James B. Pepper Rutland Shares Why MMR Was Honored by GBRIA with Specialty Trade Award of Excellence

BATON ROUGE, La.— The Greater Baton Rouge Industry Alliance (GBRIA) honored MMR with the Division II Specialty Trade (Hard Craft) Award of Excellence at its 15th Annual Craft Workforce Development Awards Banquet.

The GBRIA Craft Workforce Development Awards program recognizes contractors, member plants, schools, educators and individuals who display a strong investment in workforce development programs. GBRIA also serves as a benchmarking program designed to influence local and national best practices as well as enhance the skills and retention of regional craft personnel.

MMR remains dedicated to training and developing a highly-skilled craft workforce. Through the establishment of its one-of-a-kind Craft Training Center, MMR has propelled its certified craft ahead of projected industry manpower shortages. MMR offers an Electrical Journeyworker Apprenticeship training program, recognized by the U.S. Department of Labor and the State of Louisiana, NCCER “Knowledge” and “Performance” verified certifications as well as MMR and vendor certifications.

MMR also congratulates its nominees for their recognition at the GBRIA Craft Workforce Development Awards Banquet. In the High School Awards division, West Feliciana High School received the Award of Excellence, and St. Michael the Archangel High School received the Award of Recognition. MMR sponsors both WFHS and SMHS through the Association of Builders and Contractors (ABC), providing students and faculty with mentorship, education, training and curriculum development.

GBRIA has enhanced communities by developing innovative solutions to common industry challenges for over 50 years. For more information about GBRIA, please visit its website.

MORE ABOUT JAMES B. PEPPER RUTLAND AND MMR GROUP

Jame B. Pepper Rutland is passionate about engineering, the electrical business, sports, and giving back to his community. All of these passions have been instrumental to his life and career. While Pepper is best known for his work in the electrical and engineering fields, he takes great pride in being able to help others through community outreach. His great successes in business and his excellence in academics have been able to open many doors for philanthropic and career advances.

It is no surprise that with his passionate involvement in the field of construction, Pepper would build his career in this very industry. Few people have the motivation and determination to build their own company, which is what Rutland did 19 years after gaining his Bachelor’s degree.

In 1991, James B. Pepper Rutland founded MMR Group Inc., an electrical and instrumentation firm that went on to gain immense success. MMR currently holds the title of the largest privately-owned merit shop electrical and instrumentation contractor in the United States. This success is largely due to the company’s extremely wide skill set. MMR is consistently recognized at the top of ENR’s (Engineering News-Record) Specialty Contractors List.

MMR’s steady expansion into new domestic and global territories has been fueled by our ability to navigate special and one-of-a-kind projects. Our firm consistently ranks at the top of Engineering News-Record's annual specialty contractors list.

Currently, Pepper Rutland attended the 2022 Business Awards Hall, held at the Crowne Plaza Executive Center, which included a special video tribute to Pepper’s life and legacy, highlighting his upbringing in the Capital City, his journey through academics and athletics, and how lessons learned that have been key ingredients to maintaining a successful business for the last 30 years.

That night he was honored by Business Report and Junior Achievement at the 2022 Business Awards Hall of Fame Gala for his contributions in leading the MMR Group, one of the largest privately-owned electrical and instrumentation contractors in the US. Rutland’s passion and entrepreneurial spirit have without a doubt shaped the industrial construction industry and provided thousands of careers for families across the globe.