Despite being learning-disabled, Ira Stahl (seen here with his staff) has built a successful business over more than four decades.

by Len Lear

Ira Stahl, 65, has done quite well for someone who is learning-disabled. A native of West Philadelphia, Stahl did not go to college after his years at Overbrook High School, choosing instead to go to a trade school in Northeast Philly, where he learned to be a TV repairman and electrician.

But after working for other people, Ira was determined to be his own boss, so in 1976 he started Stahl Electric, Inc., with two employees at 2860 Mt. Carmel Ave. in Glenside. Today, 41 years later, Stahl, who now has 11 employees, is still shining a light on area homes and businesses.

In particular, they specialize in older homes and renovations. According to Stahl, “Our belief in calling back customers in a timely manner and showing up to appointments on time is our top priority. Keeping an open line of communication between architects, contractors, designers and homeowners makes our company stand out from the competition. All of the staff regularly attends continuing education classes to stay current on the latest technologies, building and electrical codes and techniques.”

But Stahl has not forgotten what it was like to be a young person from whom not much was expected, so he regularly gives motivational lectures to handicapped students. “I tell them that I am learning-disabled,” said Ira, “but that you can be very successful, even if you have learning disabilities.”

Stahl also has an excellent reputation for giving back to the community. He sponsors several local teams: Chestnut Hill Youth Sports Club baseball, basketball, soccer, softball and lacrosse teams and Ardsley North Hills Athletic Association spring soccer team and Little League.

Stahl also serves on the Board of Directors of Mercy Vocational Tech, Orleans Technical Institute and Brightwood Career Institute. The firm collects donations for dogs and cats and gives them to a rescue yearly, partnering with High Point Café in Mt. Airy. This year, as in past years, they are supporting Lou Gehrig’s Disease research, the Multiple Sclerosis Walk, Aid for Africa and the Susan G. Komen 3-Day walk, where they distribute water, soft pretzels, donuts and moral support from a “cheer station” in front of their office. This year they also participated in a Holiday Food Drive and have supported Doctors Without Borders, Special Olympics and Wounded Warriors.

When asked what he attributes his business’ longevity to, instead of tooting his own whistle, Stahl gave credit to Gary Marchewski, who has worked there for 28 years, and Matt Phinney, who has been with Stahl for 15 years. “They are both partners and are both like family,” said Stahl.

According to Stahl, the most common problems that people need their services for are lighting repairs, house rewiring and generators. The biggest changes for electricians over the last four decades have been in electronic controls, energy saving and automated light and switch and control systems.

According to his website, “Most homeowners and inspectors cannot always identify the age of wiring. It takes a trained electrician to do this. If your home was built between 1920 and 1960, the wiring that was used has a tendency to dry rot and cause many problems. Your house should be inspected to determine if your wiring is up-to-date.”

The biggest job Stahl ever did was $150,000 per home for four different homes owned by one long-term customer. What was the hardest thing Stahl ever had to do in his business? “The time and effort in training new people.” When asked if he ever had a customer who was too difficult to deal with, Stahl answered very succinctly, “Yes.”

Stahl’s biggest pet peeves in the business are those who do not display “cleanliness at the job, honesty, returning people’s calls and giving estimates in a timely manner and scheduling.”

The business review website yelp.com, has five reviews of Stahl Electric, all five stars, and Stahl’s website has 10 rave reviews from customers. We wanted to quote a few, but a spokesperson for Stahl told us that all customers who wrote the reviews wanted to remain anonymous.

How many more years does Stahl think he will be working? “To be determined.”

What would he like to do after retiring? “Travel and more motivational speaking.”

More information at 215-572-6242 or http://www.stahlelectric.com