HOFFMAN PROMOTED TO EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT OF SALES AND MARKET DEVELOPMENT
Legrand North America (LNA), a division of Legrand worldwide and the parent company of Pass & Seymour (P&S) and Wiremold, announces the promotion of John Hoffman to executive vice president of sales and market development for its Electrical Wiring Systems (EWS) division.
Hoffman joined the Wiremold organization in 1989 and has since held executive positions in sales, marketing and market development. His most recent position, vice president of market development for EWS, will allow for a smooth transition to his new role.
Hoffman will be responsible for unifying the direction of the EWS sales organization, encompassing the P&S, Wiremold and Cablofil brands. He will continue to focus the EWS market development team in driving a total solutions message for LNA affiliates, including On-Q, Ortronics and the EWS brands.
“ We look forward to John’s leadership of the EWS sales and market development teams, and we’re confident he’ll foster great progress among the various Legrand brands ,” said Mike Gambino, president and chief executive officer of Electrical Wiring Systems, Legrand North America.
Hoffman has been an active member of the National Electrical Manufacturers Representatives Association (NEMRA) Manufacturers Committee for the last three years. He resides in Simsbury, Conn., with his wife and three children.
Peter McIlroy II, CEO and Chairman of the Board of Robroy Industries, has been selected as a finalist for the prestigious Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the YeaR Award - Upstate New York and Western Pennsylvania Region
Ernst & Young created the Entrepreneur Of The YeaR awards program in 1986 to honor entrepreneurs whose ingenuity and perseverance have created and sustained successful, growing business ventures.
Mr. McIlroy has been president of Robroy Industries since 1980, following in the footsteps of his father and his grandfather, Peter McIlroy I who founded the organization in 1905. The fourth generation of the McIlroy family, Peter’s two sons Jeff and Rob, are also now involved in management of the company’s operations.
Robroy Industries currently operates four manufacturing facilities in the U.S. producing three product lines: plastic-coated steel conduit is designed to convey electrical wiring through industrial plants where there is severe corrosion; fiberglass enclosures house electrical connectors and electronic gear including sensitive controls and instrumentation; and fiberglass lining systems are used inside steel oil field tubular’s to protect against corrosion.
Underscoring Mr. McIlroy’s selection as a finalist in the Entrepreneur Of The Year is the fact that Robroy Industries recorded its best year ever in 2006. In addition, they have had six consecutive record-breaking years.
This year the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The YearR awards program is celebrating its 20 th anniversary. In those years, the Entrepreneur Of The YeaR program has expanded to more than 125 cities in 40 countries with awards presented annually to over 900 of the world’s most successful and innovative entrepreneurs.
Columbia Electric
adds fourth location; Boston storefront opens August '07
Columbia Electric Supply Inc., the region's leading electrical supplier since 1932, today announced plans to open its fourth location, an 8300 square foot storefront in Boston.
Geoff Murphy, President of Columbia Electric, made the announcement today and said that build out for the new location, expected to open in August 2007, is underway. The facility is located at 371 Dorchester Avenue, and convenient to Route 92/Southeast Expressway.
Murphy notes that the facility will help the growing distributor expand its territory provide greater service to their growing number of Boston area clients. "We have seen a significant increase in business from the Boston area, and this location provides us the opportunity to provide better and quicker service to our growing Boston clientele as well as the chance to work with world class manufacturers in this city.
"We are very excited about this challenge, and look forward to becoming part of the Boston business community," he said.
Murphy said he anticipates their Boston location will begin with eight people on staff and expects that number to increase soon after it opens. The Boston location will serve the City of Boston and the immediate surrounding areas.
"In competitive times such as these, providing the very best in products and service to customers is essential," Murphy said, adding, "Our expansion plan has centered on locations that we beleive can benefit from having a strong electrical product distributor in their market area. Boston complements our locations in Brockton, Taunton and Fall River.
For more information, visit www.columbiaelectric.com
Dexter + Chaney To Double Its Office Space With New Building
Dexter + Chaney developer of Spectrum™ Construction Software employed by more than 1,000 construction companies throughout the United States, has broken ground on a second office building to accommodate the company’s growing work force.
The new three-story, 12,000-square-foot office will be adjacent to Dexter + Chaney’s existing office building that the company purchased in 1999. Employees will occupy both buildings when the new one is completed in April 2008. Together, the two buildings nestled on the 2.3-acre Dexter + Chaney “campus” will provide more than 24,000 square feet of office space for the growing company.
“Our growth required that we add a second office,” said John Chaney, Dexter + Chaney president and co-founder. “We need the space to accommodate the current and future employees who will help us develop Spectrum and service our expanding customer base.” Chaney noted that the company’s year-to-date sales are 20 percent higher than the same period a year ago.
Dexter + Chaney personnel enjoy a park-like urban oasis featuring dozens of Northwest-native evergreen and leaf-bearing trees, an outdoor lunch space and other amenities that contribute to a comfortable working environment. The Dexter + Chaney campus is situated near the Burke Gilman biking/jogging trail, the University of Washington and the upscale University Village shopping center.
“We chose this location back in 1999 because it offered a pleasant, peaceful space that would contribute to employee productivity and satisfaction,” said Chaney. “It also would accommodate our future growth. This second building, which was part of our original plan, will fit perfectly into the pleasant-and-productive environment of the Dexter + Chaney campus.”
For additional information, check the “careers” page of the Dexter + Chaney web site (www.dexterchaney.com) or click http://www.dexterchaney.com/about/careers/index.aspx
Leviton Appoints Ed Plaia
to Vice President/General Manager of Commercial/Industrial Business
Leviton Manufacturing Company is pleased to announce the appointment of Ed Plaia as Vice President/General Manager for the company’s Commercial and Industrial business. In his new post, Plaia will lead product management, marketing and engineering operations for the company’s commercial and industrial business, focusing on sales growth across all of the company’s market channels.
Plaia joined Leviton in 1985 as Manager of Manufacturing Technology and was promoted to Director of Manufacturing Technology and Assistant Vice President of Manufacturing Engineering. He also managed manufacturing operations and worked as Plant Manager/General Manager and Vice President/General Manager for Leviton’s El Paso, Texas operations. In 2000, he was appointed Vice President, Manufacturing at the company’s corporate headquarters in Little Neck, New York.
Commenting on his appointment of Plaia, Daryoush Larizadeh, Chief Operating Officer for Leviton said, “During his stellar career at Leviton, Ed has demonstrated his engineering leadership, business acumen and strategic expertise. I can think of no better person to lead this segment of our business and have every confidence that he will continue to maintain our high standards and help us expand the market for our commercial and industrial offering.”
Leviton’s Commercial and Industrial Wiring Device Business Unit provides solutions for the temporary and permanent connectivity, power quality and personnel protection needs of industrial facilities and commercial businesses. The company’s full line of Commercial and Industrial wiring devices meet the most exacting standards for performance, reliability and service life.
“Leviton’s steady gain in brand preference among commercial and industrial users is due to the product innovations we have consistently introduced over the past decade. Few companies in our industry have made as great an investment of resources in broad-scale product development aimed at this portion of the industry. I am pleased to lead this initiative moving forward,” Plaia said.
Plaia holds a Bachelors Degree in Mechanical Engineering and an MBA from New York Institute of Technology. He and his wife reside in Jericho, NY.
For more information, please contact Leviton Manufacturing, www.leviton.com.
APC Offers a New Comprehensive Data Center
Planning Tool for Efficiency in
Designing Data Centers on Demand
APC announced availability of its InfraStruXure® Reference Design Gallery in North America. This new user-friendly, web-based selector houses a library of reference designs and rapidly guides users toward a pre-engineered design that is closest to their specific objectives. Reference Designs are concepts of designs that are created based on known customer needs. This new planning tool provides customers with a quick and easy way to evaluate a variety of design related information at the click of a button. A wide range of designs offered span from the wiring closet to the data center providing a large base for selection.
Innovative consulting engineers and architects will embrace this new planning tool since it provides a starting point for the design consultation process. This starting point design based on actual customer needs helps minimize the need for repeated revisions thereby reducing the cycle time for a project. The associated information in the downloadable executive summary facilitates deeper discussions between the customer and the consulting engineer regarding the design of choice.
“Our new InfraStruXure Reference Design Gallery gives our channel partners and customers a valuable and tangible starting point for discussions around the planning of a data center,” said Neil Rasmussen, senior vice president and chief technology officer of APC-MGE. “This design tool not only saves an incredible amount of costly time in the overall design process of a data center, but also greatly simplifies and clarifies the criteria and known business needs of our customers to help make key decisions related to data center planning.”
The Reference Design Gallery’s detailed downloadable package provides users with a wealth of information in the form of an executive summary that includes a system overview, specifications, visuals, system schematics and a detailed quote report with estimated resale pricing. The new planning tool also provides answers to commonly asked questions while helping guide customers along the decision making process. Each APC design consists of standard InfraStruXure technology including power (UPS), racks, cooling, management software and service components all pre-engineered to work together.
For more information, please visit www.apc.com
NEW P&S PLUGTAIL™
INTEGRATED MARKETING CAMPAIGN SUPPORTS DISTRIBUTORS AND CONTRACTORS
Pass & Seymour/Legrand (P&S), a leading manufacturer of electrical wiring devices and home systems, announces a new integrated marketing campaign to support its expanded line of P&S PlugTail™ wiring devices. With a complete line of GFCIs, LED Nightlight/GFCI combinations, and Tamper Resistant and Isolated Ground Receptacles, P&S PlugTail products can serve an even broader range of commercial construction installations.
The P&S PlugTail integrated marketing campaign reaches electrical distributors and contractors through a series of full- and single-page ads in trade publications, a product video, case histories with testimonials from other contractors and distributors, and product announcements in trade publications. Several online initiatives have also been implemented, including a P&S PlugTail sitelet.
A wide range of promotional materials was developed to help distributors generate demand for P&S PlugTail. The following items are free with a stocking order of $1,200 or more:
- P&S PlugTail Posters: to gain attention in high-traffic areas
- Remote Control Racecars: excellent giveaway items for customers
- Informational CDs: featuring product images, logos, messages on hold, press releases and sales literature
- New P&S PlugTail Product Brochures: to highlight breadth of line
- P&S Commercial Products Catalogs: to showcase P&S PlugTail and other commercial construction product offerings
- P&S PlugTail Pocket Flyers
- P&S PlugTail stickers: for use on hard hats
- How-to-Sell Sheet: with helpful tips for counter and salespeople
- P&S Product Sample Cards: offering quick, easy references for the newest additions to the product line
- Postcards: for distributors to send to customers, advertising the promotion
“These promotional items are meant to generate excitement and educate industry professionals on the many benefits of using P&S PlugTail products,” said Scott Bausch, Commercial & MRO Marketing Director. “Contractors can physically hold the devices and test them firsthand, and the promotional package gives distributors everything needed to drive sales.”
Job site kits represent another important component for generating P&S PlugTail sales. These kits are designed for hosting successful job site events and for building a grass roots campaign with electricians and project managers. The following materials can be found inside each kit:
- T-shirts: to give away to contractors
- Informational CD: featuring a P&S PlugTail video, sales literature, submittal sheets and a cost savings comparator
- P&S PlugTail Pocket Flyers
- Plexi Holder containing “Slim Jim” snacks (new): designed to gain attention at counter areas, the holder includes an announcement card advertising a job site event date
- Postcard Survey for project manager: giving P&S valuable feedback, and respondents receive a complimentary Coleman Jug
- P&S PlugTail Sample Devices: for conducting demonstrations
- P&S PlugTail Stickers: for use on hard hats
- Make It Fast Desk Sign (new): designed as a “leave behind” for project managers, the back of the sign features a coupon for free P&S PlugTail Connectors
- P&S Shim-Lock Samples: to demonstrate how to eliminate floating device installations
For more information about any of the P&S PlugTail promotional materials or job site kits, contact your P&S representative. To view the new P&S PlugTail video, visit www.passandseymour.com/goplugtail.
Sea Gull Lighting Names Paul Vrabel
Director of Energy Efficient Products Group
Vrabel is responsible for the sales, marketing, and development of the company's energy efficient products category, including the more than 800 ENERGY STAR qualified models. Additionaly, Vrabel will serve the organization as the lead liaison to utility companies and government agencies such as teh U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Department of Energy and Sea Gull Lighting business partners to develop the next wave of energy-efficient lighting products. He will also work directly with distributors, retailers and building professionals to continually educate and reinforce the cost savings and environmentally friendly benefits assocated with the company's "green" lighting products.
"Paul has a remarkable background for this position," says Ace Rosentstin, Sea Gull Lighting's vice president of marketing and corporate developemnt. "He is internationally recognized as an expert in energy-efficient lighting having spent nearly 10 yuears supporting the ENERGY STAR Residential Lighting Fixture Program extensively within the Unites States; in addition he has supported energy-efficient lighting programs in Canada, Brazil, Phillipines and Mexico."
Vrabel holds a Bachelor and M.S. degrees in Architecturual Engineering from The Pennsylvania State University and attended the Civil Engineering and Architecture program at Leeds University in Leeds, England. He has also publishing numerous article on energy-efficient lighting marketing strategies within leading industry publications and holds certifications from the Project Management Institute and the National Council on Qualifications for the Lighting Professions.
