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History

Founded in 1963 by incorporating officers Richard McBride and George Bryant, Southern Contracting was awarded it’s first job for the installation of the Dry Utility and Electrical Distribution System for one of the first housing subdivisions in Rancho Bernardo, California. This project, which also consisted of the Rancho Bernardo Headquarters and 500 residential units, soon led to multiple subdivision projects and before long, Southern found themselves growing into streetlighting installation and roadway lighting.
In the late 1960’s, Southern Contracting diversified into other technical fields of electrification, including sewage treatment plants and water pumping stations. With the seventy’s approaching, Southern was able to create opportunity in a housing boom that would carry for eight years in San Diego County. Many of the surrounding utility companies open their doors to outside construction and allowed Southern to partner with other utility company’s in an effort to handle the overload of utility work. This soon paved the way for Southern to enter into Outside Line Construction.
In early 1976, Southern Contracting was approached to participate in a new concept called Design and Build (“Turnkey”) with Kaiser Aetna Company. Southern was awarded this Camp Pendleton based project and built to complete 800 living units without outsourcing and without subcontractors.
By the late 1970’s Southern had built a reputation as company of unmatched expertise and outstanding customer satisfaction, this reputation led Southern into some major electrification installations throughout San Diego and Orange County for San Diego Gas and Electric. It was also at this same time, that Union Oil came into Brawley, California to build the sophisticated pilot 10M.W. Geothermal Plant. Southern was awarded this project and pleased the owners by coming in on schedule that they were later awarded a second project, the 10M.W. Plant at the Saltine Sea.
In early 1980, Richard W. McBride was instrumental in getting Senate bill 48 signed into Law by the Governor of the State of California. This Bill now presents the Developer/Builders with a tool called “Applicant Installation”. Where once controlled by the utilities, this tool gives the developer complete control over the installation and scheduling of the underground and overhead utilities.
In the mid 1980’s, as the Navy began retrofitting electrical infrastructure at Military bases throughout the Southwest United States, Southern seized the growth opportunity and was awarded projects on almost every base in San Diego and subsequently awarded additional contracts due to their high performance evaluations with the Navy.
In the early 1990’s, Southern Contracting expanded into Mexico and contracted with Samsung Corporation of Soel, Korea to build ten miles of 230Kv overhead and a complete substation to power up their new 250,000SF monitor factory. Also in the 90’s Southern made its way into the Design /Build of wastewater treatment plants and pump stations. By teaming up with larger General Contractors, Southern was awarded projects based on the electrical design, scheduling, overall pricing and past performance.
Today, 41 years later, Southern Contracting Company is successfully lead by Timothy R. McBride. Tim continues to build Southern on the basis of the same core values his father established of safety, quality and leadership. Southern Contracting is very proud to have earned the respect of it’s employees, competitors, customers and business associates and is looking forward to another 4 decades of success.