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[Page S5782]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
RECOGNIZING BECKWITH ELECTRIC COMPANY, INC.
Mr. RUBIO. Mr. President, as chairman of the Senate Committee
on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, each week I recognize a small
business that exemplifies the American entrepreneurial spirit at the
heart of our country. It is my privilege to recognize a family-owned
small business with an outstanding record of innovation and industry
leadership. This week, it is my pleasure to honor Beckwith Electric
Company, Inc., of Largo, FL, as the Senate Small Business of the Week.
In 1967, Robert W. Beckwith established Beckwith Electric in Illinois
to provide equipment and services for electric utility providers.
Robert, an electric engineer, was a prolific inventor who held more
than 30 patents during his lifetime. Under his leadership, Beckwith
Electric developed several products integral to electric utilities,
including the first solid state tapchanger control in 1968 and
microprocessor protective relay in 1981. As the company grew, Robert
relocated Beckwith Electric to Largo, FL, in 1974. Like many Floridian
small businesses, Beckwith Electric's facilities were completely
destroyed by Hurricane Andrew in 1992. Through careful planning,
innovation, and an emphasis on customer service, Beckwith Electric
rebuilt its facilities and continued to grow.
Today, Beckwith Electric Company is one of the largest manufacturing
companies in the Tampa area. Richard's son, Thomas Beckwith, serves as
chief executive officer and led the company to a 33-percent increase in
growth last year. Beckwith Electric designs and manufactures all of its
products, including components for electrical power grids, generators,
and protective relays for transformers at its Largo, FL, facility.
These items protect, strengthen, and increase the efficiency of
electric utility networks. As part of the U.S. critical industrial
base, Beckwith Electric's products are found in military installations,
hospitals, and schools. They work with electric utilities,
manufacturers, and producers of alternative sources of energy
worldwide. They also contributed to rebuilding Iraq's power grid during
Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Over the years, Beckwith Electric has been recognized for excellence
in their industrial field and for their educational programs.
Partnering with St. Petersburg College and Pinellas County Schools,
Beckwith Electric regularly hosts educational workshops and technical
training programs. In 2012, they earned the Florida Sterling Council
Challenger Award. Beckwith has also earned several local and national
awards from the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers--
IEEE--the industry's professional society. They partner with IEEE in
hosting continuing education workshops for industry professionals.
Like many other Floridian small businesses, Beckwith Electric Company
was impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. An essential business, they
managed to stay open, keep their employees safe, and play a key role in
keeping our nation's electrical utilities running smoothly. In April
2020, the U.S. Small Business Administration launched the Paycheck
Protection Program, a small business relief program that I was proud to
author. The PPP provides forgivable loans to impacted small businesses
and nonprofits who maintain their payroll during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Thanks to their PPP loan, Beckwith Electric saved 20 jobs, while paying
all of their 185 employees.
Beckwith Electric Company demonstrates the key role that small
businesses play in our Nation's critical infrastructure and industrial
manufacturing base. I commend their innovation, resilience, and high-
quality work. Congratulations to Thomas and the entire team at Beckwith
Electric Company. I look forward to watching your continued innovation
and growth in Florida and beyond.
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