[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 164 (Tuesday, September 22, 2020)]
[Senate]
[Page S5782]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              RECOGNIZING BECKWITH ELECTRIC COMPANY, INC.

 Mr. RUBIO. Mr. President, as chairman of the Senate Committee 
on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, each week I recognize a small 
business that exemplifies the American entrepreneurial spirit at the 
heart of our country. It is my privilege to recognize a family-owned 
small business with an outstanding record of innovation and industry 
leadership. This week, it is my pleasure to honor Beckwith Electric 
Company, Inc., of Largo, FL, as the Senate Small Business of the Week.
  In 1967, Robert W. Beckwith established Beckwith Electric in Illinois 
to provide equipment and services for electric utility providers. 
Robert, an electric engineer, was a prolific inventor who held more 
than 30 patents during his lifetime. Under his leadership, Beckwith 
Electric developed several products integral to electric utilities, 
including the first solid state tapchanger control in 1968 and 
microprocessor protective relay in 1981. As the company grew, Robert 
relocated Beckwith Electric to Largo, FL, in 1974. Like many Floridian 
small businesses, Beckwith Electric's facilities were completely 
destroyed by Hurricane Andrew in 1992. Through careful planning, 
innovation, and an emphasis on customer service, Beckwith Electric 
rebuilt its facilities and continued to grow.
  Today, Beckwith Electric Company is one of the largest manufacturing 
companies in the Tampa area. Richard's son, Thomas Beckwith, serves as 
chief executive officer and led the company to a 33-percent increase in 
growth last year. Beckwith Electric designs and manufactures all of its 
products, including components for electrical power grids, generators, 
and protective relays for transformers at its Largo, FL, facility. 
These items protect, strengthen, and increase the efficiency of 
electric utility networks. As part of the U.S. critical industrial 
base, Beckwith Electric's products are found in military installations, 
hospitals, and schools. They work with electric utilities, 
manufacturers, and producers of alternative sources of energy 
worldwide. They also contributed to rebuilding Iraq's power grid during 
Operation Iraqi Freedom.
  Over the years, Beckwith Electric has been recognized for excellence 
in their industrial field and for their educational programs. 
Partnering with St. Petersburg College and Pinellas County Schools, 
Beckwith Electric regularly hosts educational workshops and technical 
training programs. In 2012, they earned the Florida Sterling Council 
Challenger Award. Beckwith has also earned several local and national 
awards from the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers--
IEEE--the industry's professional society. They partner with IEEE in 
hosting continuing education workshops for industry professionals.
  Like many other Floridian small businesses, Beckwith Electric Company 
was impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. An essential business, they 
managed to stay open, keep their employees safe, and play a key role in 
keeping our nation's electrical utilities running smoothly. In April 
2020, the U.S. Small Business Administration launched the Paycheck 
Protection Program, a small business relief program that I was proud to 
author. The PPP provides forgivable loans to impacted small businesses 
and nonprofits who maintain their payroll during the COVID-19 pandemic. 
Thanks to their PPP loan, Beckwith Electric saved 20 jobs, while paying 
all of their 185 employees.
  Beckwith Electric Company demonstrates the key role that small 
businesses play in our Nation's critical infrastructure and industrial 
manufacturing base. I commend their innovation, resilience, and high-
quality work. Congratulations to Thomas and the entire team at Beckwith 
Electric Company. I look forward to watching your continued innovation 
and growth in Florida and beyond.

                          ____________________