Colton Hajek, 28
Account Manager
Border States Electric
Colton started in the industry during college, working part-time for an electrical contractor. “About nine months after graduation, in January 2018, I joined Border States Phoenix in the Distribution Leadership Program [DLP],” he recalled. “I graduated the program in June of 2019 and moved to our Greeley, Colo., branch to take the account manager position I am in now.”
Asked how he arrived in the industry, Colton noted that it was on the recommendation of his father. “He has worked in the industry his whole life and told me he thought I could succeed on the distribution side,” said Colton. “I liked the array of opportunities the DLP program offered when I was hired and I really enjoy the people and customers I work with.”
Colton believes the lack of customer service and engagement is one of the biggest challenges the industry currently faces with the advances of technology. “We strive to give our customers the best experience we can from start to finish,” he said. “Everyone is going to have material shortages and shipping delays in today’s world, but if we can be the most helpful people to work with through those speed bumps and come up with alternative ways to get our customers what they need, we will be successful in the long run.”
Colton’s next career goal “is to continue to grow and build relationships in my current role. I want to be as successful as I can within my account manager role. I continue to work with knowledgeable people close to me so that I can learn as much as possible to get me to that next level.”
What would Colton tell someone just entering the industry? “Find a company that you enjoy working for, can grow with, and stay with your whole career,” he said. “This is an industry where you can continually grow within a company if you have a good work ethic. That’s hard to do if you change companies every couple of years.”
Most of Colton’s time outside of work is spent in the outdoors. “Hunting, fishing, and golfing are my passions,” he said. “You can ask anyone I work with—90% of my vacation time comes during hunting season. I plan to continue to do these activities as long as God allows me to do so.”
Each year tED magazine recognizes 30 of the industry’s best and brightest under the age of 35. Please visit tedmag.com/30Under35 for nomination information and updates about the 2023 program. Questions can be sent to tED Editor Misty Byers at mbyers@naed.org.
Tagged with 2022 30 Under 35, 30 under 35, Border States, people