They are brave souls at Streib Company. “When you can’t see the stuff you’re working with, it can be very stressful,” says owner Tom Streib of the electric currents he and his team have to monitor and direct each day. “And it would be even more stressful if you weren’t knowledgeable.” But that is not an issue since Streib Company (comprised of three divisions: Streib Electric, Streib Media and Streib Security) has been wiring our city—for sound, lighting and everything else—since 2004.
Tom Streib himself became an electrician right out of high school, 21 years ago. He now has a team of 54 that attends to every need, from updating old panel boxes to design-build projects, or entire electrical infrastructures for residential and commercial construction projects. Streib also installs generators, fire alarms, monitored security systems, cameras and smart home systems.
And there are new demands in the field these days: Streib says lightening-speed advances in technology mean his company must be on its toes, keeping abreast of new possibilities. Whether it’s because we humans are lazier, or because we simply have access to it, house systems are becoming more and more automated. At the gossamer touch of a smartphone screen (from Timbuktu, if necessary), we can dim our lights, close our shades and turn the music on. Security cameras can be monitored on smartphones, too to spot a burglar or keep an eye on an elderly parent.
Carl Beene, chief technical officer, says an integration system called Crestron brings all these parts of a home “into one brain,” so that everything works in concert to make your lifestyle easier. Having so many components, however, means electrical connections need to be especially tight and expertly installed to avoid the risk of fire. Streib says he is getting ready to install Crestron in his own home.
Whole-house audio and distributed video are in great demand these days as well. A single cable box now can bring super-crisp, ultra high-def pictures to every television in the house, Beene explains, and pristine sound can be piped to every room. He says he has installed 12 TVs in a single house, and in the past has programmed a fountain to play music. Advanced lighting and security systems also are desirable. “You never have to look like you’re not home again,” Beene says, adding that alarms can be armed or disarmed from afar, water heaters can be turned on or off, and all the lights in the house can be controlled from the comfort of your own bed.
“We continue to stay solution-focused in all aspects of our industry, challenging ourselves to raise the bar in both training and customer service,” says Streib. “We believe in strategically building our team to better serve our customers and develop lasting relationships.”
Photo: Bill Barrett
Streib Company attends to every electrical need, from updating old panel boxes to entire electrical infrastructures for residential and commercial construction projects. Pictured on the cover: Tom Streib. For more information, call 314.487.7474 or visit streibelectric.com.
Cover design by Allie Bronsky | Cover photo by Bill Barrett
