Out of Necessity Comes Opportunity:
Mass Signal Service and CEO Justin Sheridan Turn Adversity into Success
Fast approaching its 10th anniversary in 2025, Sutton-based electrical contractor Mass Signal Service LLC and its CEO, Justin Sheridan, have a lot to celebrate. From navigating the early challenges of a small business to weathering the uncertainty of the pandemic, Mass Signal is now stronger than ever, coming off its most successful year in 2024—and the momentum continues to build.
Currently, the firm is working as a second-tier subcontractor in partnership with JF White, executing critical upgrades to the SCADA system at the Walter J. Sullivan Purification Facility in Cambridge. It’s one of the largest contracts to date.
“Cambridge had a 7 percent MBE requirement for this project, so JF White reached out to us for that, and we were able to bid it successfully,” Sheridan said. The project, which began in December 2024, involves installing new fiber optics, Cat6 cables, and power connections. Three months in, Sheridan has nothing but praise for his partners and the facility personnel.
Everyone’s been in sync from the start,” he said. “They like the work that we’re doing and keep adding to our scope. JF White is another NECA Contractor and we are happy to be working with them.”
For Sheridan, Mass Signal’s rise as an in-demand subcontractor is particularly meaningful, given that he never set out to run his own business. His journey in the trade began in the early 2000s.
“My uncle worked for a traffic signal contractor, Tri-State Signal, which recently had gone union. They needed some help in and around the shop, so I was able to break in. My wife and I had just had our first child, and I was looking for a serious job. They gave me an opportunity and I ran with it.”
Sheridan’s apprenticeship led to his electrician’s license in 2008. He was looking forward to a long career in the industry but found himself laid off in 2009, throwing himself into uncharted territory.
“I had never been laid off, and we’d just bought our first house,” he recalled.
Determined to take control of his career, Sheridan took a leap of faith and established Mass Signal Service in 2015. “It was a little rough for the first five years, working 40 hours a week and trying to keep the doors open.”
One of the very few minority-owned contractors in the sector at the time, Sheridan found encouragement and support from Local 103. “We made the full commitment to be a signatory 103 contractor just as COVID hit, but we managed to find opportunities and come through. I’m very proud of that.”
Over the past decade, the company has steadily grown in terms of revenue and reputation. Today, it employs five field workers and three office staff while building a diverse portfolio spanning traffic signal improvements, lighting, EV charging, and clean energy solutions. In addition to JF White, Mass Signal has built strong partnerships with industry leaders such as Daigle Electric and Coviello Electric.
Mass Signal took another key step forward in 2024, becoming a NECA contractor. “Things are definitely moving in the right direction,” Sheridan said.
As the company approaches its 10-year milestone, Sheridan remains committed to fostering excellence, growth, and diversity within the electrical contracting industry.
"From the beginning, I’ve always been about bettering myself, from apprentice to journeyman to master electrician to starting a company,” said Sheridan. “It's about setting high standards and high personal goals. So here we are. I’m making the most of these opportunities and trying to push it forward and build a successful company. And that’s the motivation for me. How far can we take it?"