For January 2014, Electrical Wholesaling highlights Bruce Bittner, new CEO of NSi Lighting; Martin Pint, vice president of distribution sales, Universal Lighting Technologies; Neda Farzan, business development analyst, Nora Lighting; Robert Howard-Anderson, CEO, Fulham Co.; and Jim Suttle, service center leader - Bryan/College Station, Summit Electric Supply.
Others On the Move:
Schneider Electric (Rueil Malmaison, France): Chris Hummel is the new chief marketing officer (CMO). He will have the additional title of executive vice president and will be a member of the Paris-based company’s executive committee. Hummel will report directly to Schneider chairman and CEO Jean-Pascal Tricoire. He brings a background in marketing, sales and general management from international assignments in the U.S., Germany, Russia and Singapore, most recently with Unify (formerly Siemens Enterprise Communications) where he was chief commercial officer and oversaw the repositioning and rebranding of that company. Before that, he held executive sales, product and marketing roles with SAP and Oracle.
Border States Electric (Fargo, N.D.): Keleigh Pearson has been named contract quality assurance manager. She joined BSE in 2008 and has been quality assurance coordinator since 2010. Pearson is a graduate of Boston University with a B.A. in environmental analysis and policy with an economics minor and an M.A. in energy and environmental analysis. Additionally, she is a graduate of the University of North Dakota School of Law.
Xicato (San Jose, Calif.): This developer of LED modules has hired Joe Li as the regional sales manager for greater China to lead the company’s continued growth in a region where the market is maturing and increasingly seeking solutions that provide higher-quality light and improved efficiency.
Li’s experience in greater China includes successful sales leadership in microelectronics, semiconductor and most recently lighting sectors where he was recently the vice president sales for Asia for another manufacturer. He has more than 30 years of international sales experience.
Springfield Electric (Springfield, Ill.): The company has announced a new corporate organizational structure, positioning the company for retirements in several key leadership responsibilities over the next few years: Chairman emeritus — William Schnirring; Chairman & CEO — Mike Barker; Executive chairman — Dan Dungan; Executive chairman — Randy Germeraad; COO — Nikki Baker; CFO — Greg Lutchka; President — Mark Barthel; V.P. of marketing — Alan Baum; Regional V.P. — Harry Honings; Regional V.P. — Chris Suerdieck; and Regional V.P. — Chris Scarbrough. Additionally, Springfield’s board of directors has named Scarbrough as associate CEO. He will become the company’s CEO as Barker retires in approximately two years.
Graybar Electric Co. (St. Louis): The company announced the election of David Bender to its board of directors. He currently serves as district vice president of Graybar’s Atlanta regional operations. Bender began his Graybar career in 1988 and has served in a broad range of sales and management roles. He was promoted to Seattle district vice president in 2010 and moved to his current role as district vice president of Graybar’s Atlanta district in 2012.
K/E Electric Supply (Mt. Clemens, Mich.): Erin Gabor has been promoted to branch manager of the Brighton, Mich., branch beginning Jan. 2014. She is being promoted internally from her position in the Team-K/E Lighting Department, a position she held more than five years. Gabor is a 14-year veteran of Team-K/E, beginning with the company in 2000 as an accounts payable clerk in the corporate offices of K/E Electric Supply. She fills a position opening up, as existing manager Doug Kern has accepted a full-time position in the company’s expanding outside sales team.