From Classmates to Co‑Founders: How ICC Sparked the Launch of Sovereign Control Systems
I started a business with my best friends, and now our job is to work together every day. It’s hard to find something better than that.
Jay, Co-Founder of Sovereign Control Systems
When Jay, Kyle, and Sam enrolled in the Industrial Electronics Technology program at ICC, they had no idea they’d one day build a company together. The three classmates were grouped in the same course and quickly discovered they shared a common drive and curiosity for solving problems.
Jay remembers being impressed by Sam’s precision and attention to detail. “We grew to want to work with Sam,” he said. “Because every time he came in, his work was always on point, and he achieved things very quickly.”
After graduation, they stayed in touch. Four years later, a conversation about automation reignited their shared passion and turned into a bold idea. “I mentioned I wanted to start an automation firm because that would be cool,” Sam said. “We really enjoyed that kind of work, and then we did it.”
They launched Sovereign Control Systems in 2022, building the business in the evenings and on weekends while maintaining full-time jobs. None of them had a background in business, but they leaned into the challenge. “Every day felt like going to school all over again,” Kyle said.
Today, Sovereign Control Systems operates full-time, tackling complex engineering problems for clients across the Midwest. From a full controls overhaul for the City of Wyoming’s water treatment plant to reworking the largest hydraulic press cylinder in the region, they’ve found their niche.
“Our business is solving engineering problems,” Jay said. “And we’ve been able to solve some very complex problems that others were stumped by.”
Sam added, “It’s very rewarding. When you finish a job, a machine runs now that didn’t run before.”
That foundation started at ICC. The team credits instructor Steve Flinn for encouraging them to think big. “Steve’s kind of like the fifth member of SCS,” Sam said. “He’s the reason I am who I am today.”
Steve often went above and beyond for his students, helping with projects outside of class and offering his support years after they graduated. “He used to joke that we’d start a business someday,” Jay said. “He wasn’t wrong.”
Now the trio hopes to pay it forward. “We’d like to give back to Peoria—whether that’s ICC or high school programs,” Jay said. “That’s the big goal we’re chasing right now.”
For Jay, Kyle, and Sam, their ICC experience sparked something extraordinary. What began as a shared class flourished into a thriving company and a lifelong partnership.