Steve Lekvold: 42 Years in the Line Trade

High voltage worker stories:
STEVE LEKVOLD

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JL TRADES TRAINER

Prior roles: 38 YEARS SCE RETIRED, RETIRED USAF
Location: winchester, ca

years in the trade: 42 years

@lekakacoach

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A great lineman is well rounded, knowledgable and capable working both underground and overhead.

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A great lineman is well rounded, knowledgable and capable working both underground and overhead.

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Stories in the trade

This series hands the mic to the folks who keep the lights on—how they got in, what they’ve seen, and where the trade’s headed

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How did you first get into the line trade?

In early 1982, I reported to my Air Force Reserve unit at March AFB in California. The first person I met was a journeyman lineman who worked for Southern California Edison. That friendship eventually led to him helping me get into the trade.

What was it about the work that made you want to stick with it?

At the time I was making around $4.25 an hour, while the groundman position paid around $7.50, so it was obviously the best job I'd ever had. It offered great benefits, a brotherhood, and the opportunity to be a part of a team that took tremendous pride in craftsmanship and productivity.

It also gave me a place to channel my competitive nature.

you've been around this trade for a long time. What's something about linework that you don't think people today fully understand?

I don't think people fully understand the number of hours linemen work to keep the lights on or how dangerous the trade really is.

When we're together tail boarding and developing a plan to safely do the work, it may look like we are not focused on getting the power restored. In reality, we are focused on doing the job safely so everyone can go home.

What's something about linework that you don't think people today fully understand?

I don't think people fully understand the number of hours linemen work to keep the lights on or how dangerous the trade really is.

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I don’t think people fully understand the number of hours linemen work to keep the lights on or how dangerous the trade really is.

I’m alive and thankful. It just goes to show how important communication and situational awareness are.

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This trade is hard on the body so having some money working for you is a good thing to set up for your future.

I don’t think people fully understand the number

of hours linemen work

to keep the lights on

or how dangerous the

trade really is.

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What's a mistake or hard lesson from early in your career that you still think about today?

That experience takes me right back to the previous answer. An oversight on my part could have easily ended in a fatality.

Several linemen in our trade have lost their lives to induction. I was fortunate to survive, learn from the experience, and make sure that mistake would never happen again in my career.

What's one day or job from your career that you'll probably never forget?

It was the morning I received a call from one of my lineman brothers telling me there had been a fatal incident involving a young man I had personally mentored and trained during his apprenticeship.

He was working in a vault when the incident occurred. It's a day I will never forget.

Was there ever a moment on the job where you thought, "This is serious"? What happened?

I was a young journeyman sitting on a bundled 500kV conductor that was dead and grounded, preparing to rig the conductor for a gunshot-insulator replacement. During the rigging process, I brushed the yoke and received an induction shock that got my attention immediately.

I quickly realized I had become part of another electrical path to ground. We stopped the work and installed a personal ground between the winch line and the conductor so I could safely complete the rigging.

That moment taught me firsthand how serious induction can be.

What's a mistake or hard lesson from early in your career that you still think about today?

That experience takes me right back to the previous answer. An oversight on my part could have easily ended in a fatality.

Several linemen in our trade have lost their lives to induction. I was fortunate to survive, learn from the experience, and make sure that mistake would never happen again in my career.

Who was the person who taught you the most about being a lineman—and what did they teach you?

That person would be Maverick Rogers. He was my foreman for approximately six years and had more than 30 years in the trade at that time.

He mentored me not only in linework, but also in life—financial responsibility, marriage, raising a family, and how to be successful. He became like a father figure to me and those lessons have stayed with me.

Today, I am reaping the benefits of what he taught me.

What's something this trade taught you about life that had nothing to do with climbing a pole?

Safety is something we practice every day on the job and you carry that mindset home with you. It's made me much more safety conscious with my family and in everyday life.

And on a lighter note, I learned that while driving on a washboard dirt road you've got to hit 45 mph so it doesn't beat you to death.

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People totally misunderstand the brains and dedication this trade takes.

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I’ve been able to step up and mentor my brothers

whether it was in the trade or in their personal lives.

I’m alive and thankful. It just goes to show how important communication and situational awareness are.

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I think someone who’s a self starter and can focus on the task at hand is gonna do very well in this trade.

I’ve been able to step up and mentor my brothers

whether it was in the trade or in their personal lives.

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When you look back, what was the hardest part of the job that people on the outside never saw?

That's an easy one: the drive home after working long, extended hours.

I made it through more than 40 years in the trade without ever falling asleep at the wheel. Looking back, I feel pretty lucky to have accomplished that.

What's the accomplishment in your career that you're most proud of?

Honestly, it is the times I've been able to step up and mentor my brothers whether it was in the trade or in their personal lives.

One brother later told me that taking the time to tell him I cared about him helped save his marriage and possibly his life. You can't put a price on that.

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Safety is something we practice every day on the job

and you carry that mindset home with you.

I’m alive and thankful. It just goes to show how important communication and situational awareness are.

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My advice to anyone thinking about getting in the trade is do it, you won’t regret it! There are so many avenues that you can take. Best job I’ve ever had.

Safety is something we practice every day on the job

and you carry that mindset home with you.

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Have some heart for the trade, and care about your work,

not just the income.

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You've seen a lot of linemen come through the trade. What separates the really great ones from everybody else?

I'll tell you one thing a great lineman isn't and that is a bully. I had them coming up and I always figured if I didn't like being treated that way, why would I do it to somebody else?

A great lineman is well rounded, knowledgable and capable working both underground and overhead. They're safe, professional, focused and willing to mentor the younger guys.

They take initiative, follow the rules and always want to be better at whatever they do.

What do you see in a young lineman that makes you think, "That kid is going to be really good"?

First, they've got to have a thick skin. You don't have to tolerate abuse, but you do need to understand that when good lineman get on you, it's usually because they care about you and want you to succeed. If you're getting the silent treatment, that's when you should really worry.

Second, they are competitive. They want to be better than the next guy. Third, they show initiative. Even when there is downtime, they find something productive to do. They ask questions, speak up when they see something unsafe and keep themselves physically and mentally fit.

And finally, they understand that being a great lineman also means having a healthy balance between work and home.

You've seen the industry change over the years. What's changed for the better and what do you think we've lost along the way?

Without a doubt, the tools and equipment. Battery operated tools, especially Milwaukee, have been a lifesaver. I wish I had them 41 years ago.

So much of the work used to be physically wrenching, cutting and pulling by hand. Today's tools save your hands, shoulders and elbows. The trucks and equipment have also evolved tremendously: line tucks, bucket trucks, stringing equipment, pulling and tensioning equipment. It's all 100% better than it was 40 years ago.

What we have lost along the way is probably some of the old school hands on experience and fundamentals of linework.

What's one piece of advice you wish someone had given you when you were 20 years old?

I was lucky, I got advice from my father. He had just retired after 20 years as a naval officer, and I was struggling to figure out what I wanted to do with my life.

He told me to join the military and get into a Reserve unit, because I would be surrounded by professionals from all walks of life who could help me find a career.

He couldn't have been more right.

When you look back at your career now, what did this trade give you that you never expected?

It gave me the opportunity to compete in lineman rodeos. With the hours and unpredictability of this trade, it is tough to be part of a traditional team, whether it be softball, bowling or anything else because you have to be accountable to your teammates.

So, when lineman rodeos came along, and my company supported them, I was all in.

It gave me the competition and teamwork I had always enjoyed.

You've gone from doing the work yourself to coaching guys who compete in these rodeos. What do you see in a lineman when they're really good at what they do?

My guys are highly competitive, but it goes beyond that. They're physically fit, they care about each other and they hate losing more than they love winning.

Coming off the 2025 World Championship, we had a team member leave the company. But, we had a true "next man up" mentality. Joe, our groundman from last season, stepped into a climbing position, and we added Alex as the groundman.

It's taken some adjustments this season, but I think we are in a good position to compete at a high level at the ILR in October. And I have to give credit where credit is due: without Raul Guardado and Local 47's support we would never have achieved the success we have had.

If you could stand next to the young guy you were when you first started in the trade, what would you tell him?

I'd tell him to invest in gold and Apple stock and never sell.

Honestly, I wouldn't change a thing. I've had the ride of a lifetime and it all starts with my beautiful wife, Yvonne who I have been married to for 41 years.

What a lucky and blessed man I am to have her by my side. Yvonne has shown me what a great wife and mother looks like and I can honestly say this career would not have been possible without her.

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a great lineman also means having a healthy balance between work and home.

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We’re High Voltage Industries

High Voltage Industries started because the most dangerous and essential work in America is also the most invisible. You put your lives on the line every single day and people don't even know what you do.

We're here to share your stories and honor the sacrifices you make so people can flip a switch every day. And we make gear for those who literally risk their lives to keep the world running.

This is your story

Working in conditions others won't face, taking risks others can’t even imagine, solving problems others can't understand, carrying responsibility others can't handle. The grid doesn't maintain itself.

We're telling that story.