Graybar and NESCO make appointments

Oct. 1, 2005
Graybar Electric Co. (St. Louis): Martin J. Beagen has been appointed vice president-controller. Beagen succeeds James H. Kipper, who is retiring after

Graybar Electric Co. (St. Louis): Martin J. Beagen has been appointed vice president-controller. Beagen succeeds James H. Kipper, who is retiring after 31 years with Graybar. Beagen is a 25-year Graybar veteran who most recently served as assistant treasurer.

ABB Automation Products (Raleigh, N.C.): Bruce Wittbrodt has been named senior vice president and general manager of ABB's Automation Products, Low Voltage Systems, North American operations. Mike Plaster has been named senior vice president and general manager of U.S. operations for the Automation Products Low Voltage Products & Systems (controls) business.

Leviton Manufacturing Co. Inc. (Little Neck, N.Y.): Donald J. Hendler has been appointed president, and Stephen B. Sokolow has been appointed vice chairman of the board of directors. Hendler has served the company for more than 35 years. Sokolow has been with the company for 43 years. Harold Leviton will continue in his role as chief executive officer, which he has held along with the position of president, since 1965. Additionally, David Weigand has been appointed product manager for lighting management systems. Weigand has more than 25 years of industry experience.

NESCO (Needham Electric Supply Corp., Canton, Mass.): NESCO has made the following staff additions. Travis Bramlett has joined the company as senior executive account manager. He will be responsible for national accounts out of the Charlotte, N.C., office. Previously, he worked as an outside sales manager for Hughes Supply. With more than 30 years of industry experience, Rocky Rocha joins NESCO as director of distribution and operations. He has more than 30 years of experience in the electrical distribution industry. Paul Franchi was promoted to pricing manager. He has held roles ranging from marketing to sales and has held various key management positions.

GE's Security business (Bradenton, Fla.): Jeff Wilson has been named vertical marketing manager, builders. He will work with commercial and residential builders to help them combine integrated technologies from one source.

Griffith Electric Supply Co. Inc. (Trenton, N.J.): Griffith Electric Supply recently announced the following appointments. Margaret Kline, who has been with the company for 15 years, has been promoted to executive vice president. Dave Young, also a 15-year Griffith veteran, was promoted to branch manager at Griffith's newest location in Robbinsville, N.J. Pat Standish joined the company as branch manager for the Somerville, N.J., branch. Ronald A. Lim joins Griffith as sales manager. Previously, Lim was vice president of sales and marketing for Genlyte-Crescent/Stonco.

Providence Pipe Products (Canyon Country, Calif.): With more than 40 years of electrical industry experience, Merle Bassett joins Providence Pipe Products as national sales manager.

Super Vision International Inc. (Orlando, Fla.): Mike Bauer has been appointed president and CEO effective Jan. 1, 2006. Bauer has served as the company's vice president of sales and marketing for the past year and was recommended by Super Vision's current president/CEO, Brett Kingstone, to succeed him. Kingstone will remain president and CEO until Bauer takes office on Jan. 1; Kingstone will then continue as chairman of the board.

Obituaries

Joseph “Joe” Maddux, who founded Maddux Supply Co. in 1965, died Aug. 15 in his home in Greensboro, N.C.

Maddux Supply Co., Greensboro, N.C., grew to become the 50th largest U.S. electrical distributor in 2004 when it was acquired by Mayer Electric Supply Co., Birmingham, Ala.

Maddux is survived by his wife, Carolyn Summers Maddux; two daughters; and two brothers.

Alfred Canevari, who retired as national sales manager of Edwards Signaling & Security Systems in 1996, died Sept. 13. He was 73 years old.

Canevari, a Norwalk, Conn., resident, worked for Edwards Signaling & Security Systems (now part of GE Security) for 40 years.