Today we’d like to introduce you to Jack Marquardt.
Hi Jack, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I was born in the Philippines and placed into foster care when I was just six months old. I spent my early years there with a foster family until I was about three, when I was adopted and brought to the United States. My first experience here, in Utah, was difficult, I was placed in a home where I experienced abuse. Not long after, I was removed from that situation and, at around three and a half years old, I was adopted again, this time by the family who would become my true, forever home in Oregon.
Growing up in Oregon, I was raised by parents who loved me unconditionally and instilled in me the values of hard work, resilience, and compassion. They taught me to work hard, play hard, and love even harder. Because of my early experiences, I’ve always had a strong drive to prove myself, to show that I belong and to make something meaningful of my life. The way I’ve found to do that is by helping others.
I grew up working alongside my dad on side jobs, roofing, concrete, framing, learning what it meant to build something from the ground up. While I respected that work, I knew it wasn’t the path I wanted long-term. After high school, I joined the Army and went to basic training just three weeks after graduating. When I returned, I enrolled in community college, but it quickly became clear that a traditional academic path wasn’t for me.
That’s when I came across an electrical apprenticeship program. It wasn’t easy to get into, there were a lot of steps and a long wait, but I stayed committed. While waiting for my opportunity, I worked full time in a warehouse operating cranes for a steel manufacturer. Eventually, I got the call: I had ranked high enough to be accepted into the apprenticeship.
From there, everything started to click. I began working for a larger electrical company, where I learned how to wire homes from the ground up, everything from utility services to finishing work like lighting, switches, and outlets. After gaining experience in residential work, I moved into commercial projects, working on meter packs, transformers, conduit runs, apartments, and storefronts across Portland, Beaverton, and Vancouver.
But electrical work is a broad field, and I wanted to keep growing. I transitioned to a smaller company where I expanded my skills into service work, troubleshooting, repairs, and more hands on problem solving across residential, commercial, and even some industrial systems.
Not long after, I decided to take a leap and start my own company. In the beginning, it was just me and a couple of friends, all of us working full time jobs during the day and taking on electrical work at night and on weekends. As demand grew, we reached a point where we could go all in and build something of our own.
Over the past few years, we’ve grown significantly, one of my childhood best friend and wife help me run the admin side tripling in size and continue to focus on what matters most: helping people, solving problems, and providing quality work we can stand behind. For me, it’s not just about electrical work, it’s about building trust, creating opportunities, and proving, every day, that where you start doesn’t define where you can go.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Early instability (foster care, multiple homes, abuse) → challenges with trust, confidence, and sense of belonging
* Strong internal pressure to prove myself and show I’m capable
* Unclear path after high school → trial and error before finding the trades
* Competitive apprenticeship process → long wait, uncertainty while working full-time
* Starting a business → financial risk, long hours, building from nothing
* Early grind → working full-time + nights/weekends to grow the company while raising 3 boys with my wife
* Ongoing growth challenges → managing people, maintaining quality, scaling operations
We’ve been impressed with Electric Avenue, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Electric Avenue LLC is a full-service electrical contractor based in the Portland metro area, serving residential and commercial clients. We handle everything from small service calls and troubleshooting to full remodels, panel upgrades, EV charger installations, and complete rewires. We also specialize in backup generator systems, managing the entire process from electrical to gas integration in house.
What sets us apart is our ability to work on older and custom homes. A lot of our work involves troubleshooting and upgrading outdated electrical systems knob and tube, ungrounded wiring, undersized panels, and finding clean, safe, and efficient solutions without overcomplicating the project. We focus heavily on problem solving and adapting to each home rather than applying a one size fits all approach.
We’re also known for being reliable, straightforward, and easy to work with. We communicate clearly, show up when we say we will, and stand behind our work. Our goal isn’t just to complete a job it’s to build long term relationships with our customers and be the electrician they trust for years to come.
What I’m most proud of is the brand we’ve built around trust and growth. We started small, working nights and weekends and have grown into a team that continues to expand while maintaining quality and consistency. We take pride in helping people, solving real problems, and creating opportunities for our team.
At the end of the day, we want people to know that Electric Avenue isn’t just another electrical company. We’re a team that genuinely cares about the work we do, the people we serve, and doing things the right way.
Do you have any memories from childhood that you can share with us?
Playing with the neighborhood kids on my street riding our bikes and playing basketball all day long in the summer and during the school year we would come together after school til dark
Contact Info:
- Website: https://electricavenuepnw.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/electricavenuepnw?igsh=NXppcmNkdnluaTY%3D&utm_source=qr
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1NEuzHEpWf/?mibextid=wwXIfr
