Entegrity

At Entegrity, headquartered in Little Rock, the name is more than a wordplay. It reflects values of energy efficiency, sustainability and a business ethic of transparency and integrity, its leaders say.

“Rather than speak in platitudes, we do something uncommon: We open up the books and show clients everything,” the company’s communications director, Malleri Rhodes, said. That way, when issues inevitably arise, “we are able to have clear lines of communication with the client and not hold anything back, allowing solutions to flow quickly.”

It’s an edge “in an industry known for hiding costs.”

Now with 98 employees and growing, Entegrity developed in two stages. It was founded in 2007 by Chris Ladner as a consulting business focused on helping business owners, architects and contractors incorporate sustainable designs and construction practices. In 2009, Matt Bell joined Ladner as a co-owner, helping the business grow to 40 workers by 2012.

The next year, a new division called Entegrity Energy Partners LLC was formed as a partnership with Nabholz Construction of Conway. The combination mixed Entegrity’s energy engineering expertise with Nabholz’s experience in construction, cost estimates and project and risk management. “The partnership was a natural fit from the beginning,” Bell said. “Both of our companies had aligned values and operated with transparency and flexibility.”

Ladner, the founder, said the combination was crucial. “Forming Entegrity Energy Partners changed the dynamic of our business model and allowed us the opportunity to not only identify our clients’ energy problems, but to solve them.”

Rhodes said most of Entegrity’s business comes from repeat clients, proof that the company is doing something right. One potential snag to business could be regulatory uncertainties, including an ongoing case before state regulators on how much solar-generating customers should be compensated for their electricity. A decision on pricing for net metering, the accounting method for compensating customers for the solar power they create, is expected this year from the Arkansas Public Services Commission.

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