Safety & Diversity

Call us at (503) 981-3320

Making Discrimination Personal… A real life story as told by the Company President and 100% Shareholder of Cox Electric, Inc.

It was the recession and the best construction job I could find in 2007 was only willing to pay me $12.00 an hour. When I told them my last most recent salary (in healthcare) they literally laughed out loud in the middle of the interview. But I wanted to get into construction and it was an amazing company to get an opportunity with so I took the job. I was hired as the only woman on their project management team. Fast forward a year or so and the newest white male hired by this same company, with the same experience, similar education, to do the same job in the same office at a desk smaller than mine…well… I found out for fact he was hired making $52k a year. I asked for a raise but didn’t expose the new hire’s confidence in me. On the day of my scheduled performance review I spent maybe forty-five minutes being abundantly praised by both company owners and the VP of estimating and the senior project manager as to my performance and knowledge and intelligence and amazing to the point of almost unbelievable work ethic. Then I was bumped firmly up to $12.25/hour despite my arguments that I was worth more, way more. In the end I just smiled and said thank you and went back to work. And as soon as I got in my car that evening I cried all the way home. Then decided I should be grateful that at least they didn’t give him my big desk. I started my company out of my living room in January 2010.As a woman business owner in the construction trade and a mother of four teenage girls my commitment to equal opportunity in the industry is second to none. I have spent the last decade building a business that I love. One that offers equal and abundant opportunity to people of all types, races, sex, experience, education and ability. I have done what I can to be an example of the importance and impact of business giving back to the communities we serve. I believe to this day that my company is not successful despite these challenges but because of them. Some call me crazy or naïve, but I still think I can both run a financially successful company and make a difference. No… wait… it is running a successful company that makes me capable of making a difference. -Zandi Cox

Americans with Disabilities COX Opportunity and Recruitment Campaign 2019: We have a new and improved COX office completed in January 2020 with 100% compliance to current ADA standards offering job opportunities to persons with disabilities that do not often exist in construction. Additionally, we completed, in 2019 a full technology upgrade that allows for a fully cloud based and computer based document usage and storage system. Gone are the days of 30lb set of construction plans as the only means of construction estimating and the site visit as the only means of project management. We can now offer a wide variety of positions to persons with disabilities that did not exist a year ago.

Cox Electric's Commitment to Employee Health and Safety: Cox Electric was the National CNA/IEC Award Winning Company in 2018, a two year certified recognition, that ranked Cox Electric, Inc. as the number one non-union electrical contracting company in the nation based on our safety record and safety program in the 25-50 employee class. Cox Electric has a substantial safety program that consists of safety focus on every level from daily safety site walks by lead or foreman installers on every project to monthly mandatory paid safety trainings including paid attendance for safety certification ranging from lift operation to fireproofing installation. We provide at no charge to our employees power tools and personal protective equipment and even go so far as to provide top quality work boots to every employee at our annual company “Boots and Beers” event held the Wednesday before thanksgiving. Our focus is on keeping our employees safe today and healthy forever. In conjunction with our company safety program we offer full company paid top quality health/dental/prescription drug/vision/alternative care for all of our employees and their qualified dependents. We don’t stop there. On top of paid safety training and access to top quality healthcare we offer an additional Employee Health Program that reimburses employees for the first $1000 portion of their qualified insurance deductible through a Healthcare Cost Reimbursement Arrangement as well as reimbursement for a formal program participation/completion on their personal time that shows commitment to good health; smoking secession programs or outside exercise and nutrition programs as examples. Cox Electric is committed to employee health and safety and as they say… the proof is in the pudding:

YEAR

WORKER ON THE JOB INJURIES

WORKER TIME LOSS INJURIES

EMR RATE

2016

1

0

.96

2017

0

0

.85

2018

2

0

.86

2019

1

0

.81

2020

0

0

.80

2021 YTD

2

1

TBD

Cox Electric, Who We Are By The Numbers:

POSITION

WOMEN

MINORITIES

WOMEN+MINORITIES

VETERANS

Lighting Technicians

20%

30%

50%

10%

Commercial Journey Level Electricians

20%

20%

10%

Materials Handlers/Project Assistants

100%

Executive Management

100%

Project Management

50%

50%

Office Administrative Support

100%

Bi-Lingual Installation/Field Employees

Spanish 11%

Russian 7%

Other 4%

High School Construction is for Every-body Job Shadow Program: COX promotes and participates in community outreach to attract high school students into the electrical trade with our primary focus being recruitment of “non-traditional” candidates with focus on first generation tradespeople, minorities, and women. The electrical trade is considered the “educated” trade and has for decades only offered opportunity for entry into the electrical trade disproportionately to white males, often through family ties. Paid High School Job Shadow Persons listed below as per payroll records: includes all paid job shadow opportunities granted for a minimum of four paid hours at minimum wage to high school students from the following high schools: Woodburn (all high schools), Jefferson (Mt. Angel), Silverton, South Salem, McNary, McKay, Sprague, North Marion. Since 2015 COX has participated in 17 different high school job/career fairs.

2015 = 2 total 100% minority

2016 = 4 total 100% minority

2017 = 7 total 71% minority

2018 = 11 total 73% minority

2019 = 9 total 89% minority

Education Assistance Program:

COX offers education assistance to all employees with focus on encouraging all staff regardless of sex, race, prior education, physical disability or prior job experience to advance within the company and beyond. We have a special focus on “non-traditional” groups such as women and minorities that often enter into the construction industry without having achieved the necessary prior education and experience to advance at the same speed as their predominately white male peers. Our secondary focus is to offer appropriate positions to persons with disabilities to allow them opportunity in the construction trades that does not traditionally exist. This includes educational assistance programs for lighting installers and office admin positions for the following: GED completion; college math/reading/writing/ESL courses if required to help employee meet minimum requirements and testing standards for entry into the Apprenticeship program; math/reading/writing/accounting/business/technical/software courses if required to assist employees with entry into management/project management/construction estimating positions. Educational assistance for Electricians for advancement to receive Master Electrical License (OR General Signing Supervising Electrical Individual License). Education assistance program to offset the out of pocket tuition costs for Apprentice Electricians to encourage all employees that have interest and aptitude to enter into the program regardless of existing socioeconomic or prior educations obstacles. This program offers tuition reimbursement to employees based on grades/certificates achieved if applicable up to 100% reimbursement. Also includes training agent contribution to Apprenticeship training tuition costs currently set at 50% with hopes of providing 100% paid apprentice tuition starting in September of 2020. Also includes reimbursement or provision outright of required books for completion of educational courses.

Commitment to Enhancing our Communities from Cox Electric:

Zandi Cox currently serves as the Chairperson for the Independent Electrical Training Trust, a volunteer position serving the Trust, which oversees all finances and financial policies as well as policy and procedure recommendations on program changes and investments. The Training Trust is a requirement of BOLI and the JATC for any recognized formal Apprentice Training Program in Oregon. Zandi’s past service to the community includes: Molalla Area Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors; Woodburn Area Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors; Woodburn Parks and Recreation Board of Directors; City of Woodburn Finance Committee; IEC Board of Directors; parent volunteer at Heritage Elementary School; parent volunteer at Valor Middle School; parent volunteer at Judson Middle School; community volunteer at Woodburn High School.

Since 2012 Cox Electric has contributed labor and materials in excess of $21,000 to aide in the completion of 17 Habitat for Humanity homes in Partnership with Newberg Area Habitat for Humanity and Silverton Habitat for Humanity.

Since 2012 Cox Electric has contributed labor and materials in excess of $67,000 to aide in the upgrade of non-profit and/or public community facilities including but not limited to: Independent Electrical Training Center Salem OR; Good Neighbor Center in Partnership with ETO/Evergreen-Efficiency Tigard , Holy Family School Portland OR, Salvation Army Community Center in Partnership with ETO/Evergreen-Efficiency Portland OR; Woodburn Arts Center Woodburn OR; Neuvo Amancer Woodburn OR, Chamber of Commerce Woodburn OR; Chamber of Commerce Molalla OR; Chehalem Art Center Newberg OR; Woodburn Aquatic Center Woodburn OR; Woodburn Foursquare Church Woodburn, OR; Mid Valley Community Church Woodburn OR; Mid-Willamette Valley Habitat for Humanity; Habitat for Humanity Re-Store Newberg OR; Woodburn Arthur Academy Woodburn, OR; Boys and Girls Club of Salem, Marion & Polk County; Habitat for Humanity ReStore Woodburn OR; City Center Park Woodburn OR; Oregon Berry Museum Woodburn OR; Gervais High School Gervais OR; Gervais Elementary School Gervais, OR; City of Woodburn Parks and Recreation; Willamette Ballet Academy; Judson Middle School Salem OR; Woodburn High School Woodburn OR; Valor Middle School Woodburn, OR; Woodburn School District Information Technology Services; Signs of Victory Homeless Shelter Albany, OR. (Note, I have highlighted these community projects to illustrate a point… when it is time for a company to step up and give back, ETO literally has my number)

Since 2013 Cox Electric has donated in excess of $17,000 of free or steeply discounted labor and materials to persons in need including seniors, women with children, minorities, and people with disabilities for necessary and urgent electrical repairs and upgrades to their homes and occasional select small businesses.

Recent Awards List Cox Electric:

2014 Woodburn Chamber of Commerce Business of the Year – Cox Electric, Inc.

2017 IEC National Emerging Leader Award – Zandi Cox, President

2018 IEC National Emerging Leader Award – Cox Electric, Inc.

2018 Area II Inside Electrical JATC Making A Difference Award – Zandi Cox

2018 Area II Inside Electrical JATC Commitment to Education Award – Steve Moore

2018 IEC/CNA National Award for Safety Excellence Two Year Recognition – Cox Electric, Inc.

2019 Area II Inside Electrical JATC Excellence in Education 5 Year Service Award – Steve Moore

Thank you again for your time and consideration.