by Amber Mabe

Imagine waking one morning to find that every electric-powered item you owned ceased to function. Phones, lights, appliances, televisions, even some toothbrushes and vehicles, all suddenly rendered useless from lack of power. How different life would be without the modern conveniences that make up our daily routines. We all rely on electricity and the skilled technicians who maintain the complex systems that power our everyday lives. It is no wonder, then, that Caudill’s has been such an essential part of the Kernersville community for the past 50 years. 

As a tenth grader, Danny Caudill knew he wanted to be an electrician. After speaking with his shop teacher, Danny was given a part-time job with a local electrical contractor at only fifteen years old. He moved to full time during the summer months, quickly finding a love for the business and working diligently to refine his skills. As part of a special program seeking to prepare students for the workforce, Danny was able to split his time evenly between school and his job as an electrician until his graduation. Danny furthered his studies at Forsyth Tech, graduating in 1971. He spent two more years working for his employer before venturing out to start his own company. In 1973, in a humble tobacco barn on their property, Danny and Charlene started Caudill’s electrical contracting company. The business quickly grew, and Charlene left her job as a cosmetologist to work alongside Danny as a full-time secretary. Caudill’s soon moved from the tobacco barn to a rented building on Bodenhamer Street until eventually purchasing and settling into their permanent home in the historic Harmon-Reid Mill building. 

Danny and Charlene say working together as a family has been a special experience and were thrilled to have their daughter, Dana and son-in-law David, join them in running and operating Caudill’s. Their grandson, Eli, has joined the team as well and is excited to be learning the family business. “We were blessed to be in this area. Everyone has supported us tremendously from day one,” says Charlene. “From being in an old tobacco barn to where we are today, the community has been wonderful. God has really blessed us with health so that we could continue going on. But most of all, you can’t have a great business without wonderful employees, and ours have been great.” 

By way of giving back to the community that has given so much to them, Caudill’s has been involved in a number of outreach activities and fundraisers throughout the years. In addition to purchasing and renovating the Harmon-Reid Mill building and having it placed on the National Register of Historic Places, Caudill’s has sponsored local leadership programs, youth athletic programs, fundraisers for the Special Olympics, and more. Currently, Caudill’s has joined in the exciting project to erect the new visitor’s center for Körner’s Folly: a project that will create not only a welcoming centerpiece for visitors but also a place where members of the community can gather, while continuing to further the preservation of historic Kernersville. “There are a lot of exciting things happening in this community,” says Dana, “and we are proud to be a part of it. Because our community has been so good to us, we want to make it a priority for us to give back to those who have helped us.”

In addition to the long-time electricians and technicians who have become familiar faces across the Triad over the years, many of Caudill’s newer employees are young people following a similar path to the one Danny took decades ago. Whether they be fresh graduates or students apprenticing part time, diligent young workers have a place at Caudill’s. “We try to hire as many young people as we can who have an interest in learning the business,” says David. “They can work with our experienced electricians, learn the trade, and be able to make a career of it.” 

As someone who has been an active board member for the local school district, Dana says providing opportunities for young people to learn trades is something Caudill’s is passionate about. “It is important to continue to lift up the trades in the area,” says Dana. “So any opportunity that we have where we can talk to high school students about trades, or help with internships for local schools, we really want to do that. We want them to know that this is truly a career, not just a job.” 

The career has certainly been a rewarding one for Danny Caudill and his family. Caudill’s currently serves thousands of clients in the Triad area and has expanded from basic residential and commercial electrical services to encompass home and business security systems, audio/video solutions, and more. Caudill’s deals directly with home and business owners to provide personalized and reliable service every time. Their commitment to efficiency even led to the creation of a unique software program to streamline necessary paperwork and manage their growing customer database. The Caudill System was developed specifically for Caudill’s in the 1980s and continues to be used by Caudill’s and other electric companies to this day. Though much has changed over the last 50 years, Caudill’s has remained cutting edge in their ability to meet the needs of their clients. Gone are the paper trails of the ‘70s and ‘80s. Today, customers can schedule appointments by email, web, or even text, utilize modern electronic payment methods, and remain confident that they will receive the same top-notch service they have come to count on over the years. Whether it be fixing an outlet, installing a new home theater system, enabling home charging for an electric vehicle, or designing a security system, Caudill’s has the expertise to do the job and do it well. 

While reflecting back on quiet days sharing a cold cola with local inspectors in the 1970s and looking forward to the bright future of innovations and growth in store for the company as Dana and David take the lead, Danny Caudill says every day has been an adventure, and one he is grateful to continue. For more information about the services Caudill’s offers, call 336.996.5151 or visit their website at www.Caudills.com.