The Real Harris: Meet Johnny Musselman

Tell us about your background. How did you get your start in the construction/service/BAS business?

I started my electrical apprenticeship in 2011 when I decided that my job at the time was just a job, and not a long term career. I worked for an electrical contractor here in Salt Lake for my whole apprenticeship. After I received my journeyman license I was approached by the controls contractor on the job I was working on about switching. I decided controls would be a new and challenging opportunity and jumped in. I have been in controls doing installs since 2016 and have been programming full time since 2021.

What drew you to Harris? What makes you stay?

I came to Harris when my supervisor at the last company I worked for left and started at Harris. I was looking for another change and he said this would be a great fit.

I stay at Harris because it has been the best company I’ve worked for in my construction career. The quality of people, the company values, and the scope of projects all contribute to the experience.

What do you enjoy about working at Harris (what about the company itself made you want to work here)?

I enjoy the challenges presented with every job I work on. Nothing is ever exactly the same as a previous project. I am grateful for the benefits the company provides for me. I’m able to balance my home and work life so that I can provide for my family, but also be able to spend time with them.

What is the best part about your position (the day-to-day, people, a special project you were involved with)?

As a System Specialist I get to work on a variety of projects every day. After having spent so many years as an electrician, it is fun to make the equipment that I used to run power to, run automatically based on custom logic I build for our customers.

What traits do you think are important for someone in your role to be successful?

Attention to detail, persistence and a desire to continually learn.

What are your main responsibilities and initiatives that you lead?

I am responsible for making sure that after installation has been completed, the equipment we are controlling functions as requested by the engineer or customer.

What are you passionate about at work?

I want to make sure that our customers are receiving high quality product from start to finish. Quality assurance and training are essential.

How do you like to re-charge?

Lots of outdoor activities with my family: time on the lake, atv trips, shooting sports, hiking and Boy Scouts camping trips.

What keeps you up at night?

Making sure I am doing everything right by my family.

What are you most proud of at Harris?

The way we take care of our employees. It seems that the leadership truly cares about everyone who works here.

What is one thing Harris employees wouldn’t know about you?

My dream is to become a pilot.

What drew you to this industry?

Being able to have a skill that would be useful for a lifetime.

What do you wish the public knew about Harris?

I wish everyone could see how much the Harris leadership cares about their employees. I feel like I’m not just a number contributing to their bottom line, but an actual person that’s valued for my contributions to a team.

What inspires you? What motivates you?

You only grow old once you stop learning.

I had a teacher once tell me to imagine that everything that could be learned about electrical could be fit in a five gallon bucket. Then to imagine that everything I was learning in my apprenticeship only took up the bottom inch of that bucket. There is so much to learn and so many ways to grow, there is no reason to not keep learning something new.