Meet Our Family
Brad Fraser,
Owner
Brad started installing receptacles for his grandfather, an electrical contractor, when he was 8 years old. He had no plans to follow in his grandfather’s footsteps, however, having decided to pursue a degree in mechanical engineering at Waterloo University. But then, in 1971, unforeseen circumstances led him to return to the employ of his grandfather, assuming that it would be short term. He never left. He obtained his Master Electrician license in 1981. In 1983, he started Southwestern Electric, which was incorporated in 1987. It is safe to say that he has no plans to quit the electrical trade anytime soon!
Brad’s favorite part of working in the electrical trade is the design, installation, and commissioning of new electrical systems for commerce and industry.
Brad has a love of automotive design, and was an accomplished stock car driver in Ontario. He built his own cars from the ground up.
In his spare time (which is a rare and precious commodity), he loves to camp, hike, canoe, listen to music, and discuss with Nelson who is REALLY in control.
You can read more about Brad in his interview with Electrical Industry News Week, here.
Susan Fraser,
Owner
Susan became part of Southwestern Electric in 1995, as the brand-new wife of the owner, Brad. Since then, she has jumped into the deep end, and been actively involved with the day to day running of the business. Susan spends much of her time in the company office, overseeing all of the administrative tasks, and her friendly voice is the one that customers hear when they call!
Susan used to run her own Family Law firm, until she retired from law shortly after marrying Brad. She enjoys reading, long walks (mostly with Nelson), hiking, and camping with Brad.
Lord Nelson,
Head of HR
The Great Pyrenees is a guard dog, bred to live in the Pyrenees Mountains of France and Spain. The breed was developed to guard sheep in the mountains. Being of very large stature and a fearless nature, they are able to dispatch predators whom they perceive to be a threat to their flock. Independent thinking and problem solving developed in this breed as they were left alone to care for their charges. This means that as house pets, they are somewhat reluctant to consider that their owners might possibly have good ideas of their own as to how things should unfold.
Nelson is no exception to this rule. He loves his flock (us!) and would die protecting us. He has definite ideas about who might be in charge (he ALWAYS considers himself to know best, no matter what the topic). His extraordinary good looks and abundance of white fur make him a real winner.
He exemplifies the SWE motto of “power under control”. One is only left wondering: whose control? Ours, or Nelson’s?
Hannah
The youngest child of Brad and Susan, Hannah grew up helping Susan in the office and going on service calls with Brad. Now, she helps them with the company by managing the website and social media accounts, and she is a registered electrical apprentice who is learning the ropes on the job. She is also an office assistant, taking calls and scheduling appointments when Susan is out of the office. Hannah’s favorite part of the job is being able to work with her family, and continuing to learn more about how a business is run!
Hannah is currently completing her studies at the Animal Behaviour Institute. She plans to establish a career in the animal behavior field, as she also furthers her electrical education. She loves swimming, skiing, long drives, and making friends with new animals.
Ray
Ray has been working in the electrical field for 23 years, starting in 1997. He has been working with Southwestern Electric for that entire time, making him our longest-standing employee!
Ray’s favorite parts of the job are running and bending conduit, both rigid and EMT, and the satisfaction of seeing a job done well. In addition to working in the electrical field, Ray is qualified as an Industrial Millwright. Merging his two areas of expertise has always been fascinating to him!
In his spare time, Ray enjoys riding his Goldwing motorcycle, reading, and woodworking. He is an incredibly skilled carpenter and has shared these skills with Brad and Susan many times, helping them with large home-improvement projects.
Liam
Liam joined our team at the end of 2022, heading into his new career after completing his secondary diploma.
Liam loves the satisfaction of a job well done. It’s not enough for him to simply do the work properly: one of his favorite things is making the completed job look neat and tidy. Who said that wiring had to be ugly!? He also has an interest in diagnostics and looks forward to continuing to learn how to identify and solve a wide range of problems that we can run into on the job.
Although he loves to work, Liam also has a passion for vehicles and spends much of his free time on his ATV, or working on one of his two trucks.
Tom
Tom brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the job with him, with 42 years in the electrical trade under his belt. As the son of an electrician, Tom was exposed to electrical work from a very young age, and was fascinated with what he saw - enough for him to follow in his father’s footsteps!
Tom has loved to watch how the technological aspects of electrical work has evolved and adapted over the years. There’s always something new to learn, and he is never bored! His favorite part of his job is troubleshooting: he loves to tackle a problem and find the solution.
A man of eclectic tastes, some of Tom’s hobbies include hunting, ham radio, and competing in triathlons.