Changing of the Guard at AD

It’s been said that the electrical industry is a small world and you never know when things come back around. With all the “craziness” going on this year, the marketing groups (AD and IMARK) are doing their part to contribute to irony in the industry. While the industry is experiencing many industry stalwarts, some say “icons”, retiring, the marketing groups are going through change.

Earlier this year Jerry Knight became EVP of IMARK Electrical and will become President of IMARK Electrical in November.  Steve Wright, formerly of WESCO, is becoming VP Supplier Relations after spending a few years outside the industry.

Now AD is undergoing personnel change according to a TED recent press release and this is where the world gets smaller.

Dave Kinsella is becoming President of AD Electrical. While Dave has been with AD for a number of years, prior to that he was with Intermatic and an electrical distributor. He was a marketing manager at MB Hall, which was sold to Springfield Electric in 2001. The small world part … MB Hall was an IMARK member. I met Dave at an IMARK Showcase when I was VP Marketing for IMARK and he was on the Marketing Committee.

Steve Guidry, formerly of JD Martin, is joining AD as VP Supplier Relations with John Kudlacek retiring.  Steve has been involved in every level in the industry. He was with Houston-based Warren Electric, spent time at Panduit and, as mentioned, was recently with JD Martin. I met Steve here in Raleigh when we were both at SourceAlliance.com, which was a Rockwell-focused national account organization that competed with SupplyForce back in 2000. He focused on supplier relations while I led marketing, a community advertising initiative, and a marketing consulting practice for the organization. Coincidentally, SourceAlliance had a relationship with IMARK

It’s great to see individuals that I met 20 and 25 years ago succeed in the business and in such influential roles.

Congratulations to Dave and Steve in their new roles supporting AD members.

As the song says, “it’s a small world after all.”