Your Tempe Electrician, Dent Electric:  When you want it done right the first time!

Dent Electrics roots started in Northern Virginia. My father started his electrical contracting business in 1965. His good work ethics along with his knowledge soon got him recognition in a local area reputable magazine called the Washingtonian; he rated in the top 20 electrical contractors in the Washington DC, Maryland, and northern Virginia area.

On a warm July morning in 1965, James Dent, my father, entered the office of his employer, Bowden Electric and was confronted by his boss. He told my father that he knew he was moonlighting and that he had to choose between his side jobs and his full time job. My father had 20 homes roughed in. He couldn’t bail out on the builder half way through the job; hence, Dent Electric was born. He went on to complete those homes and continued wiring homes for that builder for eight years, until that builder retired. This left my father in a precarious position. He needed to find a means of continuing to provide his skills and knowledge he had learned in the navy and in the field to people in need of quality electrical work. He went out on a limb and put an ad in the yellow pages as a service electrician. It paid off. Being one of only two service electricians in the northern Virginia area, it brought in plenty of calls. His dedication to quality workmanship, honesty, and ethics is what put him on the Washingtonian Magazines list of top 20 electrical contractors in the tri-state area some 30 years later. In 1993, he turned the business over to me, but only after I passed the Virginia state master electrician exam. He continued to work with me after that, I was the boss, but nothing changed. We enjoyed working together, as we always have. In 1998, I said goodbye to my friends, family, and those cold winters and moved to Mesa, Arizona, where my wife, Dolly is from. We now have two little girls. My father taught me not only the trade skills necessary, but also compassion and patience with people. “After all”, he used to say “our customers are people, just like us”.

My formal training consists of the following: At the age of 13, I began working with my father in the summers to earn spending money since I was no longer receiving an allowance from my parents. At the age of 15, I began vocational training in a classroom setting, taught by the man who was the electrical foreman during the construction of Camp David in Maryland. I graduated in the top 10 of my class of 36 students. I continued to work for my father until 1984 at which point I decided to work for a company that wired custom homes in Fairfax, Virginia. This was necessary in order to expand my experience beyond the service aspect of the industry. After 3 years with Buhl Electric, I worked in Washington, D.C. for the local 26 electrical union wiring commercial buildings. After which, I returned to my fathers side with a greater understanding of the trade. Together, we worked for some high profile clients, consisting of The Secretary of Defense, Rock musicians, congressmen, senators, lobbyists, and some of the Kennedy clan, as well as The American Cancer Society and the Salvation Army. My father earned the notoriety and when I took over the family business, I strived to continue the namesake. In 1998 I moved to Arizona and passed my Arizona State master electricians exam so that I may continue the name of Dent Electric. My business is structured upon the same principles and values that made my fathers business a success. Since doing business in Arizona, we are continuing to broaden our customer base on a weekly basis.

If you are looking for an electrician in the Tempe area please call us today at or 480-834-8160 complete our online service request form.