POY Nominee: Josh Liggett — Electrifying the local economy

Jeremiah Decker, who nominated Josh Liggett for 2024 Person of the Year, admitted that while he was able to think of multiple deserving nominees, none seemed quite as deserving as Mr. Liggett.

Decker noted that, like Liggett, various people in Weston County run successful businesses that provide well-paying jobs. However, what he thinks sets Liggett apart is that with 21 Electric, it is Liggett, and not a board or an executive who lives far outside the county, who makes the difficult decisions and takes on the risks associated with running a business.

According to Decker, the unique challenges of the construction industry also make Liggett stand out.

“You do everything, you do it up front, and then you might not get paid. Or things go over budget. Construction notoriously goes over budget. And then, all of a sudden, you have three jobs, and you only have the time to do one. There’s enough work to go around, but you can’t schedule it. And on and on,” Decker said.

Despite such difficulties, Liggett has managed to grow 21 Electric into a very successful business that, according to Decker, is the third-largest employer in Newcastle.

Liggett started 21 Electric in February 2015, and the business currently employs 52 individuals at three different shops. These shops are located in Newcastle, Sundance and Custer.

When asked what the greatest challenge has been, Liggett pointed to the growth of his business and the uncertainty that comes with it. He remains undaunted, though, and plans to open a fourth shop in Rapid City in 2025.

Both Decker and Liggett’s wife, Alaina, attribute Liggett’s success, in part, to his personality and the loyalty this instills in those who work for him.

“Everyone who works there is loyal to the company. They get along, and they enjoy him. I don’t ever see him getting upset when, say, there’s a wreck. He just jumps in to help fix it,” Alaina said.

This appreciation between employee and employer goes both ways.

“The employees are second to none. I rarely have an issue with an employee,” Liggett said.

Alaina also commended her husband for his tireless nature.

“He’s an extremely hardworking person, and he puts in more hours than a person might think. Many times he’ll miss dinner at home or putting the kids to bed because he is always willing to say, ‘I’ll come back in. I’ll get that fixed,’” she said.

Liggett also has other reasons to be proud. His business is a UL-listed company, which means that Underwriters Laboratories has “(ensured) that (21 Electric’s) business processes meet applicable standards and requirements.” This enables Liggett’s business to build, for instance, control cabinets “that go all over the world.”

“We build completely automated process plants. There’s no staff on-site. And it’s all monitored from a remote location,” he added.

These automated process plants are used to load cement trucks, and 21 Electric has built two of them. One is located in Rapid City, and the other is located in Colorado.

It’s this sort of expertise and dependability that has customers supporting Liggett’s business and allowing for its continued growth.

“Those guys are essential if you want any work done,” Decker said of Liggett and his employees. “We wouldn’t have the new store if it weren’t for them.”