Rep News 022908

Feb. 29, 2008
The National Electrical Manufacturers Representatives Association (NEMRA), Tarrytown, N.Y.: NEMRA announced its board of directors for 2008-2009 at its Annual Conference in Washington, D.C., last week. New officers are: Chairman, Ralph Bliquez, ...

The National Electrical Manufacturers Representatives Association (NEMRA), Tarrytown, N.Y.: NEMRA announced its board of directors for 2008-2009 at its Annual Conference in Washington, D.C., last week. New officers are: Chairman, Ralph Bliquez, Ewing-Foley Inc.; Chairman-Elect, Kelly Boyd, CPMR, Electrorep Inc.; Secretary/Treasurer, Rick Johnson, CPMR, Andrews-Johnson-Brusacoram; Immediate Past Chairman, Stephen J. Gallagher, CPMR, Synergy Electrical Sales, Fairless Hills, Pa.

Other board members are; Greg Reynolds, CPMR, Flynn & Reynolds Agency Inc.; Mark Gibson, Agents Midwest Ltd.; Phillip Hedrick, CPMR, Electri-Products Group Inc.; John Gunn, GCA; Mike Gorin, CPMR, Gorin-Hopper-McCoy Inc.; James Yore, CPMR, Electrical Marketing Services; Kathy-Jo Van, Coleman Cable Inc.; CEMRA Director, Denis Ricard, Contact Delage, Inc.; Henry P. Bergson, NEMRA President; and Nancy J. Sciotto, NEMRA Vice President of Operations.

Also at NEMRA’s Annual Conference members of the association’s Manufacturers Group (NMG) Executive Committee were announced. They are: Chairman, Kenneth W. Hooper, Ferraz Shawmut Inc., Newburyport, Mass.; Co-chairman, John Hoffman, The Wiremold Co., West Hartford, Conn.; Immediate Past Chairman, Gary Norris, ILSCO, Cincinnati, Ohio; Liz O’Grady, Carlon, Cleveland; Bruce Bittner, Milbank Manufacturing Co., Kansas City, Mo.; Dale Hull, Federal Signal Corp., University Park, Ill.; Mike Winter, EGS Electrical Group, Easy Heat, New Carlisle, Ind.; Tom Fredericks, American Polywater Corp., Stillwater, Minn.; Margie Basney, Hoffman Enclosures, Anoka, Minn.; Roger Vaught, Allied Tube & Conduit, Harvey, Ill.; and Tom Pankratz, CPMR, Sola/Hevi Duty, Rosemont, Ill.

Mike Gambino, former president and CEO, Pass & Seymour/LeGrand, Syracuse, N.Y., was awarded NEMRA’s Thomas F. Preston Manufacturer of the Year Award at the NEMRA meeting.

Electrical Wholesaling magazine recognized two reps for their service to the electrical business at the recent NEMRA annual conference. Tony Meglio, principal of Tony Meglio & Associates Inc., Hazelwood, Mo., won the 2008 GEM Award for Independent Manufacturers’ Representatives; and Rick Kostewa, founder and principal of Apex Electrical Sales, Phoenix, won the 2008 GEM Rising Star. The GEM Award for independent manufacturers’ representatives was established in 1990 in honor of George Ganzenmuller, the magazine’s chief editor for more than 30 years, to recognize reps whose business careers exemplify the integrity and fairness that George stood for during his years in the electrical industry. The GEM Rising Star Award for independent manufacturers’ representatives was established to recognize those industry executives whose early careers and industry contributions show promise of leadership and insight and who have already demonstrated the determination to excel.

Schréder Lighting USA, Chicago, has appointed Rise & Shine Lighting Sales Agency, Las Vegas, to represent Schréder Lighting in Las Vegas and JRC Inc. Sales Agency, Salt Lake City, to represent the complete Schréder Lighting line throughout Utah. Schréder Lighting USA is marketing the Schréder brand in the fields of public lighting, floodlighting, tunnel/transit lighting, industrial and urban lighting. Rise & Shine Lighting is owned and operated by Craig O. Lake Jr. and Craig E. Lake Sr. JRC Inc. is owned and operated by Kevin Meredith and Rich Palmer.