Jeffrey Onken

Electrical Superintendent

For Jeffrey Onken, a career in the energy industry began right after high school in 2009. What started as a job opportunity through a family connection quickly grew into a lifelong career, one he’s now dedicated 16 years to building.

Today, Jeffrey serves as an Electrical Superintendent at CEC, overseeing projects that span both the office and the field. His focus lies heavily in renewable energy and medium voltage work, where he manages everything from outages to cutovers, often traveling to wherever he’s needed most.

When asked about the value that guides his work, Jeffrey points to integrity. “It’s the most important thing,” he says. “It’s what keeps everything moving in the right direction, on the job site and within the company.”

Jeffrey is also passionate about encouraging the next generation of electricians to take advantage of CEC’s apprenticeship program. “Go to school,” he advises. “You don’t learn everything in the field. You need the training and education to go hand in hand.”
Looking ahead, Jeffrey sees himself continuing to grow at CEC. For now, he’s proud of the projects he’s led and the teams he’s helped guide always keeping safety, teamwork, and integrity at the core of his work.

Chris Maldonado
Service Coordinator

For nearly a decade, Chris Maldonado has been a familiar face at CEC. With 11 years in the industry and close to 10 of those spent with CEC, his journey into the energy field started by chance. “I knew nothing about the industry,” Chris recalls. “A guy I used to play basketball with said they needed helpers at work. That’s where it all started.”

Today, Chris’s role can best be described in one word: hectic. His days are filled with coordinating vendors and suppliers, assisting customers, scheduling job walks, and supporting field crews. “I try to help the guys as much as I can from my desk, and when needed, I go down to the field,” he says.

When it comes to CEC’s STRIVE values, integrity is the one that resonates most with Chris. It’s a principle that has guided him throughout his career, along with the mentorship and influence of leaders and colleagues he’s worked alongside. “I’ve had the opportunity to work with so many people here; Tony, Bebe, and some of my old journeymen, and now Alex. They’ve all influenced the way I think and the way I carry myself.”

While Chris doesn’t single out one accomplishment as his greatest, he takes pride in every project he’s been part of. Looking ahead, he sees growth opportunities on the horizon, possibly stepping into a project manager or construction manager role. Chris also enjoys volunteering with CEC, and is a wonderful instructor at TOFTG’s electrical workshops.

For those just starting out in the industry, Chris offers simple but valuable advice: “Don’t be scared. Ask questions whenever you don’t understand something. If you’re lucky, you’ll have people willing to help and teach you along the way. I’ve been in those shoes, and I was fortunate enough to have that kind of support.

Reagan Mortensen
Learning & Development Manager

With more than 30 years of experience in the electrical industry, Reagan brings both expertise and passion to his role as Learning & Development Manager at CEC. His career began with an accredited apprenticeship program, where he quickly discovered a love for the challenges and rewards of the trade. Over the years, he worked his way up through the field and even spent time with a major midstream energy company before returning to the electrical industry. In 2017, he joined CEC fulfilling an opportunity first introduced to him years earlier by Tony Coonrod, who encouraged him to consider bringing his talents to the team.

Today, Reagan plays a vital role in supporting apprentices and instructors across the company. From developing weekly training for both field and office employees, to assisting with paperwork for apprenticeship programs and IRA projects, he ensures the next generation of electricians are well-prepared to succeed. He describes his work as a way of “paying forward” the knowledge that was shared with him early in his career by seasoned electricians, what he fondly refers to as the “old war horses.” Helping employees grow into confident professionals and future leaders is one of his proudest accomplishments.

In addition to his work at CEC, Reagan has been heavily involved in the This One’s for the Gals initiative, which introduces young women to nontraditional career paths in the trades. He has led numerous electrical workshops at training centers and schools, guiding participants through hands on projects like building phone chargers and wiring receptacles. He finds it especially rewarding to watch students transform from hesitant beginners into enthusiastic, confident builders. For him, these workshops are not only about skills, but about opening doors to new opportunities and showing that the electrical field is a career path open to everyone.

When asked what he looks forward to most in his role, Reagan points to the growth of CEC’s younger employees. Watching new apprentices develop into leaders reminds him of the mentorship he received and motivates him to continue giving back. “The biggest reward,” he shares, “is seeing employees I’ve worked with progress in their careers and become the next generation of leaders at CEC.”