Legrand LNCA President & CEO Retires
Legrand® announced that John Selldorff retired at the end of February 2024 after leading Legrand, North & Central America (LNCA) for 22 years as president and CEO. Brian DiBella, former president of the Data, Power & Control division of LNCA, stepped into the role on March 1.
“I would like to express my thanks and congratulations to John Selldorff who built Legrand’s North & Central America business from a $600 million small manufacturer of switches and sockets, at the time of his appointment, to a leader in electrical and digital building infrastructures, including Cable Management, Data Centers, Audio Visual, Building Controls, and Lighting. LNCA has grown to approximately $4 billion and represents around 40% of the Group’s global revenue today. John also significantly contributed to the Group’s development, being the longest-serving member of the Executive Committee,” said Benoît Coquart, CEO of Legrand.
“I would also like to congratulate Brian DiBella on his promotion. Brian recently celebrated his 20th year with Legrand and has successfully prepared himself for the role by leading the two largest divisions in the United States (Electrical Wiring Systems and Data, Power & Control). Brian’s appointment is also an example of Legrand’s commitment to developing talent while enabling employees to achieve their highest potential. Brian’s mission will be to continue this approach to building future leadership teams at all levels. I wish Brian and the entire LNCA team great success in the months and years to come,” said Coquart.
For more information, visit legrand.com.
IDEAL Industries Appoints New CMO
IDEAL Industries Inc. announces an expansion of its leadership team by adding Pam McMeen as chief marketing officer (CMO) on April 1. Under McMeen’s leadership, the company will pursue an ambitious growth plan to become a more dominant market leader across its three divisions: IDEAL ElectricalTM, Anderson PowerTM and Enatel.
“The addition of this role comes at a time when our three companies are innovating tools and technology at a pace that hasn’t been seen in decades,” noted CEO Steve Henn. “We’re poised for incredible growth in the coming years, especially with the expected market expansion in the electrical and power industries. We’re confident that by adding Pam as CMO, she will help our company achieve the market growth these revolutionary new products deserve, while also helping us be more strategic in marketing our existing core portfolio.”
Since 2021, McMeen has been a board director for IDEAL Industries Inc. and has a strong passion for the IDEAL business. Most recently, McMeen was the CMO for Chamberlain Group, which she joined in 2014. During this time, McMeen defined the portfolio strategy, brand architecture and positioning for Chamberlain Group’s portfolio and worked closely with business unit leaders to develop effective marketing strategies that drove transformational growth. Previously, McMeen worked at consumer goods companies in marketing roles for Lifetime Brands and Instant Brands LLC. Throughout her career, McMeen has been an influential leader and strong collaborator, aligning marketing initiatives with business goals and has consistently exceeded performance objectives.
On beginning her journey with IDEAL, McMeen said, “I’m thrilled to join the leadership team as IDEAL begins this next exciting chapter. I look forward to working with all the talented marketers already at the company to accelerate growth and increase shareholder value for this well-established family-owned business. I enjoyed my time as a board director for IDEAL and welcome the opportunity to transition to a more active role in executing the long-term strategy.”
For more information, visit idealindustries.com.
OmniCable Announces New CEO
Christopher Breslin has been appointed CEO of Omni Cable LLC. Breslin will succeed interim CEO Jeff Siegfried, the company’s co-founder, who will remain as vice chairman.
The appointment of Breslin followed an extensive CEO search process conducted by the board over the last several months, with the mandate to appoint a passionate leader with extensive experience developing strong supplier and customer relationships.
“We are delighted to welcome Christopher as our new CEO of OmniCable,” said Joe Tracy, CEO of Dot Family Holdings. “He is a dynamic, values-driven business leader who has a diverse background of experience with a history of delivering results through a management style grounded in collaboration, increased process rigor, and focus on customer service.”
Breslin joins OmniCable with more than 28 years of global distribution experience in both the electronics and electrical industries. Most recently, he was president of Farnell Electronics, responsible for the strategy, execution and financial performance of its $2 billion global businesses. Prior to Farnell, he spent five years as the chief operating officer for Crescent Electric Supply Co.
“I’m proud to take the baton from Jeff and thrilled to have the opportunity to work with OmniCable’s talented and committed team to help build on its strong operations and enviable reputation,” said Breslin. “I look forward to helping the company achieve its potential for our valued suppliers, customers, and employees, by focusing on our unique capabilities to deliver outstanding products and unparalleled service to the distribution community.”
For more information, visit omnicable.com.
Keystone Names New COO, New Chief Data Officer
Regina Guarracino, a veteran executive with experience in industries including industrial IOT, office furnishings, and telecommunications, has joined Keystone Technologies as its new chief operations officer.
Guarracino comes to Keystone from Anova, an industrial data solutions firm. Prior to Anova, she was with Knoll (now MillerKnoll), the noted office furnishings company and the telecom giant Motorola.
“There are fantastic people here, and everybody is focused on doing the right thing and solving problems,” she said. “I’ve been extremely pleased with the culture here of collaboration, camaraderie, and balance. It’s aligned with my values and my goals.”
Those goals include helping Keystone manage its ongoing growth, as the 75-year-old company has risen from a small maker of ballasts to a full-scale manufacturer and supplier of lighting products, including LED fixtures, wireless controls, a range of lamps and power supplies.
Meanwhile, Jake Alpert will take on the newly created position of chief data officer at the company, heading a new DataWorks department.
The new position has become commonplace only in the last decade, as companies have realized data strategy and analytics are integral to their overall business plans. Alpert, an 11-year veteran of Keystone who previously served as operations director and chief operations officer of the company, likens the role of managing data to that of managing inventory.
“Both are valuable assets,” said Alpert, who’s known for employing a data-centric approach to optimizing operations. “Just like our physical product, data needs to be handled with care, securely stored and safeguarded. It needs to be readily available, easily accessible, and delivered to the end user in a way that is easy to receive.”
The company also recently opened a new, regional distribution center in Phoenix, joining major hubs in Kansas City, Missouri, and the company headquarters near Philadelphia. Altogether, Keystone has more than 1.2 million cubic feet of space in its three regional distribution centers.
“The new Phoenix center emphasizes our commitment to customer service through outstanding logistics and increased efficiency,” says Ira Greenberg, Keystone CEO. “It’s a state-of-the-art facility that keeps us both nimble and versatile.”
The new distribution center is a Class A distribution space. With 130,000 square feet and 35-foot ceilings, it has approximately 400,000 cubic feet of space, and has 28 dock doors. It features very narrow aisles, for which Keystone uses specialty forklifts that operate on a wire-guided system for optimal efficiency and safety.
Alpert observes that the new Phoenix center has allowed the company to increase performance even as its offering continues to expand to hundreds of products and thousands of SKUs.
“We regularly re-evaluate our distribution network to make sure it’s optimized for our business,” he says. “Our new Phoenix facility will serve as a centralized hub for west coast distribution as well as a transloading facility to supply our other locations. Along with our existing hubs in Kansas City and Philadelphia, we are now positioned even better to service our customers with well-deployed inventory.”
It adds up to staying true to the Keystone philosophy of Light Made Easy, observes Greenberg.
“Light Made Easy is all about making the customer experience as seamless and enjoyable as possible,” he says. “The Phoenix warehouse, with its size, convenient location, and amazing employees, helps us deliver the outstanding level of service our customers expect. We look forward to fulfilling their needs for many years to come with this terrific facility.”
For more information, visit keystonetech.com.
Zekelman Announces New Vice President, Electrical Sales
Zekelman welcomes Steve Simpson as its new vice president, electrical sales. In this role, Simpson will have full commercial responsibility for Wheatland Tube, Western Tube and Picoma—three of Zekelman’s operating companies.
Simpson has more than 20 years in the electrical industry in a variety of leadership roles. In his previous role, he grew the company’s account coverage to more than $1.2 billion.
“Steve has a proven track record of driving top and bottom-line growth,” said Jim Hays, president, Electrical Division, Zekelman. “He is very strategic minded and knows how to create demand for value-added products and services at multiple levels within the channel.”
For more information, visit Zekelman.com.
Steve Camiletti Promoted to VP Sales, Western Tube
Steve Camilletti has been promoted to vice president of sales at Western Tube. He will replace Steve Gasparro, who announced his retirement in September of last year.
Camilletti has built a career around being laser focused on customer service and pushing Western Tube to be in front of customer expectations. His leadership around the company’s digital strategy has paid real dividends for customers on many fronts.
He joined Zekelman in 2009 as a national sales manager and has held multiple positions in a sales leadership role delivering top and bottom-line growth.
For more information, visit westerntube.com.
IDEAL Industries Inc. Announces New CFO
Pinky Raina joined the IDEAL Industries Inc. senior leadership team as chief financial officer (CFO) and assumes sole responsibility for the organization’s financial strategy, which includes three global brands, IDEAL® Electrical, Anderson PowerTM and Enatel®. Raina will replace Kevin Lamb, who will retire in 2024.
Raina brings more than 20 years of global experience across diverse industries including manufacturing, sports, entertainment and professional services. She has a demonstrated track record in leading finance and operations transformation, strategy development, M&A, risk assessment, operations and Core IT. She also brings corporate governance experience through her work with boards, including audit and finance committees.
Most recently, Raina served as the CFO and chief operating officer at the U.S. Soccer Federation. She previously held leadership positions with IDEX and Marmon Holdings in the manufacturing and industrial sectors.
In 2022, Raina was named a Sports Business Journal Game Changer and recognized by FEI Chicago as CFO of the Year in the Mid-Size category. She holds a bachelor’s degree in both business and economics from Rhodes College and earned her MBA with a concentration in accounting from the Fogelman School of Business at the University of Memphis. She received her CPA in Tennessee. Raina holds the position of Finance Chair on the Board of New Moms, a Chicago-based organization that provides housing, job training, and family support to young moms and their children experiencing poverty and homelessness.
On her management approach, Raina says, “A continuous improvement culture will accelerate quantitative and qualitative value creation for an organization. My role is to promote that mindset and empower the team.”
For more information, visit idealindustries.com.
Omni Cable Promotes Justin Wolf to Western Regional VP
Omni Cable Inc. recently announced the promotion of Justin Wolf to western regional vice president. In this role, Wolf is responsible for the leadership of the Western Regional Managers in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Denver and Seattle.
“I am honored to take on the responsibility of leading the west region. With an understanding of the market trends and a commitment to innovation, I am dedicated to driving sustained growth in the region,” said Wolf. “I am confident that by fostering collaboration and continuing to implement forward-thinking initiatives, we
will maintain and enhance our industry-leading customer service. Together, we will navigate challenges and capitalize on opportunities.”
Wolf has been with OmniCable for 14 years, serving as the Denver regional manager for the past eight years. “Justin has been a vital member of the OmniCable Denver team, and his leadership has significantly contributed to our strategy development and company growth,” said Todd Sweeney, OmniCable’s senior vice president, commercial operations and business development.
As OmniCable searches for Wolf’s replacement as Denver regional manager, he will continue to manage the branch and help with the transition.
For more information, visit omnicable.com.
LEDVANCE Welcomes Director of Training, Celebrates Successful Year at EDC
LEDVANCE LLC appointed Lynnette Schaeffer as the new director of training, overseeing the innovative LIGHTPOINT® training program.
Pedro Sega, head of marketing USC, expressed his enthusiasm: “We are thrilled to have Lynnette join the LEDVANCE family. With over two decades dedicated to the lighting and electrical industry, her expertise in supply chain management, product development, and manufacturing will bring a lot of value to LEDVANCE and our customers. Lynnette’s passion for education and her dynamic approach to making learning engaging will be instrumental in her success at LEDVANCE.”
Schaeffer’s career began in 1998 at Van Meter Industrial, evolving through roles in global lighting firms where she honed her expertise in supply chain management, product development, and smart lighting technologies. With an MBA and LC Certification, she transitioned to training in 2020, applying over two decades of industry experience to educate a wide range of professionals in the lighting industry.
Under Schaeffer’s leadership, LEDVANCE strives to continue to deliver training excellence, furthering its commitment to innovation and quality in the lighting industry.
The company is also marking the one-year anniversary of its state-of-the-art Eastern Distribution Center (EDC) located in Easton, Pennsylvania. This milestone underscores LEDVANCE’s commitment to enhancing service delivery and efficiency across the eastern US region, reflecting on a year of achievements and positive customer feedback.
Opening its doors in early 2023, the EDC was launched to address the critical need for speedier and more reliable distribution services in the region and to cater to both local and New York City pickups. Its establishment has enabled LEDVANCE to significantly improve delivery times, from an average of 10-14 days to an impressive 1-3 days, marking an 80% improvement in shipping speed. This achievement aligns with the company’s focus on customer satisfaction and operational excellence.
The EDC is fully operational, offering a range of services including same-day pickups between 6:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. EST, and improved control over inbound container processes from the port. These enhancements have not only improved delivery times but also ensured that stock is readily available for immediate needs, fostering stronger relationships with customers in the region.
For more information, visit ledvance.com.
nVent Welcomes New EVP and Chief Marketing Officer
nVent Electric plc announced that Martha Claire Bennett has joined the organization as executive vice president and chief marketing officer (CMO).
Bennett will lead the company’s global marketing organization, strengthening the focus on vertical marketing, expanding digital marketing capabilities and enhancing nVent’s customer and partner experience. She also will lead branding and communications, accelerating nVent’s role in the sustainability and the electrification of everything. Bennett will report directly to nVent Chair and CEO Beth Wozniak.
Bennett brings more than 25 years of global marketing experience with strong expertise in omnichannel marketing, brand management and vertical strategy. She most recently served as CMO and SVP of 3M’s Safety and Industrial Business Group, where she led the global marketing function and broader community of marketing practice for the company’s largest business group. Bennett holds a Bachelor of Environmental Studies degree from the University of Waterloo and a Master of Business Administration degree in Marketing Strategy Specialization from Queen’s University School of Business.
Bennett said: “I am thrilled to join nVent. The company is on an exciting growth trajectory with a great opportunity to accelerate its growth through marketing leadership across the verticals it serves. nVent is building a more sustainable and electrified world, and I look forward to working with this talented team and contributing to the success of the company.”
For more information, visit nvent.com.
Geoff Kemper Joins Satco Products
SATCO Products Inc. recently announced that Geoff Kemper has recently joined the company and will assume the position of southwest regional sales manager.
Kemper’s responsibilities will include managing sales growth, sales personnel, distributor relationships and new business development. He joins Satco with more than 15 years of experience in the lighting and electrical industry, previously working with Maxlite, Litetronics and HD Supply.
Additionally, he has a proven record of building and developing long-standing partnerships that will advance SATCO’s growth strategies and core values.
For more information, visit satco.com.
OmniCable Announces New Sales Leaders for Communications Business Unit
OmniCable also announced appointments within its newly formed Communications Business Unit in support of its Broadband market segment.
The appointments include:
- Ray Hunt, Senior Director of Strategic Accounts – Broadband.
- Aaron Whyrick, Senior Director of Strategic Accounts – Broadband
- Kimberly Cruz, Director of Sales Operations – Broadband
- Josh East, Outside Sales Manager – Broadband
- Ed Chavez, Outside Sales Manager – Broadband
Hunt has more than 23 years of experience in the broadband industry. Prior to OmniCable, he started his career with Alcatel’s Optical Fiber Division (became Draka) and after 10 years as a regional sales manager, he spent 8 years with Graybar’s broadband sales division as the director of sales western region. In his most recent position, Hunt was director of regional sales west for Clearfield.
Whyrick began his broadband career at Level 3 Communications before joining Corning’s carrier sales team, where he served as regional sales manager for six years. With more than 25 years of industry experience, his most recent role was vice president of sales for Adams Cable.
Cruz has over 27 years of experience in the fiber cable industry, spending her entire career with Alcatel/Draka/Prysmian Group in the Claremont, North Carolina facility. Her experience includes manufacturing, training, inside sales management, and product line management.
East began his career at Comstar Supply, a national communications distributor, and has nearly 10 years of broadband sales experience. Most recently, he served as the outside sales manager at INNO Instrument.
Chavez has more than 26 years of datacom and outside plant experience. He has held numerous sales and new business development positions throughout his career, most recently as branch manager for WESCO Datacom/Security.
The company also appointed Shaire McGrath as senior director – category management. In this role, McGrath is responsible for overseeing and optimizing the company’s product categories to drive growth, profitability, and customer satisfaction.
McGrath has over 24 years of leadership experience in sales and project management. Most recently, she was the senior manager, central and west region for Seagate Technology, a global leader in precision-engineered data storage and management solutions. Previously, she served as vice president of supply chain and network services at KGPCo; vice president of global business development at Raycap; and she also held similar positions with CommScope and AVAYA.
For more information, visit omnicable.com.
NEMRA Announces New Appointments
The National Electrical Manufacturers Representatives Association (NEMRA) announced the appointment of three officers to its Board of Directors and four Executive Committee members to the NEMRA Manufacturers Group (NMG). NEMRA is a powerful voice in the electrical industry and an advocate for the independent manufacturers’ representative and the manufacturer affiliates. The NMG is an allied group of manufacturers who go to market principally with independent manufacturer’s representatives.
New appointments to NEMRA’s Board of Directors include T Derek Schouten, CPMR, iPro Martin, Wheat Ridge, Colorado; Matt Santilli, CPMR, Arthur A Boyle Co., Indianapolis, Indiana; and Mike Hodges, CPMR, Adanac Sales, Port Coquitlam, British Columbia.
“I am very pleased to welcome these newest members to our Board of Directors,” said Jim Johnson, president of NEMRA. “They each have a unique background, with diverse experiences that make them an asset to NEMRA’s Board of Directors and to the association as a whole.”
New appointments to the NMG Executive Committee include Brock Klein, director of sales and marketing, Electri-Flex Co.; Deni Miller, business line operations leader - electrification business area, ABB; John Hargis, vice president distribution sales U.S., Mersen; and Stephen Reynolds, director, strategic accounts - North America, Hammond Power Solutions.
“Reps and manufacturers rely on one another for growing market share and in developing channel relationships,” said Johnson. “Each of these individuals embody this understanding and bring talent, expertise and energy to the committee.”
NMG provides its members with a forum where manufacturers and representatives can improve communications, reduce transaction costs, add value, and increase opportunities for professional development.
For more information, visit nemra.org.
Arlington Celebrates 75 Years in Business, Presents Sales Awards
Founded in 1949, Arlington first served the electrical industry as a regional supplier of zinc die cast fittings.
Over the past 75 years, Arlington has become a leading manufacturer of Made in the USA traditional metallic and non-metallic fittings and connectors—and unique and innovative electrical and communications products.
The company has introduced hundreds of new products that solve jobsite problems and save time. It currently has more than 350 patents and patents pending in North America.
Arlington announced the recipients of its annual representative sales awards—for 2023 sales of Arlington’s MADE IN USA and many patented, innovative and labor-saving products.
Presented to firms representing Arlington at the recent 2024 National Electrical Manufacturers Representatives Association (NEMRA) meeting in Las Vegas, the awards recognize outstanding sales achievement by region.
Power Tech Electrical Sales, Inc. of Irving, TX received the National Sales Achievement Award; LP Chick Co. Inc. got the Central Region Sales Achievement Award; Pro-Lines Sales & Marketing won the Western Region Sales Achievement Award; and E-Tel Inc. claimed the Southern Region Sales Achievement Award.
The Eastern Region Sales Achievement Award went to Holbrook-Associated Inc. Mac’s II Agencies Ltd. took home the Canadian Sales Achievement Award.
Lisa Lopez, Keyline Sales, received Arlington’s Inside Salesperson of the Year—given by Arlington’s customer service staff to the inside salesperson delivering the best performance at a firm representing Arlington.
For more information, visit aifittings.com.
CANTEX Launches New Customer Web Portal
CANTEX Inc. launched a new customer web portal as part of ongoing efforts to enhance its customer service experience. The new customer portal builds upon an advanced website architecture and an existing sales agent portal. The new portal was built to help navigate customer expectations and future growth in the modern computer age. This highly intuitive portal connects to CANTEX’s data and processes with automated functions, enabling customers to obtain information they need in real-time.
The portal is designed to improve and streamline both customer service and accounting services by providing customers with the information by simply logging onto the CANTEX website. The new portal offers an all-in-one source for users to view order history, track shipments and view product information with pricing and availability with one click. Accounting information is also available to a customer’s designated accounting administrator.
The development of the new portal was led by an interdepartmental team consisting of staff from the Sales and Marketing, IT, and Accounting Departments. The team strove to build a user-friendly, real-time data system that would meet the needs of CANTEX customers and complement the existing sales agent portal.
“The new customer portal will allow our distributors to access information for which they previously had to contact customer service or accounting. Giving customers access to information that they need daily will help us take care of them more efficiently. It will also give our customer service team more time to keep orders moving and circumvent potential hold-ups,” explained Brandis Daniels, CANTEX customer service manager.
In addition to access to orders, shipping, and account information, CANTEX customers can also export reports, create lists for future orders, and submit inquiries all in one place. All these features are designed to make the CANTEX information base more visible and empower customers through self-service.
For more information, visit cantexinc.com.
Zekelman Industries Launches Rebrand
Zekelman Industries recently introduced a powerful, yet personal, brand and belief system. As the family-driven company prepares for a new wave of growth, Executive Chairman and CEO Barry Zekelman kicked off the first-ever company-wide townhall live from Zekelman’s newest and most technologically advanced factory in Rochelle, Illinois, streaming to thousands of teammates at multiple facilities across the United States and Canada on January 11. He outlined future plans for the company and encouraged all associates to embrace the company’s new rally cry, Believe in What You Build™.
“Believe in What You Build formalizes what has really been the soul of our company, with roots dating back to 1877,” said Zekelman. “It’s a call to action for our teammates, markets and customers we serve, that together we can achieve more.”
Zekelman continues to set investment records in new facilities, technology and most importantly, its people. The family of Zekelman companies now includes 20 manufacturing locations with more than 2,900 employees across nine U.S. states and Ontario, Canada. In the past five years, the company has invested more than $2.3 billion into its business with $1.1 billion toward facility modernization and expansion, and just more than $1.2 billion in modular construction factories and housing developments. Examples of the company’s commitment to believing in what they build include:
- Launch of Z Modular, the only fully integrated self-developer of multi-family housing, reinventing the modular building and construction process. To date, Z Modular has completed four housing projects totaling 1,104 apartments and currently has an additional eight housing developments with 2,154 units under construction in Arizona, Texas, and Canada.
- Atlas Tube Jumbo Mill in Blytheville, Arkansas, the world’s largest continuous ERW mill manufactures structural steel products not previously available from a domestic producer, creating new opportunities in architectural design and structural engineering. This facility created more than 180 jobs.
- Wheatland Tube’s Rochelle, Illinois plant, the company’s most advanced manufacturing facility dedicated to electrical conduit, fence framework, and solar applications. This expansion created more than 200 jobs in the area.
- Continual investments across all factories, with updates including automated warehouses and loading cranes, expansion of hot-dip galvanization capabilities, and ongoing initiatives focused on enhancing safety, increasing efficiency, and producing more sustainably.
The strategic initiative is supported by numerous elements, including:
- New website at zekelman.com where the Zekelman beliefs and company’s culture come to life.
- Launch of Z-Connect, a new mobile app for all teammates to stay connected better than ever.
- New logo, simplified to “Zekelman” and featuring an updated color scheme.
- Fresh campaigns, product marketing, and communication initiatives rolling out throughout the year.
“This company has been around for a long time and has never been stronger,” Zekelman said to associates in the town hall. “When I see all of you succeed and prosper, that is my proud moment. The greatest thing is to see all of you do well and build your future with our company.”
For more information, visit zekelman.com.
IDEA OrdrTrak℠ for IMARK Electrical Distributors
IDEA is excited to share new details about IDEA OrdrTrak and invite IMARK Electrical’s independent distributors to join the platform at no charge for the first six months.
IDEA OrdrTrak is a central hub that streamlines information exchange across manufacturers, manufacturer representatives, distributors and contractors. With a unified platform and single login, IDEA OrdrTrak offers key cost-saving functionality, including the ability to:
- Access order shipping details & tracking information
- Review manufacturer product information & inventory availability!
- View pricing & tailor net pricing based on the requestor’s profile
- Create & manage submittal packages using product data in IDEA Connector℠
- Perform manufacturer-specific website searches, powered by Google
Curious about how IDEA OrdrTrak can transform your operations, minimize manual efforts and reduce response times?
For more information, visit idea4industry.com/ordrtrak/.
Leviton Receives Three PRODUCTS MVP Awards
Leviton announced that three of its electrical solutions were recognized as “Best” in the building products industry by the 6th Annual PRODUCTS Most Valuable Products (MVP) Awards. The solutions were reviewed and selected as winners by an expert panel of judges comprised of builders, remodelers, and designers, and will be featured in special issues of both Pro Builder and Pro Remodeler.
The Leviton PRODUCTS MVP Awards recipients are:
- Decora Smart® Wi-Fi® Outdoor Plug-In Switch – Gold Winner in the Outdoor Living Category
- EV Series Charging Station with My LevitonTM app compatibility – Silver Winner in the Connected Home Category
- Decora EdgeTM Wiring Devices – Bronze Winner in the Plumbing, Mechanical, and Electrical Category
“These awards affirm Leviton’s steadfast commitment to innovation and empowering our customers with solutions that enhance ease of use, safety, efficiency, and sustainability,” said Rick Forbush, director of national builder sales for Leviton. “We are proud to be recognized by industry experts through the PRODUCTS MVP Awards, acknowledging our latest advancements in electrical building solutions.”
With awards across three categories, the PRODUCTS MVP recognition reflects the scope of Leviton solutions, which seamlessly integrate and operate throughout an entire home, delivering energy savings, convenience, and reliability for a whole-home solution.
Additional details about the winning products include:
The Decora Smart Wi-Fi Outdoor Plug-In Switch is the first outdoor plug-in to support Matter, offering convenience and control for users to remotely manage outdoor lighting, decorations, fans, fountain pumps, and more via the My Leviton app, alongside their other smart home devices. Its superior weather-resistant design ensures durability and safety in extreme outdoor conditions.
The Leviton EV Series Charging Station with added compatibility to the My Leviton app enables homeowners to conveniently manage, track, and schedule their EV charging sessions in the same Leviton dashboard where they can control smart lighting, the load center, and other Leviton-connected devices. This provides users convenience, peace of mind, and the opportunity for reduced electrical costs by scheduling or starting charging sessions during off-peak utility hours
Decora Edge Wiring Devices offer a faster, easier, and safer way to install electrical devices for the home. Compared with traditional switches and outlets, Decora Edge revolutionizes installation by enabling users to simply push stripped 14-gauge or 12-gauge electrical building wire into a termination port, and close a lever that audibly clicks into place, terminating the connection with complete confidence.
The PRODUCTS MVP awards program is part of a family of award-winning building and remodeling publications, including Pro Builder, Pro Remodeler and Custom Builder.
For more information, visit leviton.com.
Acuity’s Atrius Recognized as Top Sustainability Technology Provider
Atrius, part of Acuity Brands Inc., announced it has received two awards recognizing the brand as a top technology provider in the commercial real estate (CRE) sector from award programs hosted by industry publications Commercial Property Executive (CPE) and CREtech. These awards join previous wins from organizations such as Juniper Research and Environment+Energy Leader recognizing the brand’s commitment to creating sustainable, efficient buildings in the CRE, airport, manufacturing and other industries.
CPE named Atrius the Most Innovative Technology silver winner at its annual Influence Awards, announced today during CPE’s virtual celebration. The program recognizes excellence across the CRE industry including technology, property design and individuals’ accomplishments. In addition, CREtech selected Atrius as one of three finalists in its Real Estate Tech Awards (RETAs) in the Mature Growth category in October. The RETAs honor up to 12 technology vendors a year, from startups to public companies, that are advancing solutions for commercial buildings. Both programs recognized Atrius for its energy management platform, Atrius Energy and its carbon accounting and reporting software, Atrius Sustainability. CPE also recognized Atrius Wayfinder, the brand’s indoor mapping solution for its insights on occupant movement within a space.
“Our work within the CRE space is helping building operators save on energy costs, reduce their properties’ carbon emissions and create awareness of how these initiatives positively impact their tenants’ operations,” said Sandeep Modhvadia, vice president, product management, Atrius, Acuity Brands. “The Atrius suite of products provides unparalleled insights into portfolios to maximize building performance, improve tenants’ experiences and support ESG commitments to fight climate change. We’re honored to receive this back-to-back industry recognition.”
“With buildings generating nearly 40% of the world’s annual carbon emissions, we recognize that Cushman & Wakefield plays a vital role in shaping a sustainable future for real estate. The ability to track, monitor, and report the sustainability performance of buildings under management is critical to meeting our goal of net zero value chain emissions by 2050,” said Jessica Francisco, global head of sustainability for global occupier services at
Cushman and Wakefield. “Through our partnership with Atrius, we deliver data-driven sustainability solutions that unlock valuable insights for our clients. With Atrius solutions, we know we’re working with reliable, assured data that will enable us to communicate our sustainability progress every step of the way.”
For more information, visit atrius.com.
AI-Driven Mobile Product Search for Distributors
Bridgeline Digital Inc., a provider of marketing software, announced its partnership with Moblico, a leader in mobile engagement solutions for wholesale distributors, providing mobile messaging and custom branded mobile apps.
Moblico, an IMARK member service provider, will leverage Bridgeline’s HawkSearch to grow revenue for distributors through mobile search. The partnership combines Moblico’s mobile engagement solutions with HawkSearch’s AI search technology, enabling distributors to interact with customers in real-time, increasing customer retention and revenue.
Moblico has extended its expertise to thousands of wholesale distribution centers and manufacturers across the United States, Canada, Mexico, Latin America and Europe. Similarly, HawkSearch brings a proven track record of working with many leading distributors such as Misumi USA, Packard and Kirby Risk.
Pierre Barbeau, CEO of Moblico, remarked on the collaboration, “Our partnership with Bridgeline enhances the distributor’s online experience by merging HawkSearch’s AI technology with our mobile solutions. We look forward to the positive effects on our customers’ operations.”
For more information, visit moblico.com.
CMA Wins Award for IMARK Electrical Now Magazine Design
CMA, a full-service communications, marketing and association management firm and IMARK Electrical member service provider, recently won six industry awards for an array of creative designs, publications and public relations from NJ Ad Club.
CMA won first place in magazine design, marketing collateral design and media relations to showcase the company’s depth of in-house talent. “Our business strategy revolves around helping our clients grow by leveraging our creative, in-house expertise,” said Jeffrey Barnhart, CEO and founder of CMA. “For 36 years, our experienced, marketing communications professionals continue to build winning brands that support our clients’ sales efforts.”
IMARK Electrical Now magazine, which won top honors, featured an eye-catching, streamlined design that elevated the content that offered readers insight on management strategies, tactical insight on logistics, productivity and margins. Double-truck spreads for “10 Ways to Thrive During an Economic Downturn” and “Look Both Ways Before Hiring” created a flow that added to the experience. Use of page-long vertical and horizontal images throughout the book added to the visual aesthetics.
Overall, CMA has been recognized with more than 409 awards for client work in marketing and communications excellence. The firm has helped clients in various industries, ranging from electrical and plumbing distribution to financial services, health care, lighting, professional services and associations.
For more information, visit cmasolutions.com.