2020 News

Esdras Murillo Travels Unique Path to Baker Group

Esdras Murillo Travels Unique Path to Baker Group
07.01.2020

To say that Esdras Murillo traveled a somewhat different road to become part of the Baker Group cache of experts is an understatement. Murillo has been an electrical engineer with the company since 2016, when he graduated from Iowa State University (ISU). Earlier he received an Associate Arts degree from Des Moines Area Community College (DMACC).

Murillo was born and raised in the city of Danli, Honduras, graduating from high school and taking some college classes there. During those years, Honduras was going through a tense time of political conflict, he explains. His family moved to a rural area for safety measures. There, he met his future wife, Esperanza Pintor, a University of Iowa student, in Honduras to do research in public health. She returned to Iowa, and about a year later, he joined her on what is called a “fiancé visa,” and they were married.   

There were other bridges to cross – mastering English as a second language and obtaining citizenship.

His story is composed of successes – but also dedication and a strong sense of service.

“I enjoy working closely with project managers at Baker Group at both pre-construction levels and on the job site. I like to follow a project, see where any problems might crop up and play a big role in scheduling.” The electrical business unit was relatively new when Murillo came to Baker Group.

Most of his projects are on the industrial side. For example, he has been heavily involved in electrical and bio systems work for an agricultural by-product facility and railway control system at a nutritional product facility. Other major projects include a lighting control system and utility plant upgrade on large corporate campuses in central Iowa.  

“I design the power devices that should be used in a project, how they are connected, how much power is needed and their compliance with electrical codes . . .  I pull it all together.” He assembles construction documents, creates manuals as needed and performs an internal check on everything prior to final review by a professional licensed engineer. 

“I love to make things work. I get an idea from an owner, do something that makes it tangible and then help make it fully functional.”  If a project is budget-driven, Murillo says his goal is to provide alternatives to meet a goal.

Murillo is quick to summarize what feels “right” about working at Baker Group. “It’s the family-oriented environment where you feel that everyone takes the time to listen to you.”

From the start of his education to his present work in Iowa, Murillo has earned the respect of faculty members at DMACC and ISU for his academic leadership and his service to other students, particularly those who, like him, may not be on traditional paths to engineering degrees. Among them:

  • He continues work with the National Science Foundation’s (NSF) Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR).
  • He serves as a mentor to others through the NSF’s Iowa, Illinois, Nebraska Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (IINSPIRE LSAMP). This NSF Midwest partnership is committed to broadening participation of underrepresented students in STEM fields. He has worked with students in the program at DMACC and ISU – and his work continues.
  • When a research assistant at ISU, he received the Undergraduate Award for Extraordinary Performance.
  • He has directly mentored five to eight minority STEM students, providing guidance on their academic and career journeys.

Murillo knows well how to clear a different path and the feeling of accomplishment it can bring. He plans more education for himself, too, with a Master’s in Business Administration (MBA) degree in his sights.

About Baker Group

Founded in 1963 and with more than 700 employees across Iowa, Baker Group is the Midwest’s premier full-service specialty contractor providing mechanical, sheet metal, electrical, compressed air, building automation, process automation, security systems, fire alarm systems, parking/revenue controls and 24/7/365 service. For more information, call 855.262.4000 or visit https://www.thebakergroup.com/.

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