Page 5 - BusinessWest Faces of Business March 18, 2024

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Peter Coppez and Jean Pierre Crevier JOwners, M.L. Schmitt Inc.
ean Pierre Crevier believes he has made a difference, and hopes others recognize they can do the same in a construction trade.
“I tell young people to consider working in a trade because it truly is a path where you can help to make a difference,” said Crevier, vice president of M.L. Schmitt Inc., a Springfield-based electrical contrac-
tor. “A career as an electrician is perfect for people who are detail-oriented, active, and prefer a job that is always changing. Becoming an electrician also offers so many exciting leadership opportunities.”
Company President Peter Coppez agreed. “I’m hopeful that our next gen- eration of workers will consider a career in construction because it’s hard, rewarding, fulfilling work. Electricians are very skilled men and women who have many opportunities at their fingertips. Union electrician salaries come with incredible benefits to ensure you’re able to enjoy the present and save for the future.”
Coppez’s teenage years working summers on a family farm in Easthampton not only instilled an appreciation for hard work, but also introduced him to maintenance and repair of buildings and equipment. So, after earning his associate degree at Springfield Technical Community College, he enrolled in the IBEW Local 7 apprenticeship program and began a journey toward becom- ing a licensed electrician. He joined M.L. Schmitt 24 years ago and earned
a bachelor’s degree in project management from Wentworth Institute of Technology in 2020.
Crevier initially worked in the restaurant business during his time as an undergraduate at UMass Amherst, but he knew he wanted a different career. And he was intrigued by what a friend (and Local 7 member) told him about the electricial profession.
“Part of the overview that really caught my attention was the idea of work- ing with my hands and being able to see tangible progress at the end of each day,” Crevier said. So he, like Coppez, enrolled in the Local 7 apprenticeship program and became a licensed electrician. Over the past 20 years, he has worked in the field on a diverse range of jobs and was eventually brought into the office as a project manager.
Early in 2020, Crevier and Coppez bought the firm from third-generation owner Thomas Schmitt, and the company celebrated 100 years in business in 2023 — which they recognized with a charity golf tournament that raised $22,000 for the Greater Holyoke YMCA and another $22,000 for Baystate Children’s Hospital.
M.L. Schmitt Inc. performs residential, commercial, and industrial construc- tion and renovation projects in Western, Central, and Eastern Mass., as well as Northern Conn., out of its flagship location in Springfield and a second office in Ashland. Additional services include fire-alarm systems, HVAC power and control wiring, electrical testing, aerial truck services, electrical mainte- nance and infrared testing, and solar construction, installation, and mainte- nance.
Notable projects include work at MGM Springfield, Union Station, the Basketball Hall of Fame, Springfield Armory National Park, the MassMutual Center, Court Square, Pope Francis High School, and Springfield Prep Charter School, all in Springfield; Worcester Dining Commons, Newman Catholic Center, and UMass Fine Arts Center, all at UMass Amherst; DCU Center and Worcester City Hall’s fire-alarm replacement; the Target distribution center in Windsor, Conn., a multi-site solar project in Lanesborough, and far too many more to list.
“We are proud of all our projects because we invest many hours and dedi- cation into every single project we earn,” Coppez says. “What we do well is offer quality, thoughtful electrical construction. We pledge to maintain a tradi- tion of excellence and superior workmanship for decades to come.”
Crevier agrees. “I am very proud of the diverse range of project types
Peter Coppez (left) and Jean Pierre Crevier
that we perform, and I am very cognizant of the impact and meaningfulness that the work we do has on the communities we work in. I like to drive with my kids and point out the many schools, hospitals, museums, public-safety facilities, solar farms, and historic renovation projects that we have been a part of.”
Outside of work, Coppez enjoys spending time with his wife and their daughter and son, including skiing in the winter and golfing and swimming in the summer. He’s also currently refurbishing a 1968 Chevy Camaro. Crevier enjoys spending time with his wife and their two teenage sons. He loves to fish, plays in a recreational hockey league, and coaches his sons’ hockey and baseball teams.
Clearly, both have gratifying lives that encompass family, fun, and an unwavering commitment to clients.
“Although there is so much responsibility being a business owner that requires most of my attention, I truly enjoy overseeing the estimating team and diving into blueprints and working with numbers,” Coppez says.
Crevier adds, “we have a great deal of responsibility as business owners, but what excites me are the projects out in the field. I enjoy visiting project sites, interacting with employees and customers, while helping to make the demanding, high-pressure decisions that impact and help the progress of our work. At times, construction can be very challenging, but I find that I thrive under pressure.” BW
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