Summit Electric Supply Names President, CEO
Summit Electric Supply’s Board of Directors recently announced that Ed Gerber has been appointed as its new president and CEO.
“Ed has served on our Board of Directors for the last three years, leading the committee responsible for associate development and compensation, and has an intimate knowledge of the company through his Board role,” said Vic Jury Jr, chairman. “Ed has impressed all of us on the Board with his distribution expertise, proven leadership skills, infectious enthusiasm, brilliant mind, and clear, direct communication style.”
Gerber developed his deep expertise in distribution over many years. Starting as a sales rep for a distributor right out of college, he was named “Salesperson of the Year” just two years later. At the end of his first decade in distribution, he was named president of his company.
For nine years, Gerber served as executive vice president, sales and marketing, at IDG/Vallen and was part of the leadership team that sold the company to Sonepar in 2016. He was then recruited to become the leader of the Industrial Supply Association, where he quickly energized the entire channel, from manufacturers to rep firms to distributors.
In other company news, Summit Electric Supply opened its newest service center in Richardson, Texas. The new 6,500-square-foot facility is located off the Arapaho Road exit from the North Central Expressway. It features a full counter, refreshment area and a will-call desk for phone and online orders.
For more information, visit summit.com.
Atlantic Coast Electric Supply Names VP, General Manager
Atlantic Coast Electric Supply (ACES) recently announced that John Younginer has joined the company as vice president and general manager. Younginer brings more than 30 years of industry experience to the ACES team and a passion for building great teams that out-service the competition.
An experienced business leader, holding various roles across electrical distributor branches and regions in the southeast, Younginer will utilize his experience with Cameron & Barkley and Shealy/Border States Electric to lead ACES’ sales initiatives across five locations.
In other company news, ACES held its first annual Charleston area employee appreciation picnic on October 30. About 75 people, including their families, attended the event in near perfect weather on a beautiful day at the North Charleston Wannamaker Park located on University Boulevard.
Casey Getz, vice president and the ACES executive responsible for the Charleston and Summerville geographic market said, “We wanted to show appreciation to those people who have made our success in this market possible. We don’t just employ people; we have a responsibility as a company to develop our team both as a group and individuals. We wanted to send a strong message of gratitude, especially to the families that depend on us for a good living and a great place to work.”
For more information, visit atlanticcoastelectricsupply.com.
Womack Appoints Marketing Communications Director
Womack Electric Supply announced that Greg Bullock, former Womack creative brand specialist, has been appointed as director of marketing communications. In this role, Bullock will be responsible for collaborating with internal and external stakeholders to develop, manage and direct Womack’s strategic marketing plan and promotional initiatives across digital and traditional channels. Layne Cahill, Womack Marketing Associate, will assist Bullock in this role, providing support for the planning and execution of marketing activities and other administrative departmental functions.
Bullock joined Womack Electric Supply in 1988 and has more than 33 years of industry experience in electrical distribution sales, branch and district management, e-business solutions, creative branding and marketing. Womack Electric Supply Company, a subsidiary of Crescent Electric Supply Company, is headquartered in Danville, Virginia, and has 18 branch locations in North Carolina and Virginia.
For more information, visit womackelectric.com.
Blazer Electric Raises Funds for Future Electricians
Blazer Electric Supply Company, Colorado Springs, Colorado, held its ninth Annual Blazer Benefit Golf Tournament at Bear Dance Golf Club in Larkspur, Colorado on July 29, 2021.
A total of $32,000 was raised to support the local training initiatives of the Independent Electrical Contractors and the Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee. $206,750 has now been raised to support scholarships, tools, training materials and equipment.
Steve Blazer, president of Blazer Electric Supply, said, “We are making a difference with not only the quality of the education these young apprentices are receiving, but also giving opportunities to many who want to start a career in the trade but can’t afford tools or tuition. We were fortunate to raise funds during 2020 as well.”
Ryall Group was the Title Sponsor for the tournament. Other major sponsors were ASA Electrical Solutions, Casey Bergquist, Eaton, Hubbell Wiring, Illumination Systems, iPro Sales & Marketing, Mersen, Minerallac, Omni Cable, Southwire, The Lighting Agency and Visual Interest.
Blazer is the only locally owned electrical distributor in southern Colorado with two locations and more than 100 employees.
For more information, visit buyblazer.com.
Winsupply Acquires HESCO Supply
insupply Inc. has closed on the purchase of HESCO Supply.
For more than a quarter of a century, HESCO Supply has been a staple of the electrical and utility business. The company has grown to become one of the 250 largest distributors in the country.
Winsupply welcomes the team from HESCO Supply into the Winsupply family of companies. Winsupply and the local companies’ success has been built by growing courageous entrepreneurs, people who get up and take on challenges with an optimistic spirit.
The location will continue to do business as HESCO Supply.
For more information, visit winsupplyinc.com.
New Warshauer Training Facility Opens
The new Warshauer Tech, a 2,500-square-foot state-of-the-art training facility, is located adjacent to Warshauer Electric Supply’s 45,000-square-foot Lakewood, New Jersey facility at 700 Vassar Ave. In addition to training existing trade professionals, this new facility has a hands-on laboratory “stick room” to teach adults looking to learn a new trade. This new Intro to Electrical Contracting course, an 8-week program approved and accredited by both the Department of Labor of the State of New Jersey and the County of Ocean, will guide the students through all aspects of electrical contracting and all graduates are guaranteed placement upon graduation.
Warshauer Tech was recently awarded a contract by the Ocean County Private Industry Council under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) and WorkFirst New Jersey. The WIOA is designed to strengthen and improve our nation’s public workforce system and help get adults into high-quality trade jobs and careers. All graduates will receive a certificate of completion, all the basic tools needed to get started in the industry, and most importantly a guaranteed job placement. Warshauer Trade will also continue offering CEU’s and ASID classes in our Parsippany, NJ location along with utilizing our new state-of-the-art classroom in Lakewood.
In addition, this facility will also be home to a new Generator Sales & Service training center. Warshauer Tech–Lakewood will have both air-cooled and liquid-cooled generators, associated transfer switches and all will be fully energized and powered as well as an on-site 100kw generator that will provide real-time back-up power for the entire 45,000-square-foot facility, which includes Warshauer Electric’s Lakewood location. Students will learn all the basics to sell, install and most importantly service all types of residential and commercial generators and transfer switches in a real-life working laboratory. They will have the ability to earn various manufacturer direct certifications upon course completion. Warshauer Tech has been teaching certified installer classes for the past 18 years including Generac’s “Power for Profits” classes since their inception about 10 years ago. Warshauer has on-staff certified trainers, so all instruction is handled in-house for generator sales and service.
For more information, visit warshauer.com.
Team-K/E Relocates Brighton Location in 36 Hours
K/E Electric Supply in Mount Clemens, Michigan held a Grand Re-Opening of its Brighton location on November 3, 2021. Company employees (affectionately known as Team-K/E) moved the Brighton branch inventory, all shelving and offices equipment into the new location in less than 36 hours.
Two-dozen employees worked long, hard hours on Friday, September 24. Roughly 18 staff worked Saturday to complete the move. About a dozen of the Saturday workers stayed overnight in hotels Friday, shortening their drive to the move. Customers were serviced until 9 a.m. on Friday morning from the prior location. On Monday, the new Brighton location was ready for business, with a little dust.
At the Grand Re-Opening, branch manager Jerry Indra thanked his coworkers for their extra efforts in supporting the move to “his” new location, which he calls “The Biggest Little Branch of Team-K/E.”
The new Brighton location has a superior building footprint, with ample acreage to expand on, while being strategically located on a major roadway, adjacent to a popular freeway exit. Next up for the Brighton branch, “Ready, set, go.”
In the last 12 years, K/E Electric Supply has relocated all of its three branches, opting for superior locations and facilities. Most recently (in April 2019), the Port Huron Branch was relocated on essentially the same timetable. The company continues to “reevaluate everything” regularly.
President/CEO Rock Kuchenmeister says that too often making internal warehouse or operational changes at companies set in their ways “cooks like Jello. Sometimes you need to mix a little oil and vinegar, then turn the heat up to get the right recipe.”
Shareholder Ryan Kuchenmeister took the lead on this project, coordinating with contractors to satisfy the needs and requests of the board. His brothers (and partners) Rhandi and Rocky stepped up to the plate whenever needed on this project, while simultaneously leading other special projects of their own. Meanwhile, their father Rock continues to work on “the big project,” hoping to release some press announcements in 2022.
For more information, visit keelectric.com.