IMARK Group Congratulates 2017 EPEC Graduates from IMARK Member Companies 

The National Association of Electrical Distributors (NAED) Electrical Products Education Course (EPEC) is recognized as a symbol of quality and a gauge of professional competency in the electrical industry. EPEC integrates the full range of products distributors sell with a unique systems approach—providing information about individual products and applications, as well as showing how each is interrelated with other products in electrical systems. Congratulations to the following individuals from IMARK member companies on their 2017 accomplishments.

To learn more about NAED’s EPEC program, visit naed.org or contact NAED member services at memberservices@naed.org or 888-791-2512.

Missouri’s Metro Lighting Celebrates 50 Years

IMARK member Metro Lighting, a locally-owned family business, is celebrating its 50th anniversary as St. Louis, Missouri’s source for the latest electrical and lighting solutions. Together, Metro Lighting and Metro Electric Supply have a total of 14 locations across five counties in Missouri with plans for growth in the near future.

In 1967, Jim Frisella and Charile Gagnepain bought and established their new company, St. Louis Electric Supply. By 1971, Frisella’s brother, Bill Frisella, joined the team to continue to grow the business and open satellite locations known as Metro Electric Supply. It was in 1978 that Metro purchased an electrical distributor that also had a small 2,500-square-foot lighting showroom and launched what is now Metro Lighting. Bill Frisella owns and manages the company to this day.

“Our philosophy has always been to grow the business,” Bill Frisella, president of Metro Electric Supply and Metro Lighting, said. “We have had a momentous year and are looking at new locations in Missouri and even in several other areas of the country.”

The company attributes its lasting success to customer service. “We still make deliveries to electricians and builders on the job that need material fast, just like the old days when it was just St. Louis Electrical Supply,” Bill Frisella said.

Since the beginning, Metro Lighting has stayed true to its roots, providing the ultimate customer experience via customer service, expert advice and a great selection of top-quality, cutting-edge products for the best guaranteed price. Metro makes more than 100 deliveries every day to the greater St. Louis metropolitan area and Cape Girardeau, which confirms its drive to go above and beyond for customers.

Metro has also stayed ahead of the curve, investing in its commitment to the environment. More than 15 years ago, Metro recognized the tremendous benefits of LED lighting and energy-efficient products in the industry. Metro has been recognized both locally and nationally for its efforts by AMEREN, the Department of Energy and the Environmental Protection Agency. Metro is also a part of AMEREN Missouri’s energy partnership and is a “Platinum Ally” of AMEREN. The company has installed electric vehicle chargers at several locations and purchased a Nissan Leaf to let customers know it’s serious about energy efficiency.

“We jumped on the LED technology more than 15 years ago when it was new to the industry,” Bill Frisella said. “We saw the energy it could save and with the help of son Nick Frisella opened an energy department to have customers switch out fluorescent, HID and incandescent lights to LEDs and encouraged customers to replace outdated fixtures with new, advanced technology. We continue to work tirelessly with businesses and residential customers to meet their needs when it comes to energy savings.”

Starting with three employees working out of a small storefront located on Arsenal Street, the family business has grown to include about 170 employees. Bill Frisella’s daughter and son, Sarah King and Nick Frisella, have joined forces with their dad as well as additional members of his family to further expand the company and service their growing customer base.

For more information, visit metroelectricsupply.com.

Winsupply Acquires Tacoma Electric Supply

Winsupply Inc. in Dayton, Ohio has purchased Tacoma Electric Supply LLC, a Washington-based distributor of electrical equipment and supplies. Tacoma Electric Supply has locations in Tacoma and Puyallup. Terms of the purchase were not disclosed.

Tacoma Electric Supply is consistently listed among the top 200 electrical distributors in the United States and is a recognized brand in the greater Puget Sound market.

“Tacoma Electric Supply has been in business 36 years and is a well-managed company in a growing market under the leadership of Charlie Silva, president, along with an experienced management team,” said Roland Gordon, president and CEO, Winsupply Inc. “The Puget Sound region is in a housing construction boom. The longevity of Tacoma Electric Supply and the customer relationships they’ve built over the years will provide an excellent platform for growth under Winsupply.

“This latest acquisition bolsters Winsupply’s presence in the Northwest and becomes our first electrical supplier to that region and our second along the West Coast,” Gordon continued. “In 2017, we acquired Electrical Sales Inc. in southern California.”

Silva, a 31-year veteran of the electrical industry, will continue in his leadership role as president and invest equity in Tacoma Electric Supply. In the Winsupply co-ownership business model, Winsupply Inc. has majority equity in each of its locations, while the local company presidents and sometimes employees own substantial equity.

For more information, visit winsupplyinc.com.

Springfield Electric Supply Welcomes Tri-State

Springfield Electric Supply Co. in Springfield, Illinois recently purchased the assets of Tri-State Lighting & Supply, an electrical wholesaler in southern Indiana and northern Kentucky.

“We are excited to welcome Tri-State to our Springfield Electric family,” said Chris Scarbrough, Springfield Electric CEO. “Tri-State has a keen focus on the customer and a strong reputation supplying electrical contractors in the Evansville, Indiana market area. Tri-State is highly respected by its supplier partners. The family culture of Tri-State is very similar to Springfield Electric, which makes this opportunity so exciting.”

“Tri-State is looking forward to being part of the Springfield Electric team and is excited about the opportunities that will be available not only for the company but for our customers as well,” said Steve Hurley, Tri-State Lighting president.

“Springfield’s core values and commitment to customer service mirror Tri-State’s. With our 60-plus years in Evansville combined with Springfield’s vison, we feel this partnership will provide great benefit to not only our customers but also the Tri-State family.”

The name will remain Tri-State Lighting & Supply, a branch of Springfield Electric.

Springfield Electric supplies products to construction, industrial and OEM customers. The partially employeeowned company will have more than 325 employees with 17 branches in four states with Tri-State.

For more information, visit springfieldelectric.com.

Allied Electrical Wholesale, Blazer Electric Win First Community Service Awards from the IEC

The Independent Electrical Contractors (IEC) presented its first-ever Community Service Awards at the IEC Convention and EXPO 2017.

Steve Blazer of Blazer Electric Supply was honored with the inaugural IEC Community Service Individual Award for his dedication to supporting his local community. Central Indiana IEC, InPwr, DGH, Kinder Electric and Allied Wholesale Electrical Supply were presented with the very first IEC Community Service Team Award.

Blazer is a true supporter of his local IEC chapter and community as a whole. Employees of his company even nominated him as the local Colorado Springs Business Citizen of the Year.

When the Black Forest Fire burned through the community in 2004, Blazer provided aid to IEC Southern Colorado Training Director Kathy Gurba, who lost her barn and almost her house and belongings. Blazer also serves on the board of the Salvation Army and goes beyond the call of duty as a bell-ringer during the holidays. To date, Blazer’s company has also donated $50,000 to help IEC Southern Colorado’s students.

The recipients of the team award worked with Neighborlink Indianapolis to provide free repairs to an elderly man’s home that caught fire and suffered severe damage. Thirteen employees from the aforementioned companies attended to the home with their tools and supplies, taking down and reinstalling wiring in the house in less than eight hours and helping move the man and his family out of the RV where they were living since the fire in November 2016.

Mars Electric Supports Ronald McDonald House

Mars Electric in Cleveland, Ohio supported the Ronald McDonald House’s Cleaning Supply Drive in December 2017. All 12 Mars Electric branches collected household cleaning supplies donated by customers and employees to be used at the Ronald McDonald House of Cleveland.

“Our customers and employees are outstanding. They rallied and donated cleaning supplies for the Ronald McDonald House, an amazing facility for families to stay close while their children are getting medical care,” said Michael Mammone, vice president of sales.

For more information, visit mars-electric.com.

Nu-Lite Raises $31,000 for Charity

Nu-Lite Electrical Wholesalers, headquartered in Harahan, Louisiana, raised more than $31,000 on behalf of St. Michael’s Special School during its five-week charity promotion. St. Michael’s has educated special needs students from the New Orleans metropolitan area since 1965. St. Michael’s is unique in that it provides for the development of the whole child—academically, physically, emotionally and spiritually— regardless of his/her disability. The school teaches students 6-25 years old. The special needs of its students can range from mild to moderate autism, ADHD, developmental delays and traumatic brain injuries to those with multiple disabilities and other health impairments.

For the past seven years, Nu-Lite has selected various local charities to receive the money raised during its annual charity promotion. In those seven years, Nu-Lite has been able to donate more than $200,000 with the support of New Orleans metropolitan area electricians and participating vendors. Jennifer Gray, Nu-Lite’s marketing coordinator, said, “This year our customers had a strong connection to St. Michael’s Special School. Everyone seemed to know someone who is currently attending or has attended St. Michael’s. I have heard so many stories of customers thanking our sales staff and drivers for helping these students. We even invited a few St. Michael’s students to help our employees welcome and serve customers during our annual Customer Appreciation Steak Cookout that took place in the middle of the five-week promotion. The customers loved getting to know these wonderful students and learn more about the school.”

Nu-Lite’s Gray and Joe Impastato, general manager, Kevin Corales, project quotations, and Jeff Corales, outside sales, presented the check at St. Michael’s to its students during an assembly. St Michael’s Principal/ President Tish Sauerhoff gave them a tour of the school to view the students learning in their classrooms. During the tour, she explained that a portion of the school’s budget comes from the various fundraisers it has throughout the year. Sauerhoff said, “This past year’s fundraising had fallen $30,000 short of our 2018 budget goal. As we were worrying and trying to figure out how to come up with the additional funds, we received a call from Nu-Lite. We couldn’t have been more appreciative that Nu-Lite chose to support us this year. To see a business that strives to ‘keep it local’ helping out our students was incredible.”

The vendors who contributed to this year’s charity were Encore Wire, Philips, Western Tube and Conduit, Leviton, Square D by Schneider Electric, Burndy, Ideal Industries, Eaton/Cooper Lighting/B-Line/Crouse-Hinds and Bridgeport. Without the support from these vendors, the annual charity fundraising would not have been possible.

For more information, visit nulite.com.

Warshauer Gives to Local Nonprofits

Warshauer Electric Supply in Tinton Falls, New Jersey recently partnered with Lunch Break, a local food pantry in Red Bank, New Jersey. Lunch Break provides free food, clothing, life skills and fellowship to those in need in Monmouth County and beyond. All five of Warshauer’s locations collected 250 pounds of non-perishable goods to alleviate hunger and to seize the opportunity to give back to the community.

In addition to collecting food donations, Warshauer “adopted a family” through Operation Sleighbells at Family and Children Services (FCS), located in Long Branch, New Jersey. Operation Sleighbells began in 1909 and continues to enlist hundreds of local businesses, churches, organizations, individuals and families during the holiday season to provide gifts and necessities to those who may be struggling financially or facing other challenges. FCS serves more than 1,500 children annually.

For more information, visit warshauer.com.

Womack Electric Donates Bicycles for Kids

Womack Electric Supply and Intertape Polymer Group teamed up to deliver 90 bicycles to the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Danville, Virginia area just in time for Christmas. Employees and customers donated to Womack’s annual Give a Kid a Bike Campaign and on Dec. 20, 2017, the branches gathered their donations and delivered them. “Womack started doing this company-wide years ago,” said Dennis Rutledge, a Womack sales representative who oversees the project for the Virginia locations. “We try to get donations from employees, contractors and customers. It’s what my holiday centers around.”

For more information, visit womackelectric.com.

Crescent Electric Promotes Joe McDermott to Regional VP

Crescent Electric Supply Co. in East Dubuque, Illinois has announced the promotion of Joe McDermott to the position of regional vice president. In his new role, McDermott will own P&L responsibility for all branches in the central region of the national electrical distribution company.

McDermott began his career in the electrical wholesale business in 1986 and held numerous management positions with WESCO and Grainger before joining Crescent Electric in 2009 as the northern Illinois district manager. Under his leadership, Crescent expanded beyond the construction market to also become one of the premier industrial automation distributors in the area.

“Joe’s proven track record of revenue and profit growth, his continuous business leadership and his history of coaching, mentoring and promoting from within will be a valuable asset to the region and to Crescent Electric as a whole,” said Rob Onorato, Crescent Electric senior vice president and chief operating officer.

For more information, visit cesco.com.

Summit Electric Supply Names Vice President, Louisiana District

Summit Electric Supply in Albuquerque, New Mexico recently announced that Chad Eschete has joined the company to lead the Louisiana District. He will report to President Kevin Powell and be based out of Summit’s Gonzales, Louisiana location.

Eschete has 24 years of experience in electrical distribution. He has strong knowledge of industrial, marine and commercial markets. Most recently, he was the director of sales for a global industrial/electrical distributor, where he led sales programs for large national contractors and EP&Cs.

“Chad is a veteran Summit associate, having spent more than three years in our New Orleans service center earlier in his career,” Powell said. “We are thrilled to have him join our team in a leadership position where he will excel at increasing sales, building teams and strengthening customer and vendor relationships.”

Eschete will be responsible for the development and execution of sales initiatives in the company’s Louisiana District. The district includes service centers located in Broussard, Gonzales, New Orleans and Sulphur.

“I’m very excited to be part of the Summit team,” Eschete said. “I know firsthand that Summit is a first-class organization that focuses on the success of its customers and associates. I am looking forward to leading the sales efforts of the Louisiana District and growing market share.”

A New Orleans native, Eschete earned a bachelor’s degree from Louisiana State University and has spent his entire career based in Louisiana.

For more information, visit summit.com.