NCS has a history of very small beginnings, but the dedication to family, faith and integrity remains the guiding principles in its ongoing success. On April 16, 1981, Robert Apgar formed JAR Instruments, Inc., with $10, 000 in savings and a prayer. As a small instrument repair shop based in his home’s garage, Mr. Apgar looked to his greatest inspiration for the company’s name and CEO: Jesus and Robert – JAR.
JAR was initially an instrument repair shop serving the petrochemical industry. The name was later changed to JAR Industries catering to making patch cables for data networks.
In 1990, as technology and industry needs evolved, the company changed the name to Network Cabling Services with an expanded focus on voice and data infrastructure. In the following decade, NCS was named as one of Houston’s 100 fastest growing small businesses in 1995, 1997 and 1998.
In 1999, as the largest provider of voice and data infrastructure in the city of Houston, Mr. Apgar sold the company to a national roll up company. However, in 2003, Mr. Apgar purchased the company and refocused his mission on rebuilding the company based on the same guiding principles he founded in his garage over 20 years prior. “A book could be written on all the victories, defeats, pain and tears, but not enough could be written about the hundreds of great employees along the way, ” said Robert Apgar, founder and Chairman of the Board.
Today, NCS is led by the next generation: Lori and Mark Veltri. Continuing to lead in her father’s footsteps, Lori Veltri serves as President alongside her husband, Mark Veltri, as Chief Operating Officer. “Lori is a highly organized and morale building president, as well as my daughter and mother of my four wonderful grandchildren, ” said Robert Apgar. “Mark is an equally dedicated, high achieving COO. He is a Naval Academy graduate, Naval officer and ten year Navy pilot. I have always valued our organization as a family oriented business with our customers as our main focus. The blending of Mark and Lori’s values and dedication will continue to take this company to great heights.”
In 2014, Network Cabling Services simplified their moniker to NCS to better encompass the numerous services it provides in the structured cabling, security and audio visual industries. What once began as a meager repair shop, NCS is now a complete turn-key service provider and an industry leader across the networking infrastructure industry.
The company continues to grow and meet the challenges of the industry’s ever changing technology. However, NCS’s commitment to success remains unchanged. With the dedication of the industry’s best employees, the focus is, and always will be, on Customer Satisfaction, Quality, Integrity and Communication.