CEO, President & Founder
Paul Abernathy began his journey by enrolling in an electrical training program in 1986. He ultimately graduated from Charlottesville-Albemarle Technical Education Center (CATEC) in 1988 as their valedictorian of the schools electrical program. In 1989, He was the youngest licensed electrician in Virginia at the ripe age of 19. Mr. Abernathy subsequently went on to become a Master Electrician and in 1989 formulated Double-A Electric, Inc. with his brother in Virginia; a company which his brother, who is the original inspiration for Mr. Abernathy becoming an electrician, still owns and operates today. Ultimately, Mr. Abernathy went on to forming a separate electrical contracting business and electrical design and code consulting firm known as Electrical Service Specialists (ESS).
After closing his electrical contracting/consulting firm in 2007, located in Harrisonburg, VA; Mr. Abernathy took over the role as Electrical Engineer II & Electrical Code Supervisor for the City of Richmond, VA and later changes his role and assumed the position of Code Supervisor for the City of Alexandria, VA.
In 2012, Mr. Abernathy accepted a position with the National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) and serving as the National Electrical Code Expert for the Southern US Region. In 2014, Mr. Abernathy accepted a position with Encore Wire Corporation as their Director of Technical Services, and additionally moved Electrical Code Academy, Inc. to McKinney, Texas. Mr. Abernathy remained active in the electrical contracting business as the President of Abernathy Electrical Services also located in McKinney, Texas until the summer of 2020.
Mr. Abernathy earned his unaccredited BS in Engineering in 2005 and an accelerated unaccredited MS in Engineering in 2006 while residing in Virginia.
Mr.Abernathy is also the founder member of the Certified Master Electrical Code Professional® (CMECP®) program administered by Electrical Code Academy, Inc., a Texas Based Corporation.
Mr. Abernathy is also well known for serving on the development committees for the 2014, 2017, 2020, 2023 and the currently developing 2026 edition of the National Electrical Code® published by NFPA®. He is also a published author, co-author, and columnist as well as serving as a GHOST writer under contract and various names for leading industry publications.
Mr. Abernathy serves on many electrical committees and expert code related panels/committees. Here is a brief list of his service to the industry:
CEO and Founder of Electrical Code Academy, Inc. – Over ~2,500 Students since 2017
Serves on NFPA 70 (NEC) Code-Making Panels # 5 and # 17
Served as NEC Related Expert Witness on the Novotny v. Welco Case – Oklahoma City (Settlement)
Served as NEC Related Expert Witness on the Bello v. Central Hudson Case – Upstate New York (Settlement)
Certified Master Electrical Code Professional – CMECP®
- Former Chairman “Building & Standards” Commission- McKinney, Texas
Member of NFPA Sections: Electrical, Architects, Engineers, and Building Officials, Fire Science and Technology Educators, Education, Building Fire Safety Systems and Fire Service.
2007 Mike Holt Enterprises ” Top Gun” Winner – Both NEC® Code Knowledge testing and Overall Code Presentation Winner.
2007 InterNACHI Member of the Year
State of Texas (TDLR) Subject Matter Expert (2014-2017)- Electrician Exam Development
Certified (Expired) by ICC: Electrical Inspector, Commercial Electrical Inspector, Electrical Plans Examiner, Residential Combination Inspector (Electrical, Plumbing, Building and Mechanical) and Amusement Device Inspector.
State of Virginia – Licensed Journeyman & Master Electrician
State of Texas – Licensed Master Electrician #437391
- Certified Master Inspector – Elected by the CMI Board in Boulder Colorado
State of Virginia’s 1st Board Approved CU Provider
Serves on UL STP Committee(s) UL 62, 486(A) – (E)
Serves on ASTM Committee(s) B-01 and B-05 (Voting Member)
Serves on various NEMA Committees – Including the NEMA Field Program
Patents – MC-LED (PCS) Metal-Clad Cable Inventor Patent # 10361015
Patents – MC – PCS Metal-Clad Cable Inventor Patent # 2 – #10,607,752
Patents – Type TC/SE-R Hybrid Cable – Industry FIRST Hybrid Cable Patent # 10,672,534
Serves on NTCOG Committee for North Texas – SME Contributor
OSHA 10 & 30 Hours Trained- General Construction (Electrical)
Creator of Certified Master Electrical Code Professional® Program
Co-Author of “How to Perform Electrical Inspections” published by InterNACHI. c2007 First Edition Only
Co-Author of Residential Wiring by Cengage-2020 NEC
Co-Author of Commercial Wiring by Cengage-2020 NEC
Co-Author of Grounding and Bonding by Cengage-2020 NEC
2014-2017 – Helped author the PSI Exam for the State of Texas (2017 NEC)
Mr. Abernathy is mostly the proudest of the over ~70,000+ students (Electrical Engineers, Electricians, Apprentices and Home Inspectors) he has taught since 1989.