Today we’d like to introduce you to Jay Piner.
Hi Jay, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself
My name is Jay Piner, and I’m the Vice President of Wando Builders Inc. Wando Builders Inc. was started by my father, George A. Z. Johnson III, in 1991, in Charleston SC. He started as a spec builder and grew into not only a spec builder but also an amazing custom home builder as well. It was always a dream of mine to join his company’s ranks one day, and become a builder. As a teenager in high school at Bishop England, and during my summers, I mowed lots, cleaned job sites, and learned some of the basics of residential construction. As I entered my college-era at the College of Charleston for business, Dad encouraged me to get some other construction experience. I was luckily given the opportunity as an electrical apprentice at a family-owned business here in Charleston SC, Heinsohn Electric, doing new construction wiring. Being an electrical apprentice was exciting and I felt I was learning retaining quite a bit of the knowledge I was being handed down. I worked at Heinsohn through the rest of my college-era. In 2007, Dad and I rehashed the idea of me coming on to the Wando Builders team. Unfortunately, and fortunately, he saw the housing bubble of 2008 coming and expressed to me to stay where I was, and to continue with my electrical trade. Luckily one of the owners and operators I worked for at Heinsohn Electric, Greg Mappus, was not only a great electrician but an amazing Businessman as well. In 2007 he too saw the bubble coming and he purchased the franchise rights to Mister Sparky for the Charleston area. Greg kept me on as an electrician to help grow his new electrical company that focused on service work rather than just new construction wiring. Becoming a 24-hr. service technician/electrician really taught me so much. My electrical skills grew exponentially, my people skills expanded, and Greg always ran his business while teaching and bettering his employees so that they knew he wanted them to grow, and if they left him one day, they would be better off than they started. I did end up leaving Mister Sparky in 2014. It is a 24hr service company, and with the birth of our 2nd child, and my wife, Kathryn Piner, working in the Bon Secour St. Francis Hospital’s operating room and also being on call, we could not both be out in the middle of the night working. It was a very tough decision, but I ended leaving Mister Sparky. Again, I was extremely lucky in my career path, and a previous colleague of mine, Dan Blocker, was looking for someone to help grow and manage his service side of his electrical company D. B. Electrical Division. This company was not 24hr and did not work weekends which allowed me to be there for my growing family and still grow as an electrician and manager. He too was an amazing owner/operator and taught me so much. At my time at D. B. Electrical I was introduced to one of our clients, Tori Stein. She was an award-winning renovator and designer. We completed most all of her electrical work, and while doing so we became friends. Through our friendship, not only did our families become close and travel and have lots of fun together, she introduced me to the world of residential renovation. She took me under her wing, taught me so much about that industry, and encouraged me to get my electrical license. In 2018 my father called a said he was ready to think about his retirement, and wanted me to join his team and hopefully take over his company one day. I was extremely excited to accept this opportunity, but unfortunately, that meant leaving D. B. Electrical. Dan was great about my leaving, he wished me nothing but the best and we still keep up to this day. I came on to Wando Builders Inc in 2018, became Vice President in 2019, brought my electrical license and knowledge that I accrued from Greg Mappus and Dan Blocker, and my renovation experience from Tori Stein. Now Wando Builders Inc has 2 sides to its company; a construction side that performs new construction: spec and custom builds, renovations and additions, and home repairs, and an electrical division called Wando Builders Electrical Division: that has 4 plus crews that do service and new construction residential and commercial electric work all around the Charleston area and Islands. I have since 2018 also joined the Charleston Home Builders Assocation and am this year, 2022, the Vice President, and was appointed onto the Charleston County’s Board of Adjustments and Appeals. I’ve been so fortunate in my career to have been and continue to be around such great people that teach and inspire growth!
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle-free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
The road was not always smooth. The leaders around me, helping mold my career, made it smoother than I could ever ask for.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
We build spec and custom homes. We perform residential renovations, additions, and home repairs. We perform electrical service and repair work around the Charleston area for all homeowners and business owners. We wire new construction residential and commercial properties. I am most proud of our team and how all of them strive to be the best and to always be bettering themselves. Again, our team sets us apart from other, our dedication to our customers and to our community.
Can you talk to us a bit about the role of luck?
I believe through luck and faith; both have played quite a bit in my career path. Of course, my dedication and drive got me day to day, luck and faith Def helped out.
Contact Info:
- Email: Wandobuilders@gmail.com
- Website: www.Wandobuilders.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Wando-Builders-Inc-368385476987306/
