SOLON — For 40 years E&J Geothermal, Inc. has been installing and servicing geothermal systems in homes and businesses
across eastern Iowa while E&J Electrical, Inc. has likewise been answering the call for residential and commercial wiring.

Tom Rutkowski, the General Manager, said quality and a focus on doing the right thing has been key to E&J’s longevity.

“Everything we do is all about quality,” said Rutkowski. “We’re not going to do something that’s not something that I would
put in my own house. I’m not going to set somebody up for anything less than success. That’s the key and I’m a big proponent of that. I’ve made my name doing right so I’m not going to put somebody on a path that’s not going to get them the results they’re wanting, and have it done in a quality way.”

Rutkowski grew up around the industry and followed his dad’s foot- steps for 20 years and counting. He’s been on the board for the Iowa Geothermal Association for seven years, is the current president, and holds several certifications.

“I’ve always been around it and have seen pretty much everything you can imagine between commercial and residential,” Rutkowski said.

“A little bit of everything. I’ve yet to have been stumped. I’ve always been fortunate enough where I’ve always been working with some- body that was a mentor and who preached about quality over quantity, and its really stuck with me. It is the right way of doing it. This (heating, cooling, geothermal, electrical repairs/upgrades, etc.) isn’t a small investment (for people). Even a run of the mill furnace and AC, it’s not a small investment. Someone worked really hard to get that money, I want to make sure they’re getting value for it. And when your name is tied to it, you want your name to mean something,” he said.

Currently E&J is hiring for several positions. “We are looking for a journeyman plumber, we’re always looking for licensed sheet metal and electricians,” said Rutkowski. “Right now I’ve got a really good bunch of apprentices. Depending on where we are we have to maintain journey man-to-apprentice ratios, but for the right person apprentice) we’ll find a
spot.

“We have so many different avenues here between the ground work portion of geothermal, conventional heating and cooling, piping, electrical, the plumbing side, and a little bit of solar. There’s quite a diverse route that we can bring someone in,” he said, “and most of our apprentices will try everything so we know that when they put them into the apprenticeship program, this is the route that they want to be on, and that we feel they will be successful in.”

Finding a good apprentice, he said, is a two-way street. “You want some one who is good and will listen to the things you’re trying to teach them and it’s rewarding when you can teach someone andteach them the way that I learned too and know you’re setting this kid up for success. You’re putting your name in them so you want them to be successful, but it takes the right person too,” Rutkowski said.

“Its all about finding the right person that wants to do a quality job, he added. “At the end of the day our techs are really good and I appreciate everything they do, but they really are probably some of the best techs, for sure in the state, if not the Midwest. When it comes to this stuff (geothermal), its so niche, but they really know their
stuff.” Rutkowski added.

E&J has the confidence in their employees to let them problem solve and come up with solutions on the job site themselves. “If I go out and look at it and there’s one way of doing it but they have a better way, giving them the freedom to make that better decision so that the homeowner gets a better product in the end; that’s what we’re after. That’s something we strive for. I want someone that’s going to think and have the con fidence that what they’re doing is right in the end,” Rutkowski

If they come in, our journeymen are going to be some of the best to learn from. They’re very, very good at
what they do”, Rutkowski said.

To apply:
Go online to www.ejgeotwwhermal.com, call 319-624-2065, or stop by the office at 400 E. Main St. in Solon.