Mark One Electric powers success through its commitment to the Kansas City community
Since 1974, Mark One Electric (Mark One) has been delivering advanced electrical expertise, experience, and service to general contractors, developers, facility managers, and business owners throughout the Midwest. In its early days, the company primarily served small businesses, commercial clients, and industrial accounts, quickly establishing a reputation for completing challenging projects for demanding clients. Before long, Mark One expanded its reach, taking on work in automotive plants and industrial facilities across the nation.
“Mark One is a trusted, full-service electrical contracting firm proudly based in Kansas City, with headquarters uniquely situated on the state line between Missouri and Kansas – giving us a strong presence in both states. As a second-generation, family-owned, WBE-certified (woman-owned) business, we are committed to delivering high-quality electrical construction and design-build services with integrity, innovation, and decades of experience.
“Our expertise spans a wide array of sectors, including commercial, industrial, healthcare, mission-critical, entertainment, sports infrastructure, and renewable energy. From stadiums and data centers to hospitals and high-rise developments, our diverse portfolio showcases our capability to execute complex electrical systems with precision, reliability, and care across a broad range of markets,” states Rosana Privitera Biondo, President.
The Privitera family has owned Mark One for its entire existence. Having taken over the family business from her parents, Rosana shares how the company evolved under her leadership. “I have been with the company since it was founded in 1974, originally working under the leadership of my parents, Carl and Josephine Privitera, who were the original owners of Mark One. After 20 years of learning the ropes, I became President and CEO in 1994, while my three siblings, Carl, Joe, and Tony, assumed the roles of Vice Presidents in 1974. Together, we have been able to carry our parents’ legacy forward.”
Serving as President of the business for 31 years has allowed Rosana to form a unique perspective on the experiences of women in leadership roles in a male-dominated field like construction. “In any business, whether male- or female-owned, it is incumbent upon the leader themselves to find their way of navigating difficult times and subjects. I often say that some of this is a learned skill, while some is innate. Likewise, I believe my inclination to speak out and not fear other people’s opinions is part of my nature. It is a matter of finding the right balance. At this stage in my career, I am trying to be more mindful of that balance and it is something I actively work on,” she expresses.
Mission critical projects
Data centers have become a significant area of interest for Mark One as the company actively expands into this booming industry. “One of the reasons we are concentrating on data centers is their investments in our community. The data center industry has seen unprecedented growth in Kansas City over the past two years, and I am eager to see how we can establish ourselves in this market, and so far, things are looking promising. While some contractors have sought data center work opportunities outside the Kansas City area, we have chosen to remain committed to our community. I believe we have done an excellent job of learning the precise, technical, and safety-driven approaches required in this field. Although these are principles we already prioritize, we are now taking our skills a notch above. As we near the completion of one of our first major data center projects, we aim to apply the lessons we learned to the next three jobs we have secured, which we are very excited about,” Rosana elaborates.
Beyond that, Mark One has been actively involved in multiple projects that directly support its local community. “We believe that Kansas City has a robust pipeline
of large, mission critical projects on the horizon. In addition, there are many exciting sports initiatives underway, a sector we truly enjoy. The Kansas City Chiefs are performing exceptionally well these days, and they are considering investing in either a new stadium or a renovation of their existing one. Similarly, our World Series champion Kansas City Royals are considering building a new stadium. In the past, we have been fortunate to work on projects for the Chiefs, the Royals, Sporting Kansas City, and the Kansas City Current, all of which were large schemes pivotal for the future of our city.
“There are also ongoing discussions about many significant infrastructure projects in Kansas City, such as the construction of a tunnel over our highway and a big park in the heart of the city. Both of these schemes are thrilling, once-in-a-lifetime endeavors. One of our major recent projects was the new Kansas City International Airport, which stands as one of the largest jobs we have ever completed. Our connection to the airport has a bit of history; my father, when he ran the company, worked on the previous Kansas City International Airport as well as the old downtown airport. As a result, we have now contributed to all three of Kansas City’s airports: the former small private airport, the initial Kansas City International, and now the new Kansas City International. Thus, our company has some history in our city’s landscape, and this is something we will take pride in for years to come,” Rosana adds.
The ongoing Project Kansas, a battery plant, is another noteworthy scheme Rosana is keen to discuss. “We are one of several large electrical contractors involved in Project Kansas, and we feel both privileged and grateful to be part of this scheme. With a large group of people already engaged, we are currently working on Wing One and Wing Two, and we hope to take on Wing Three soon.”
Before we conclude our conversation, Rosana emphasizes the importance of Mark One’s workforce in achieving this success. “The thing I am proudest of as a business owner is our amazing employees. I want to shine the spotlight on them rather than on myself. These wonderful people are the ones who get the job done and drive our success through the hard work they put in. I want to take this opportunity to thank them for all they do for us,” she ends.