Electrical Distributors Recognized with Family Business of the Year Awards

Electric Supply of Tampa Inc., Tampa, Fla., and French Gerleman, Maryland Heights, Mo., were recognized this fall with Family Business of the Year Awards.

Electric Supply of Tampa received the Florida Family Business of the Year Award. French Gerleman won the Mississippi Valley Business of the Year Award.

The University of Tampa and the Florida Business Journal presented the award to Electric Supply of Tampa based in part on business growth, family values and succession planning. With 85 employees, the distributor won in the midsize business category (50 to 250 employees).

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville's School of Business recognized French Gerleman as Mississippi Valley Family Business of the Year for the family-owned company's excellence in industry and positive impact on the community. The Mississippi Valley awards were given in three categories: large (250 or more employees), medium (50 to 250 employees) and small (fewer than 50 employees). Separate awards were given to firms located in Illinois and Missouri. French Gerleman was selected as the winner in the category of medium-size companies in Missouri.

French Gerleman is the largest independent electrical distributorship in the St. Louis area and the 55th largest electrical distributorship in the United States as ranked by Electrical Wholesaling's 250 Biggest listing. The company now employs 242 people and sells more in one month than in its first 46 years combined.

Electric Supply of Tampa was recently featured in the June 2001 issue of Electrical Wholesaling as one of the fastest-growing electrical distributors over the past five years as measured by the magazine's 250 Biggest ranking.

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