Jessica Overcash Builds a Future in Charlotte County
October 14th, 2026
Jessica Overcash, Charlotte County 40 Under 40 honoree: What began as a one-year move to help her family’s electrical business became an unexpected career in construction, a path to business ownership and a permanent future in Charlotte County.
When Jessica Overcash moved from Pittsburgh to Charlotte County, she expected the stop to be temporary.
Her father had asked her to help organize the administrative side of Integrity Electric, the Port Charlotte electrical business he had started in his garage. Jessica planned to spend about a year creating systems, improving operations and preparing someone else to take over. Then she would continue to whatever came next.
“The joke was on me, I never left!” she said.
That temporary assignment became the beginning of a life Jessica had not imagined. Today, she co-owns Integrity Electric with her sister, Moriah, and brother-in-law, Scott. Together, they lead a company that supports ten local employees and their families. Jessica has also become an advocate for women in construction, an active industry leader and a young professional investing her time and talent in Charlotte County.
Her personal roots have grown here, too. Both sets of her parents live in Charlotte County, as do all of her sisters. She and her fiancé are building their forever home nearby, preparing to get married and hoping to start a family here.
Jessica’s recognition as one of Charlotte County’s 40 Under 40 is about more than professional achievement. Her story captures the purpose of Careers on the Coast: showing young professionals that Charlotte County is a place where they can pursue meaningful careers, contribute to their community and create a life they do not have to escape from to enjoy. 
An Unexpected Path Into Construction
Jessica’s path to the electrical industry began far from Florida job sites. She grew up in Tidioute, a small town along the Allegheny River in northwestern Pennsylvania, on an alpaca farm.
Her childhood included caring for alpacas, ducks, rescued baby geese, dogs and cats. Her family even rescued a raccoon and an opossum. The farm gave Jessica an early understanding of responsibility, consistency and compassion. It also showed her that hard work was not something people turned on when it was convenient. It was part of everyday life.
Her curiosity was just as evident. As a child, Jessica moved enthusiastically from one interest to another, memorizing Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech, studying the Civil Rights Movement, admiring astronaut Sally Ride and researching environmental issues. Beneath those varied interests was a quality that still shapes her leadership today: if Jessica saw a problem, she felt some responsibility to help solve it.
For years, she thought that instinct would lead her to veterinary medicine. A college tour and one look at the biology labs changed her plans. Instead, she followed another influence from her childhood. Both of her parents were small-business owners, and Jessica had seen how local companies could shape a community and contribute to its economy.
She earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Slippery Rock University, concentrating in management, communication and information technology. Business immediately appealed to her curiosity. She wanted to understand how organizations grow, how systems work and how leadership affects the people within a company.
Construction was not part of that plan. It entered her life when her father asked for help at Integrity Electric. What began with office operations introduced Jessica to an industry centered on problem-solving, craftsmanship, service and relationships.
“I never planned to build a career in the construction industry, yet it has become one of the most rewarding parts of my life,” she said. “Construction is about building more than homes and buildings. It’s about solving problems, serving your community, creating lasting relationships, and making a tangible impact.”
Her experience also illustrates how varied careers in the skilled trades can be. A construction career can begin in the field, but it can also grow through business operations, technology, communications, project coordination, customer service, leadership or entrepreneurship. Jessica found a place for her business education within an industry she had never considered.
That is why her advice to students and young professionals is simple: “Keep an open mind about what success can look like!”
Growing Into Leadership at Integrity Electric
Jessica did not step into leadership because she was pursuing a title. She stepped forward because her family, the business and its employees needed her.
Her father was seriously injured in a car accident while driving to a job and spent several weeks in the hospital. During his recovery, Jessica assumed responsibility for Integrity Electric’s day-to-day operations. When he returned, he trusted her to continue making decisions, and their roles gradually evolved.
“Looking back, that difficult chapter became a turning point,” Jessica said. “It showed me that leadership isn’t always something you plan for, sometimes it’s something you grow into when people are counting on you!”
In 2020, Jessica, Moriah and Scott purchased Integrity Electric together. The transition continued a family connection to the electrical trade that includes Jessica’s grandfather, uncle and father. Still, carrying the business forward means more to Jessica than preserving a family name.
When a company is called Integrity Electric, she believes integrity must be present in every job, customer interaction and business decision. It also means understanding how many people depend on the company’s choices. Employees rely on the careers it provides. Customers invite its electricians into their homes and businesses. Local companies work alongside it as trade partners. Each relationship contributes to the strength of the community.
Jessica never takes lightly the responsibility of supporting ten employees and their families. One of her proudest accomplishments is helping create a workplace where people can have successful careers and remain present for the people they love.
If an employee needs to pick up a child from school, care for a pet while a spouse is away or respond to one of life’s unexpected moments, the company tries to make room for that responsibility.
“At the end of the day, we’re in the people business just as much as we’re in the electrical business,” Jessica said.
That people-first philosophy became especially visible after Hurricane Ian. While residents were trying to return home and begin rebuilding, the Integrity Electric team worked to restore power and make damaged homes safe. At the same time, the company’s own office operated for weeks with a portable generator and one cell phone.
The work was exhausting, but the experience reinforced why the electrical trade matters. Power is not only a convenience. It allows people to feel safe, return to their homes and restore a sense of normalcy after a disaster. Local contractors were among the people helping Charlotte County take its first steps toward recovery.
For Jessica, serving the community also means acting as an advocate for homeowners. She wants customers to understand their options and feel confident making decisions, even when the most honest recommendation does not result in a sale for the company. Earning long-term trust matters more than completing a single transaction.
Creating Opportunities for Women and Future Leaders
Jessica’s rise in a traditionally male-dominated industry has included supportive partnerships as well as moments when she had to overcome assumptions and prove herself. She chose to turn those experiences into motivation.
Through Professional Women in Building, CDBIA, Next Gen and other industry initiatives, she is helping create the kind of community she wants emerging professionals to find: one where people share knowledge, recognize potential and make room for new leaders.
“There is a seat at the table for you!” Jessica said. “When one woman succeeds, she makes it easier for the next woman to see what’s possible.”
That belief inspired the Building Bold Women Conference. Through her involvement with the Florida Home Builders Association and National Association of Home Builders, Jessica met accomplished women whose experiences and leadership challenged her to think bigger. She wanted local professionals to have access to those voices, too.
As chair of the Professional Women in Building Council, Jessica developed a conference featuring women from different fields, backgrounds and career paths. She intentionally selected speakers whose stories would allow attendees to see pieces of themselves reflected on stage. The message was that there is no single starting point, personality or background required to succeed in construction.
The conference created space for women to learn, connect and encourage one another. For Jessica, the event demonstrated that representation is not symbolic. Seeing someone with a relatable story succeed can help another person recognize a possibility she had not considered for herself.
Jessica carries that message directly to young women who are curious about construction.
“You don’t have to know everything before you begin,” she said. “You don’t have to fit someone else’s idea of what a person in construction should look like…. you just have to be willing to learn!”
The impact extends beyond one event. During the past year, Professional Women in Building awarded $12,000 in scholarships to help women pursue construction careers. Through Next Gen, participants are also working to launch Hardhats for Hardships, a nonprofit initiative intended to help low-income homeowners complete critical home repairs. Building the Vote encourages civic engagement and helps first-time voters understand that their voices matter.
Those efforts reflect Jessica’s definition of community involvement. Attending an event is easy. Meaningful change comes from investing time, sharing skills and completing the work that happens behind the scenes.
They also show young professionals that Charlotte County offers room to lead. A person does not need to wait for decades of experience before contributing an idea, joining an organization or helping address a community need.
“Find something you’re genuinely passionate about, and then show up consistently,” Jessica said. “Don’t wait until you feel ‘qualified’ to volunteer or lead. Raise your hand, ask questions, and be willing to help!”
A Career and a Life in Charlotte County
Jessica’s connection to Charlotte County began long before she became a full-time resident. Her father moved to Port Charlotte in 2000, and she visited several times each year while growing up. Her memories include days on the boat, afternoons at the beach and evenings playing Skip-Bo on the lanai.
At the time, Charlotte County was simply where her father lived. Over time, it became the place where Jessica felt she belonged.
Her family is here. Friendships have become family. Mentors believed in her, colleagues became close friends and customers trusted the company she now helps lead. She found opportunities to serve alongside people who genuinely wanted to make their community stronger.
Jessica believes Charlotte County offers a valuable balance for young professionals and entrepreneurs. It is large enough to offer opportunity but connected enough for people to know one another. Business owners collaborate, mentors make introductions and community organizations give emerging leaders meaningful ways to become involved.
“Charlotte County offers something that’s becoming increasingly rare, a place where you can build a successful career without sacrificing your quality of life!” she said. “You can grow a business, develop meaningful relationships, get involved in your community, and still have time to enjoy the things that matter to you the most!”
Jessica is quick to challenge anyone who says there is nothing to do here. Her list might include a comedy show at Visani, painting pottery at Bisque It Studio, walking through Fishermen’s Village, exploring parks and local restaurants or spending an afternoon on the water.
Her ideal Saturday is distinctly local. She might start with coffee at Mercers or Mudslide Coffee, stop at a few garage sales, browse Book Worm in Englewood or Copperfish Books in Punta Gorda, and finish at the beach with a sunset and some shark-tooth hunting.
“Charlotte County isn’t a place that entertains you, it invites you to become part of it,” she said.
That distinction is central to Jessica’s story. Charlotte County did not simply give her a place to work. It gave her room to participate, form relationships and influence the future of her industry and community. In return, she chose to invest herself here.
She also recognizes that Charlotte County is changing. Young professionals, business owners and community leaders are contributing fresh ideas while trying to protect the character and connections that make the area special. Jessica sees an opportunity for thoughtful growth that welcomes new careers, businesses and residents without losing its sense of community.
Building the Next Chapter
Jessica believes Integrity Electric has found its rhythm. The company has a strong team, trusted trade partners and a culture grounded in shared values and customer care. She wants to continue growing the business while protecting the personal relationships that distinguish it.
She is also thinking about another business idea and the possibility of creating something new. Her experience has shown her that Charlotte County is a place where an entrepreneur can develop an idea, find collaborators and become part of a supportive business community.
Outside work, Jessica and her fiancé are building their forever home just down the road from family. They plan to marry in Charlotte County and hope to raise a family here. The young woman who arrived for a temporary assignment is now creating a future closely connected to this place.
That future combines the goals Careers on the Coast seeks to highlight: professional opportunity, business growth, community leadership, family connections and time to enjoy life along the coast.
Jessica does not measure her success only through business milestones, awards or leadership titles. She measures it through the people she supports, the opportunities she helps create and the condition in which she leaves her community.
“The awards and titles are fun but truthfully I hope my legacy is defined by how deeply I care about this community and the people and creatures that live in it!” she said.
It is a fitting goal for someone who grew up caring for animals on an alpaca farm, built an unexpected career by helping solve problems and found a home by choosing to become part of the community around her.
Jessica Overcash came to Charlotte County planning to stay for one year. Instead, she found the place where she could build what came next.
Just for Fun
- Coffee or tea: Coffee, but she likes both.
- Early bird or night owl: Early bird.
- Favorite local restaurants: Pizzagorda, Savor 100×35 and Soup Jungle.
- Beach, boat or backyard: “Boat Days are magical!”
- Road-trip music: Bob Seger or Hootie and the Blowfish.
- Always in her bag: A small tape measure, continuing a tradition started by her mother.
- Favorite way to recharge: A bubble bath, a good book, a cat on her chest and time with her plants.
- Dream vacation: A three-week backpacking trip through Europe.
