Meet Lead Electrician Matt Bland

Matt Bland is a man who likes to stay busy. Since starting at RMS in May of 2021, he’s worked on dozens of projects, as a key member of the flourishing electrical division of the company.

“I’ve always liked getting my hands dirty,” Bland says, though you’d never know it given his neat and orderly approach as RMS’ lead electrician. He prefers the dichotomy—he simultaneously gets to “make something out of nothing” each day, and meanwhile, he marvels at the noticeable organization and planning for each project. This structure, he feels, “starts at the top and trickles down to everyone.”

He knows the significance of this dynamic. Prior to his time here at RMS, he worked under various other contractors, including one spell alongside current Director of Electrical Services Grant Lehman. Lehman left that company to join RMS.

A few years later, Lehman knew exactly who to contact when the concept of an electrical services division was formed. When the new RMS relocated to its new headquarters, the RMS electrical division finally had the proper resources to create optimal efficiency.

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“In the old office, HR and electrical were in a tiny room together; we had a shelf or two in the back garage, and that was it,” Bland reminisces. “Now we have our own warehouse space, our own office and our own bathroom!” The electrical division at the RMS headquarters also includes a training lab set up for the new generation of electricians to learn the RMS way. “Plus,” Bland adds with a chuckle, “we have parking!”

Beyond the extra space for a vehicle (or three dozen), the new HQ also has room specifically for a new hands-on training lab, which Bland helped to design. New apprentices from local schools, such as the Lancaster Career and Technology Center, can practice with real tools and training techniques to best learn the advanced RMS' methods—including, but not limited to, the electrical services division. This approach to training from within is a core component to RMS' success in the present and the future.

Beyond training the youngsters, Bland always ensures a cohesive gameplan for each project, starting by gathering all the materials and gear necessary. Furthermore, he notes, everyone must be ready to work as an integral member of the RMS team, who all serve the foundational role of supporting the clients’ visions.

“The people here are super to work with. They make you want to go to work every day,” Bland says about his fellow coworkers. “The people and our work here are reliable, for sure, and we’re flexible. You don’t make it [in this industry] otherwise.” Though each project necessarily has a plan, Bland and the electrical services team are ready to pivot when a client’s needs change.

Bland recalls a particularly rewarding client from the Hummelstown/Hershey area who had a residence with a large outdoor living area, complete with a swimming pool and pool house. The client updated their technology needs at multiple places, and the team had to be ready to adjust and adapt. “Our clients have expectations” of RMS, Bland notes, “and they are not afraid of change. You have to be flexible—that’s why we keep clients!”

Lutron lighting and control systems have been a particular source of interest for Bland, including the aforementioned residential project, which was one of the first where he was able to witness the engaging customization tools and modular integration. “It was all very educational to me,” he adds.

When asked what excites him most about working at RMS, Bland pauses before stating the satisfaction of looking at his work at the end of each day. He also, without a trace of irony in his voice, offers that he enjoys running conduit! “I’ve certainly seen some ugly ones,” he says before detailing the importance of straight and perpendicular lines. “I find the challenge to be fun,” he says.

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He also enjoys (when not running crisp conduit) a round of golf, though he is quick to add that his handicap should be the first indication that he’s in it for the social element, not for competitive purposes. At his Holtwood home, he has boxes and boxes of comic books, including plenty showcasing his favorite web-slinger, Spider-Man.

Recently, he gave his Disney+ subscription a workout and watched Black Panther: Wakanda Forever and the new season of Bad Batch. Any Star Wars property will be watched and re-watched by Bland, and he’s currently going back through Clone Wars.

Relaxation will only suit Bland for a brief period, though. As he gears up for another day providing top-notch service to another residential or commercial client, he knows he’s yet again putting those ever-ready hands to work, helping to grow RMS’ electrical services division and define its reputation for premier quality and value.

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