Son steps up to run family manufacturing company

R Palmer
Electric Times

One day Michael Hoopes knew that he would probably end up running the Phoenix-based family business, ALS Electrical Manufacturing, but unfortunate circumstances made that day come many years sooner than he thought it would.

Founded in October of 2000 by Hoopes’ father Al, the company has been in business for 10 years as of this month. ALS Electrical Manufacturing builds custom-sized products for the commercial electrical industry. The company specializes in custom sized J-boxes, wireways, raceways, trench duct and other electrical enclosures. It currently has eight employees.

Al Hoopes unfortunately passed away in July 2009. At that time one of the shop employees was brought in to help manage the business, and Al’s wife Cheryl continued her role at the company managing the books. Then, on Aug. 1 of this year, Cheryl  passed away from cancer.

Before launching ALS Electrical Manufacturing, Al Hoopes spent about 30 years working at Sun Valley Electric. He started basically sweeping the floors and eventually became General Manager. Al was born on a military base in New York, but grew up in the Valley. 

Cheryl was born in Nevada and moved to the Valley in her late teens. The two were married for 29 years.

“When mom passed away I guess it just kind of kick started my brain and I decided that I was done sitting on the sidelines, I am just going to run it,” explained Hoopes.

Michael Hoopes got first started working at the company right after graduating high school, helping fabricate products. After about a year, he went back to school, took some college classes, and eventually worked some other jobs including at Cannon & Wendt Electric Co. for a short while before returning to work at the family company about four years ago.

After making the commitment to run the company, Hoopes said that he immediately reached out to a few of his father’s good friends in the industry to help him get a better handle on some aspects of the business, like breaking down a design into its components for fabrication.

“The first couple of days were pretty rough,” Hoopes explained. “But I am pretty confident that I have got everything handled. And, I have people who I can call if I do need help.”

Customers have also been helpful through the company’s transition process.

“Once we let them know what was going on, that we still intended to do business and do everything we could to help them, they were very understanding,” Hoopes explained. “We have been putting in a lot of hours and the employees have been standing by my side getting everything done, and I have really appreciated that.”

With his immediate goal for the company under control—keeping it running and meeting its obligations to customers—Hoopes has had a little time to think about some future company goals. Like, for instance, the possibility of owning rather than leasing a facility.

“Then, I would like to slowly increase the size of the company, so we can reach further markets and have faster turnaround times.”

Handling all this at 24 years old, there is little doubt that Al and Cheryl Hoopes would be impressed with their son’s efforts.