Hi, my name is Zachary Hogan. I was an electrical apprentice for the past two years under my father, Tommy Hogan, before he passed away on May 27, 2025. Over the past two years, my dad has shown me what hard work and dedication to your craft means. My dad was the owner of Black Bear Electric, Inc., and he started the company from the ground up. Ever since elementary school, I've wanted to be an electrician as part of Black Bear Electric, and eventually take over the company as I got older. My dad was preparing me to take over his company the second i started working with him. A perk of working for him was me getting free trade school as long as i worked the days i didn't have school. As an electrical apprentice, my dad showed me core values I will carry for the rest of my life, such as hard work, time management, the importance of customer care, and so many more. I couldn't wait to get into trade school and get my first residential license to continue my work with my dad.
Growing up, my dad was my number one supporter, and although it was tough, I always valued what he had to say. Vivid memories of my dad yelling at me as he coached my squirt through peewee hockey teams are something that I always laugh about because he took it so seriously. My dad always wanted me to be the best player on my team. Over the years, my dad would always come to my hockey games and even out-of-state tournaments that he was not obligated to go to but wanted to be there. I had the strongest relationship with my dad as we did everything together and shared a lot of the same interests. My dad was such an extremely generous man, and I want to have the opportunity to do the same. He even let my best friend Dillon work as an apprentice over the last year, learning electrical as I was doing the same.
On May 27th, my dad died by suicide, and that deeply affected life as I knew it for me and others around me. As much as I want to sit in my room and grieve over my dad, I know that's not what he would want me to do. I'm trying the best I can to become an electrician and get back into the same career path that I wanted to go down, but I need trade school in order to do so. Because my future was planned around my dad and his company, his absence has left me with an unclear path for my future. My dad was truly the hardest working man I knew, and I want to be the same. As I enter my senior year of high school, I want to go straight into trade school during the same time or summer after. As I get older my dream is to start my own electrical business like my dad and continue his legacy.
If this is the first you're hearing of my dad's passing and want to share a great memory or some thoughts about him, please feel free to comment on his obituary using this link.
Organizer
Zachary Hogan
Organizer
Colorado, CO