People

June 1, 2006
Cooper Lighting (Peachtree City, Ga.): Neil Schrimsher has been appointed president of Cooper Lighting. He succeeds David Feldman, who is leaving the

Cooper Lighting (Peachtree City, Ga.): Neil Schrimsher has been appointed president of Cooper Lighting. He succeeds David Feldman, who is leaving the company to pursue other interests. Schrimsher joins Cooper Lighting from Siemens Energy & Automation where he most recently served as vice president of its power distribution and controls business.

Ametek Solidstate Controls (Columbus, Ohio): Greg Abbott has been appointed director of sales, responsible for the management and direction of Solidstate Controls' worldwide sales force. Most recently, Abbott was national sales manager.

W.W. Grainger (Lake Forest, Ill.): Grainger has announced several senior-level appointments. James T. Ryan has been promoted to president of Grainger. The 25-year Grainger veteran has held many executive positions within the company, including the president of the parts business, chief information officer, president of the company's Internet business and, most recently, group president for the U.S. branch-based business. Y. C. Chen has been promoted to a newly created position of group president, responsible for Canada and Mexico. Chen joined Grainger in 1996 as vice president for Asia Pacific, where he established the company's global sourcing operation. He most recently served as senior vice president for the supply chain of the U.S. branch-based business. Deb Oler has been promoted to vice president, sales with responsibility for driving sales growth in the United States. Oler joined Grainger in May 2002 as regional sales vice president. Additionally, Kevin Peters has been promoted to senior vice president, supply chain with responsibility for product availability, transportation, logistics and supplier relationships. Most recently, Peters served as vice president, supply chain operations.

A. O. Smith Corp. (Milwaukee): Patricia K. Ackerman has been named vice president and treasurer. Ackerman had served as assistant treasurer since 1995. Kenneth J. Maciolek has been named vice president, associate general counsel and assistant secretary after serving as a member of the company's law department since 1990. Jane M. Sanford has been appointed vice president, global human resources and organizational development. Sanford had served as corporate director of human resources since January 2005. Additionally, Craig R. Watson has been named vice president, investor relations. He had been director, investor relations since 1996.

Venture Lighting (Solon, Ohio): Ken Kerschner has joined Venture Lighting as senior product manager, bringing more than 20 years of marketing, strategic management and sales experience.

Stahlin Non-Metallic Enclosures (Belding, Mich.): John Hoelz has joined the Stahlin organization as market development manager, and is managing Stahlin efforts to develop and build new business in the central region of the United States. Teresa Ramirez has been promoted to channel manager. She was most recently sales manager.

Griffith Electric Supply Co. Inc. (Trenton, N.J.): Margaret Kline, executive vice president and a 15-year Griffith veteran, has been elected to the board of directors.

National Association of Independent Lighting Distributors (NAILD, Buffalo, N.Y.): Bill Hurd of Nova Lighting, Charlotte, N.C., was elected president of NAILD at the association's 29th annual conference held in March. Other officers include President-Elect Gordon Hunt of Illuminating Technologies Inc., Greensboro, N.C.; Secretary/Treasurer Wendell Strong of Stitzell Electric Supply Co. Inc., Des Moines, Iowa; and John Devereux of Northwestern Lighting and Supply, Elgin, Ill., who will serve as immediate past president, be on the executive committee and on the board. Newly elected directors include Wanda Barnett of topbulb.com (doing business as Gray Supply Co.), East Chicago, Ind.; Robert Black of Light Bulbs Etc., Lenexa, Kan.; Jim Coykendall of Budget Lighting, Minnetonka, Minn.; Steve Espinoso of The Lighting Co., Irvine, Calif.; and Steven J. Robinson of Wattsaver Lighting Products Inc., East Hartford, Conn. W. Clay Otto of Starbeam Supply, St. Louis, will serve as past president council representative. Vendor member representatives include George Mabin of Radiant Lamp Co., Philadelphia; and Derral Ward of Howard Industries Inc., Laurel, Miss.

Industry Data Exchange Association (IDEA, Rosslyn, Va.): The IDEA board of directors re-elected Tim Powers, chairman, chief executive officer and president of Hubbell Inc., as chairman of IDEA's board for a third consecutive term. The other IDEA officers for 2006-2007 are: IDEA Vice-Chairman Todd Kumm, president and COO of Dakota Supply Group; IDEA President Mike Rioux; IDEA Treasurer Mike Gambino, president and CEO of Pass & Seymour/Legrand and Wiremold/Legrand; and IDEA Secretary Dave Crum, CEO of Crum Electric Supply.

Robroy Industries (Verona, Pa.): Jeff McIlroy has been appointed vice president at Robroy Industries and elected to the corporation's board of directors. McIlroy has 15 years of experience at Robroy Industries, most recently as international business manager for Robroy Industries' Stahlin Non-Metallic Enclosures business.

U.S. Electrical Services Inc. (USESI, Chester Springs, Pa.): Greg Griswold has been named president, Mid-Atlantic region. Currently, the Mid-Atlantic region of USESI consists of Monarch Electric Co., West Caldwell, N.J., which USESI recently announced its intent to acquire. Griswold joins USESI from WESCO Distribution. Prior to WESCO, he was president of Cooper Electric Supply.

W.A.C. Lighting (Garden City, N.Y.): Courtney Warren has been appointed marketing manager. Most recently, Warren was assistant vice president and marketing officer for New York Community Bank.

Service Wire Co. (Culloden, W. Va.): Chuck Oldaker has been appointed vice president of finance. Prior to joining Service Wire Co., Oldaker worked for nine years with a regional accounting firm in Huntington, W. Va., as vice president of its audit and business taxation department.

Shat-R-Shield (Salisbury, N.C.): Marty Pint has been named vice president of sales and marketing. Pint most recently served as vice president, strategic accounts for Cooper Connection, the corporate sales and marketing program of Cooper Industries.

Juno Lighting Group (Des Plaines, Ill.): Amelia Huntington has been named president and chief executive officer. As a senior executive with nearly 20 years of electrical industry and management experience, Huntington has been serving as interim CEO for Juno Lighting Group, a subsidiary of Square D and Schneider Electric, since March 24. She succeeds Thomas “Tracy” Bilbrough, who was named president and CEO of Quality Home Brands in March.

Eaton Corp. (Pittsburgh): Stan Mickens has been named vice president and general manager of the company's electrical components division. Mickens joined the company in 1999 and most recently served as vice president and general manager of the General Products Division of Eaton's automotive group. He also previously served as vice president of corporate supply chain management. Mike Bungo has been promoted to vice president of supply chain operational excellence in its electrical group. Bungo joined Eaton in 1978. He most recently served as vice president and general manager of the Electrical Components Division.

Wiseway Supply (Florence, Ky.): Greg Losey is joining the company as the electrical division manager. He comes to Wiseway with several years of sales and marketing experience, most recently as sales and marketing manger for General Factory Supply. Randy Van Huss has joined the company in outside electrical sales. Formerly, he was the president of a local Winlectric company.

Active Power (Austin, Texas): Jim Clishem has been promoted to chief executive officer. Joseph Pinkerton, the company's founder, will continue as chairman of the board. Clishem has been president and chief operating officer since November 2005.

Mr. Electric, a subsidiary of The Dwyer Group Inc. (Waco, Texas): Terry Jones has been named marketing manager. Before making the move to Mr. Electric, Jones spent time in pharmaceutical sales.

Obituary

James E. “Jim” Edwards, who founded rep firm Jim Edwards Co. in the early 1950s, died April 29. He was 79 years old.

Based in Houston, the firm served south Texas. Edwards retired from the company 12 years ago. He is survived by his wife of 54 years, Betty; son, Allan Edwards; three grandchildren, Keith, Stephen and Michael Edwards; sister, Polly Given; and brother, Dewitt Edwards.

Condolences may be sent to the family in care of Mrs. James E. Edwards, 13074 Wood Harbour Drive, Montgomery, T 77356. Memorial contributions may be made to The Jim Edwards Youth Scholarship Fund, c/o Woodforest National Bank, 3101 West Davis, Conroe, TX 77304.