For more than 40 years, Thorco Electrical Construction has been a familiar name across the Inland Northwest, building a reputation for quality work, reliability and a willingness to tackle some of the region's most complex electrical projects.

The company provides commercial and industrial electrical construction, highway lighting, signalization, inside and outside plant data cabling, and overhead and underground high-voltage distribution work. 

Supporting those operations is a fleet of more than 50 pieces of rolling stock, allowing Thorco to deliver fast, professional service while managing a substantial workload. The company also offers specialized services such as directional boring, hydro excavation and rock sawing.

Leading the family-owned business today is Heather Duff, a third-generation member of the Thorco family who became president and part-owner in 2019.

"It's kind of in my blood," Duff said.

The company's roots date back to 1952, when Duff's grandparents, Cecil and Ruth Thorpe, started the business in Idaho's Silver Valley. In 1988, Thorco relocated to Coeur d'Alene, and Duff's parents, Jim and Brenda Thorpe, became part of the ownership team.

A 1998 graduate of Lake City High School, Duff began working for the company while still in school and spent years learning nearly every aspect of the business.

"I've basically been in this business most of my life," she said.

In the early years, she worked in payroll, estimating and numerous office roles, gaining a detailed understanding of the company's operations. 

Although she earned a degree in exercise science from Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff, she felt drawn back to the family business. She came home.

For 15 years, Duff prepared for a leadership role. She watched. She listened. She asked questions. She studied.

"Learning every aspect I could, what we do, how we do it, the dos and the don'ts," she said.

The transition into leadership was gradual.

"It was a very, very long transition," she said.

Today, Duff oversees a workforce of about 35 employees. She describes her daily responsibilities as simply doing "whatever is needed."

Her days often begin at 6 a.m. and end when the work is done. A typical schedule includes responding to emails, taking calls, meeting with clients, planning projects and visiting job sites, all of which is designed to give her team the tools for success.

"My job is to make sure they can do their job well," she said.

Despite holding the title of president, Duff regularly visits jobsites.

"I wear blue jeans and cowboy boots because I have to go from my office to the field in an instant," she said.

Duff credits much of her success to the work ethic instilled by her parents and grandparents.

"This is our family legacy and we treat it as such," she said. "None of us take it lightly."

While her mother's accounting background and her father's engineering expertise helped shape the company, Duff found her own niche.

"I have neither of those," she said. "Mine is management."

She considers organization, structure and proactive planning among her strengths. Her focus is creating an environment where employees have what they need to perform at a high level.

That commitment to her team is one reason she especially enjoys the construction industry.

"I love the people in it," Duff said. "Construction people are a different breed. They are no-BS, straight-to-it kind of people."

"You're not going to get another industry where people are that straightforward," she added.

She speaks highly of her team.

"My crew is the best there is," she said. "We have a good time, but man, do we get some stuff done."

Like many women in construction, Duff has faced challenges in an industry traditionally dominated by men. Early assumptions about her abilities occasionally surface, but she has learned to let her experience and leadership speak for themselves.

"It can take some time for companies to understand what I bring to the table," she said. "I'm used to it. I just let people get to know me and what I bring to the table."

Even after years in the industry, Duff said each day can bring something new.

"There is always something to learn," she said.

Looking ahead, she believes Thorco is well positioned for continued expansion.

"The structure is in place for growth," she said. "We're ready to go, start piling on the work, add the manpower and grow."

As technology continues to transform the construction industry, Thorco remains focused on innovation, efficiency and maintaining the reputation it has spent decades building.

"Our reputation is strong in town," Duff said. "People know us. They know what kind of work we do. Our reputation means everything to us. We will put our all into everything."

That reputation is tied closely to the community that has supported the company for generations. Thorco regularly supports nonprofits.

"We always give back to the community because they are the reason we're still here," Duff said. "We feel blessed for what we have been given."

Asked about keys to success in her field, Duff doesn't hesitate.

"Have a really good crew around you, be organized and find ways of doing things better than everybody else, faster and more efficient," she said.

And when the right team is in place?

"They will crush it."