Top Specialty Contractors | California Specialty Firm of the Year
Helix Electric Marks Four Decades of Excellence
ENR West’s California Specialty Contractor of the Year has relied on strong relationships— with employees and clients—as the foundation for success
Helix Electric employees take part in a safety meeting for the Torrey View project in San Diego.
When it comes to large, highly complex electrical projects, the name Helix stands out. The specialty contractor has worked on some of the West region’s biggest and most high-profile design-build projects in nearly every construction field.
“Our longevity comes down to consistency and adaptability, while challenging ourselves to grow in every area of our business,” says Boris Shekhter, CEO of Helix Electric. “We invest in our employees through comprehensive training programs and promoting from within, which creates a culture of trust and commitment to continuous learning.”
As the company looks ahead, it also celebrates two milestones this year: reaching $1 billion in annual revenue and celebrating 40 years in business. A third milestone is being named ENR West’s California Specialty Contractor of the Year for 2025.
Room to Grow
Helix has more than 3,000 employees and operates seven offices across California, Hawaii and Nevada. Shekhter says Helix Electric stays ahead in the industry through “strategic decisions that position us for future growth, including investment in advanced prefabrication facilities and new technologies as well as geographic expansion into high-growth markets.”
This year, for the first time, Helix will exceed $1 billion in annual revenue, reflecting the significant demand across all of its market sectors, including senior living, health care, hospitality, data centers, water treatment facilities and other large infrastructure.
Casey Long, Helix chief operations officer, says Helix Electric’s tremendous growth in the water-treatment sector is driven by aging infrastructure and increasing environmental regulations. “These projects demand precise power distribution, backup systems and advanced monitoring capabilities that can handle harsh environments and maintain continuous operation,” he says.
Shekhter says the company’s project pipeline is robust, extending well past 2028, with major developments planned across the nation.
One of the company’s most notable current projects is the Orinda Water Treatment Plant project in Northern California, which marked a significant milestone for the company as it delivered the largest prefabricated electrical building in the company’s history.
“The project involved two years of meticulous planning to design, build and deliver this critical infrastructure component,” says Long.
Another exciting project for Helix is the Mountain at Mullin Park, an arena and student center on Pepperdine University’s campus in Malibu, Calif. Construction started at the beginning of 2024 and will be completed at the end of 2026.
Team Players
Jane S. Parry, project executive with Clark Construction Group, says the Helix team is professional, organized and adept in their management of the electrical scope on the project.
“Their attention to quality and safety specifically has brought value to the project and is a consistent priority for their office and field teams,” says Parry. “The Helix team has been proactive and willing to help resolve any issue or constructibility matter the team has encountered.”
Bob Erskine, Northern California president of SJ Amoroso Construction, also praises the value of working with Helix.
“We treat people right, we set stretch goals, we deliver, we are always learning and we create a rewarding workplace..”
—Boris Shekhter, CEO, Helix Electric
“Direct access to key leadership is particularly valuable in our relationship with Helix,” says Erskine, who has worked on numerous projects with Helix for the past 30 years, including the VA Stockton, completed in April 2024 with owner occupancy; Palo Alto VA, three contracts totaling roughly $250 million and a fourth upcoming, bringing the total to around $400 million on that campus; and the VA Long Beach, valued at $200 million.
Erskine remembers how Helix helped out during COVID when SJ Amoroso was hired by the government to repurpose a building for potential pandemic needs.
“Helix committed resources immediately during challenging times. There’s lots of daily interactions that I would say are impactful, but that was a very unique situation in very unique times, and I remember that,” Erskine says.
Investing in the Future
Shekhter cites five core values as the key to the company’s success: “We treat people right, we set stretch goals, we deliver, we are always learning and we create a rewarding workplace. We focus on building long-term relationships with our employees, partners and clients, fostering trust that enables us to tackle the industry’s most challenging electrical projects.” Helix also prioritizes its employees by promoting from within, offering tuition reimbursement and providing comprehensive benefits. This has helped build a workplace culture that attracts and retains top talent, according to the company.
Additionally, Helix University, an internal program designed to enhance employee skills, provides both technical training and leadership advancement programs that help team members grow professionally. Before joining Helix Electric as a full-time employee, students and new graduates can see immediate value in the internship and co-op programs where they work alongside industry leaders on meaningful projects.
“These experiences build confidence and demonstrate the possibilities within electrical contracting,” says Shekhter. “We demonstrate to young talent that joining Helix means joining a company that invests in their future success.”
