to push projects that could be modified in order to open a large enough window to fit the emergency project into our workload. Partnering with the client, we were able to identify stored or spare equipment that could be made available, pull recently designed relay panels intended for other stations and rewire them, and help locate other needed equipment, including a new Control building. In just 13 short days, Ampirical was able to deliver the initial project phase complete with all the necessary QA/QC review process and supported the client through recommissioning ahead of schedule. As a result, our client received the Chairman’s award for “Best of the Best” at the 2015 Southeastern Electric Exchange.

Q: Jeff, if you were to name just one aspect of Ampirical that embodies the organization, what would that be?

A: Team work!  All companies strive for true teamwork, but teamwork is not something you can simply put a process to or achieve by getting a group of people together.  Rather it is something established over time and is measured not by works but by actions… it is seen.  Some focus on the passion to succeed and win, but one of the keys here is compassion for team members.  Seeing the uncounted time our team members step up to the plate and offer their help to other team members is a sign of such compassion.  It is those times I am the most proud and humbled to simply be a part of the Team!  The latest such challenge is Covid-19; we all had to move out of the office to “shelter in place,” and many of us had to overcome and adapt to the new virtual workplace. It’s been hard, but we made it work.  I am proud of our team members and their tenacity on making it work! One of our team members said it best, “It’s good to know we can come together as a team.” In closing, I am blessed to be part of the Ampirical organization, and I am proud to count myself as one of the team!

Q: Kurt, from your perspective, what is a significant milestone in Ampirical’s history that helped shape our future?

A: “Looking back, a significant milestone that comes to mind was the award of our very first EPC contract. At the time, we were a very small company with limited bonding capacity, and we just needed someone to give us a chance.  We knew once we got the opportunity we would succeed, but we needed someone to give us that opportunity.  I remember our first EPC project that occurred with our Transmission Line team. It was approximately 13.3 miles of new 230kV line in south Louisiana, and the ROW was through crawfish ponds.  We succeeded in that first project, so much so that the same client awarded us another 70 miles of Transmission Line EPC work in the following years.  Since then our EPC portfolio has exploded, and we have now successfully completed hundreds of millions of dollars in EPC projects and bonding capacity has not been an issue.”

Q: Kurt, if you were to name just one aspect of Ampirical that embodies the organization, what would that be?

A: “At Ampirical we not only respect but cherish our employees and treat them like family.  A long-standing tradition in south Louisiana is to get a sack of live crawfish and boil them while having a social gathering with family and friends. At Ampirical we do the same thing with our employees.  I can remember back in 2007, Ampirical had their first crawfish boil in the backyard of my house.  At the time we had 7-8 employees so my backyard could accommodate it.  Now we have to rent out a park to accommodate our 200 plus employees here in Louisiana, but more importantly, we share the crawfish boil tradition with our remote offices. Every year (with the exception of Covid years) I get on a plane with a number of sacks of live crawfish and we have a live crawfish boil with our employees near our remote offices in California. I look forward to doing the same in North Carolina and Georgia with our new team members there. Our employees love the event and talk about it year-round.  It’s an event that I look forward to as well, having the chance to relax and socialize with our employees and meet their family members.”

This month’s Journey to 15 features two of Ampirical’s owners, Mark Stephens (Executive VP of Engineering) and Mike Sulzer (Executive VP of Operations). Being one month away from officially celebrating our 15th year in business, they reflect on significant milestones and aspects they feel best embodies Ampirical.

Q: Mark, from your perspective, what is a significant milestone in Ampirical’s history that helped shape our future?

When I look back on Ampirical’s history, it is difficult to name a specific milestone that shaped our future. What stands out for me is the vision we had as the founders of Ampirical from the beginning.  Great projects have been won and completed, new innovations have been created, new clients found, and old ones have gone. One thing that has been consistent for me, is the vision of creating a great workplace for our team. We as members and leaders spend the better part of our days together in the office and what we do here impacts the rest of our lives at home and with our families.

Q: Mark, if you were to name just one aspect of Ampirical that embodies the organization, what would that be?

While no place is perfect nor is it realistic to think that possible, I believe that we have created a place where our team members can feel happy, respected, valued, and challenged. From that vision and culture, we have succeeded in building a great team, providing great customer service, overcoming many project and economic challenges, and thriving in our innovation. In the words of Walt Disney, “You can dream, create, design, and build the most wonderful place in the world … but it requires people to make the dream a reality.” Our team has made this a reality and I am proud to be a member of the Ampirical team!

Q: Mike, from your perspective, what is a significant milestone in Ampirical’s history that helped shape our future?

I believe all successful companies start with a strong base of leadership and vision for the future.  Therefore, I think the most important aspect/milestone was surrounding ourselves with a strong knowledgeable core group to start Ampirical. We have spent many hours trying to establish paths forward in the industry by utilizing and developing new tools/software packages to be more efficient and maintaining a competitive advantage, all while keeping a strong customer focus on safety and quality. We continue to plan for our future success by reinvesting resources into our employees so they can be successful, while also establishing new companies and looking at acquisitions to put Ampirical in a strong position as the company grows. Another major milestone we accomplish continually is the hiring of bright talent to shape our future. Ampirical will only be successful if all employees are successful and are able to achieve their work and personal goals.

Q: Mike, if you were to name just one aspect of Ampirical that embodies the organization, what would that be?

I believe one aspect of Ampirical that embodies the organization is having a family atmosphere and working towards helping employees maintain a good work/life balance. I know as the company has grown, more policies and procedures must be put in place to be consistent across the company, but executive management wants to try to maintain a family atmosphere to help the work environment be a place that employees enjoying coming to on a daily basis. As I was once told when playing sports, there is no “I” in “TEAM”, and Ampirical can only be successful as a company with everyone working as a TEAM. Hopefully, we can provide an environment that everyone enjoys, in order to be efficient and provide a high-quality product to our customers. I look forward to continually working with our employees and watching the innovation and accomplishments we can achieve as a TEAM working SAFELY every day.

We are thrilled to finally celebrate our 15th year in business! In the final installment, President of Ampirical, Matthew Saacks, shares his perspective on our company’s growth and vision for the future. Thank you to everyone who has joined us on this Journey to 15 Years and your continued belief in Ampirical to always engineer power-ful solutions.