“Because of Mark’s guidance and determined efforts, our IEC chapter has a certified low voltage apprenticeship training program,” Niel Dawson, Executive Director for the IEC Atlanta and Georgia Chapters, says. Tibbetts’ selection as Atlanta’s IEC Member of the Year is grounded in “his guidance and leadership,” according to Dawson.
“Especially in today’s climate of volunteerism, Tibbetts and his company represent the epitome of such American spirit,” IEC Executive Vice President Bill Mathisen said.
A strong IEC supporter, Tibbetts and a crew from the Tibs Group donated both time and materials to build a low voltage training lab at the chapter’s Atlanta headquarters. Tibbetts, who serves nationally on the IEC’s Data-Communications Committee, also donated time and materials to set up the association’s showcase technology room in the new IEC National office in Alexandria, Va.
"I feel lucky to be associated with the people I work with at Tibs and the IEC who continue to pour their hearts, time and talents into their efforts,” Tibbetts says. “It's an honor to be recognized and fun to participate in the success of these initiatives.”
Tib’s commitment to the community is not limited to IEC. Last year, Tibs Group prepared approximately 80 1.5-megawatt generators and shipped them to New York to provide power for buildings that lost electricity as a result of the September 11th attacks on the World Trade Center. According to Tibbetts, the impact of the explosions and collapse of the buildings caused major problems to New York's complex underground electrical system within the immediate and adjoining blocks of the World Trade Center. The generators that Tibs Group prepared offered backup power sources for these facilities.
Tibbetts said the following in a press release on September 19th: "We at Tibs want to help in some way. We've seen the tragedy on television, and it makes you feel helpless. We took the call around 9:30 a.m. that Tuesday morning from GE asking us to prepare. With this project, we can feel like we are contributing.”
Tibbetts also said, “Our staff left their families at a very difficult time, worked all hours of the night and completed the work with a great attitude. It is an honor to take part in such a special assignment and experience what this country is really made of. It's all about people!"
A strong believer in apprenticeship programs, Tibbetts felt honored in late 2001 when Tibs Group employee Larry King was selected from the nation’s 11,000 apprentices as the IEC National Electrical Apprentice of the Year.
Tibbetts himself began as an electrical apprentice, working at the family company during school breaks -- in estimating, engineering, project management and sales management before becoming CEO in 1996. He has served on IEC committees both locally and nationally and is a Registered Communication Distribution Designer (RCDD). Active in the Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce, Tibbetts was a finalist in the Chamber’s Small Business Person of the Year award in 2000. A graduate of West Georgia College, Tibbetts is married with two children.