When it comes to changing how construction companies approach safety and well-being, progress often starts with one person willing to raise their hand. For Tori Terrell, Design Electric vice president of finance and treasurer, that moment came when she learned about the growing crisis of suicide and mental health challenges in construction.
“We’ve been personally affected by the loss of employees and family members to suicide,” she said. “As data became available, it was clear this was an issue that needed to be addressed. I’ve cried, lost sleep and desperately wanted to take the pain away. The unknowns are what’s so hard, and we can tackle that by opening up the conversation, being mindful with our speech, cutting the stigma and being vulnerable so others know they aren’t alone.”
Terrell’s drive to take action led her to connect with SAFE Project, a national nonprofit working to end the addiction fatality epidemic through education, prevention and community collaboration. Through SAFE Project’s SAFE Workplaces initiative, Terrell found the tools and support to help her company strengthen its culture of care, wellness and recovery.
Terrell is a founding member of the Blue Ridge Chapter of the Construction Financial Management Association (CFMA), and she is its current chapter president. Chapter leadership was concerned by rising rates of overdoses regionally and nationally, and they reached out to SAFE Project.
SAFE Project organized a presentation and invited Kerri Rhodes to copresent at a chapter meeting in October of 2023. Rhodes is a mother and the survivor of the loss of her oldest child, Taylor, to a fatal overdose. Terrell said the biggest takeaway from the presentation was to not let this surprise her, but to be proactively prepared to assist employees and their families in need.
“Educating our employees on the dangers of prescription medications and the correct way to dispose of unused opioids was extremely important so we can be a force for good in our community,” she said.
That same principle of proactive care has long been part of Design Electric’s DNA. Founded in 1982 in Charlottesville, Virginia, the company became 100% employee-owned in 2020 and today employs 135 people serving commercial and industrial clients throughout the region.
Empowered by Ownership
Design Electric’s teams have worked on some of the most important facilities in Virginia, including the University of Virginia hospital, James Madison University and Sentara Martha Jefferson Hospital.
Terrell began her career at Design Electric as a high school summer helper, later becoming a receptionist, accounting manager and controller before earning her Certified Construction Industry Financial Professional credential and joining the board of directors as its first female member.
“We are empowered by 100% employee ownership and innovation,” she said. “Our collaborative and innovative environment values team input, fostering a culture where employees’ insights drive continuous improvement and excellence.”
The company’s culture of ownership is directly tied to how it develops and supports people. Through mentorship, apprenticeship and leadership development programs, Design Electric focuses on helping employees grow into the next version of themselves, both professionally and personally.
HR Manager Cassandra Roop has seen how this focus on development drives engagement. “When people know there’s a clear path forward and leaders who care about their growth, they show up differently,” she said. “Promotions are happening from within, and the energy across our teams is contagious.”
Beyond the Jobsite
Design Electric supports a range of community organizations, including the Building Goodness Foundation, the Blue Ridge food bank, Isaiah 117 House and the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. The company donates electrical materials, sponsors fundraisers, and supports scholarships and trade programs at local career centers. These outreach efforts reinforce the idea that recovery, mental health and safety are communitywide efforts that begin with care and connection.
For Terrell, that message carries personal meaning. As president of the CFMA Blue Ridge Chapter, she continues to use her platform to educate others and build a network of champions for mental health, substance use, suicide prevention and recovery.
“When I see programs geared toward women or professional empowerment, I make sure my co-workers know about them and invite them to attend with me,” she said. “It’s important to show that you’re there to lift others up and help them grow.”
Her advice to anyone entering the industry mirrors the culture she’s helped shape at Design Electric. “Don’t ever feel you don’t deserve a seat at the table or that you don’t deserve an opportunity that’s given to you. Take that opportunity, because you never know what it’s going to lead to.”
Leading With Care
SAFE Project’s mission to normalize conversations about mental health and substance use fits naturally with Design Electric’s long-standing approach to well-being. The company offers access to a nurse, doctor and financial wellness advisors and frequently holds companywide huddles to share mental health resources.
Training programs now include Mental Health First Aid and leadership development modules that address how to recognize and respond when someone is struggling. The company’s safety team carries naloxone and uses toolbox talks to discuss topics like stress management, recovery and communication.
“Our safety staff are extremely approachable and empathetic, which is important,” Terrell said. “Our employees know they have their best interests at heart, so when they have to point out a safety concern, it’s understood that it comes from a place of care.”
Prevention & Preparedness
Design Electric’s caring culture extends beyond mental health to holistic well-being. Through participation in a local health care consortium, employees receive comprehensive medical, mental health and financial wellness benefits, often at little or no cost.
That network recently made all the difference for one employee who experienced hearing loss caused by a tumor. The company’s benefits partners coordinated his appointments at Johns Hopkins University Hospital, arranged travel and lodging, and covered all associated costs, allowing him to focus entirely on recovery.
“It’s a perfect example of what happens when a company truly puts people first,” Terrell said. “When employees are cared for, they can focus on doing great work and caring for others.”
Design Electric’s safety and human resources teams encourage employees to become advocates for wellness and education by integrating well-being into their safety culture. They also equip leaders with practical steps to reduce stigma, encourage openness and connect employees to help when it’s needed most.