When Mark Walter stepped into Christenson Electric Inc., Portland, Ore., as a newly minted electronics engineering graduate in 1987, he didn’t know he was beginning a lifelong journey that would take him from a second-generation owned electrical shop to the top seat of the nation’s most influential electrical contractor membership association. What he did know, instilled in him before college in his hometown of 200 people in North Central Washington, was to “trust people and treat people fair.”

That simple phrase, a going-away gift from his father, has guided Walter through nearly four decades in the electrical industry, shaped his leadership philosophy, and now forms the foundation of his role as the new president of the National Electrical Contractors Association.

From associate project manager to president

Walter’s journey began at Christenson Electric, where he was hired straight out of school as a system designer. 

“I was working in their panel shop controls division and helped out in the fab shop and did some design work,” he said. 

His potential was quickly recognized. Within a short time, he was promoted to associate project manager in the utility and industrial division. Walter spent five years managing projects before leaving for Eastern Washington, where he joined Power City Electric in Spokane.

At Power City, his leadership continued to accelerate. He served as utility division manager before becoming director of operations. These were roles that broadened his view of the industry and solidified his interest in managing people and systems. 

“I worked for another 10 years at Power City,” he said. “Then I came back to Christenson in 2003 as director of operations. I was promoted to president about six months in.”

At the time, Christenson Electric had undergone dramatic change. The company, once family-owned, had been sold to management, then to private equity. The culture had shifted. Walter saw the best and the most challenging sides of organizational evolution, which would shape his leadership principles.

By 2007, the board chairman declared he would be spinning off and selling Christenson Electric to raise capital elsewhere. Walter moved quickly. 

“I promptly approached the bank, got the financial backing, and in August of 2008, took the company private again,” he said.

It was a pivotal moment. Back at the helm of an independent company, Walter rebuilt its culture, one rooted in autonomy, empowerment and trust. 

“We pulled the company back to life,” he said. “The culture of being able to trust people and work with them and give them the ability to go out and prove themselves … we really strived to embed that into the culture of the company.”

Deep regional roots and a national reach

In the years that followed, Walter assembled a strong executive team. Five years ago, he promoted long-time partner Sonja Rheaume to president and moved into the CEO role. Today, Christenson Electric employs roughly 400 people and is a recognized leader in the Pacific Northwest. Its service division is “the bread and butter of Christenson” and operates approximately 175 signature red service vehicles throughout the Portland metro area, serving electrical and technology customers.

The company’s construction portfolio spans industrial and commercial projects, including major wastewater facilities. But its most geographically expansive work comes from utility and renewables.

“We’ve done wind projects all over the United States: Texas, upstate New York and we’re working on offshore wind on the East Coast,” Walter said. 

The company also performs projects in California, Washington, Oregon and the Mountain West. Its teams are known for their adaptability and for operating from a single Portland headquarters rather than satellite offices. 

“Everything’s run out of Portland, but we have teams that understand working in remote locations, whether it’s offshore [which is a completely different game plan] or working onshore,” Walter said.

Through all of this, Walter emphasizes the value of autonomy, especially for service electricians. 

“We give our service drivers huge autonomy,” he said. “They basically feel like they’re running their own operation. They have the direct link to the customer. We definitely keep that link on the operational side, but we let them have that one-on-one conversation.” 

He believes this freedom builds trust, accountability and lasting client relationships.

A leadership philosophy shaped by family and experience

Walter credits his father and his early life on an apple and cherry orchard for shaping his work ethic. Growing up in a small farming town instilled resilience, resourcefulness and a sense of community. Later, working under different ownership structures, from family-run to private equity, taught him what kind of leader he wanted to be.

His mantra remains clear: Trust and treat people around you fairly.

“We let people rise to the level they want to rise to,” he said. “Everybody who comes on with us knows they’ve got a path somewhere. We treat them like a family, and we don’t want to get so big that we lose that.”

Why NECA, and why now?

Walter’s involvement with NECA spans years, both locally and nationally. His motivation to step into the presidency is rooted in gratitude and responsibility.

“The industry has treated me very well and treated my family well,” he said. “I want to see it maintained. Staying involved with the NECA brand has been very positive for our organization.”

He believes NECA’s strength lies in its ability to serve member contractors of every size if they can fully understand and access the resources available.

“There are so many contractors out there, a lot of them small guys who could really benefit from the training NECA offers, but they don’t utilize it,” he said. “I can call into NECA from the West Coast and have an issue or a question, and there’s somebody within the organization who can answer it. It’s the education this organization provides.”

As president, Walter hopes to increase awareness and use of NECA resources, expand engagement and strengthen the contractor community.

Beyond the office

Outside of work, Walter is deeply grounded in the Pacific Northwest lifestyle he loves. 

“We all love to be outdoors,” he said. “Everything from hunting to fishing to camping … we spend as much of our summers on the lake as we can, on the water with the kids and grandkids, wake surfing or doing whatever behind a boat.”

He revealed some lighter details too: he was his high school senior class president, and he sometimes eats popcorn with a fork!

A president for all contractors

Walter is acutely aware that the NECA membership represents companies ranging from a handful of employees to thousands. He intends to represent all of them.

“I pride myself on working for everybody: the one- or two-man shops to the 5,000-man shops,” he said. “Not that I can relate to all of them, but hopefully I can give some thought when decisions are being made and put myself in their shoes.”

His approach is rooted in empathy and perspective, shaped by decades of experience across company sizes and market sectors. He believes decisions must be made with attention to how they affect contractors at every level.

As Walter embarks on his tenure as NECA’s new president, he brings with him a leadership philosophy built on trust and experience that is shaped by tradition and innovation, and a deep appreciation for the people who power the electrical industry. 

His goal is simple but far-reaching: to strengthen the connection between NECA and its members so every contractor, large or small, understands the resources available to them and feels represented at the national level. He said he wants to be “working for everybody, to put myself in their shoes and see how each one of our members is going to be affected by anything that we come up with.”