Granite City’s Helle and Elliott Electric’s Paul Join AD Board of Directors

AD’s Independent Electrical Supply Division (IESD) announced two changes to its 2025 board of directors. Steve Helle, president of Granite City Electric Supply, will step into the role of board co-chair to lead the board alongside John Hanna, president and COO of Fromm Electric Supply, and Stephen Paul, president of Elliott Electric Supply, will join the board.  

Helle is the president of Granite City Electric Supply, which has been a large independent electrical supply distributor in the New England region for more than 100 years. Under Helle’s leadership, Granite City Electric Supply has expanded through acquisitions and adding new locations, growing from five locations and 75 employees to 32 locations and almost 500 employees across Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont and Albany, NY.  

Paul joined the Elliott Electric Supply leadership team in 2023 as president. Prior to Elliott, he spent 24 years at Eaton Corp., where he held various leadership roles spanning sales and manufacturing across the country, including as regional VP for the Gulf Region. Paul earned a degree in Industrial Distribution from Texas A&M University and is actively engaged with helping this program today as it attracts new talent to the industry.

The AD Independent Electrical Supply Division (IESD), which was formed as a part of the 2024 merger with IMARK Electrical, also announced a significant milestone in the merger integration. Since closing the transaction with IMARK Electrical on Sept. 24, 2024, significant activity has taken place among the AD and IMARK Electrical teams to integrate the two groups. As of the end of Jan. 2025, AD has welcomed over 530 former IMARK Electrical members into IESD. AD’s newly created division, now comprised of over 700 independent distributors, represents 30% of the overall electrical channel in the U.S.

AD Electrical & Industrial Business Unit President, Marisol Fernandez, said in the press release, “This merger is a testament to the incredible work and dedication of both the AD and IMARK Electrical board of directors, and we are thrilled to be bringing the best Independents together. It’s an exciting time to be part of the electrical industry and we are equally grateful to our supplier partners that recognize the importance of maintaining a strong independent channel in the markets we serve.”  

The members of the 2025 AD Independent Electrical Supply Division Board are:

•    Steve Helle, President, Granite City Electric Supply and IESD Board Co-Chair

•    John Hanna, president & COO, Fromm Electric Supply and IESD Board Co-Chair

•    John Cady, president, Revere Electric Supply Co.

•    Michael Doris, president, Mars Electric Co.

•    Danny Gray, president & CEO, Independent Electric Supply

•    Paul Kennedy, president & CEO, DSG

•    Craig LaRue, president, Alameda Electrical Distributors

•    John Marshall, president & Owner, Atlantic Coast Electric Supply

•    Lura McBride, president & CEO, Van Meter

•    Jeff Metzler, CEO, Lonestar Electric Supply

•    Stephen Paul, president, Elliott Electric Supply

•    Jason Seger, president & CEO, Border States

•    Bruce Summerville, president, Inline Electric Supply Co.

•    Luis Valls, president & Co-CEO, Turtle