Knight Joins IDEA as President

In a potential sign of a planned succession, Patrick Knight was appointed President of IDEA according to an industry press release.

David Oldfather, who had been president and CEO, is now listed, according to the press release, as CEO (and the press release, below, emphasized the word “current.”

IDEA Names Patrick Knight as New President to Drive Strategic Growth and Market Expansion

The press release shared:

“The Industry Data Exchange Association, Inc. (IDEA) is pleased to announce the appointment of Patrick Knight as President, effective January 6, 2025, reporting to current CEO David Oldfather.

Patrick Knight joins IDEA with significant experience in driving transformative growth and operational excellence. Throughout his career, Patrick has been instrumental in helping organizations optimize performance, strengthen customer relationships, and expand into new markets. His proven track record in strategic leadership and innovation positions him well to guide IDEA into its next phase of growth and success.

“Patrick stood out in an exceptional pool of candidates as a visionary leader with the skills and experience needed to help IDEA continue to lead in the digital integration and data syndication space,” said George Vorwick, IDEA Board Chair and President & CEO of United Electric Supply. “We are excited to see Patrick’s impact as he works with the team to drive innovation and enhance the value IDEA brings to our partners across the electrical industry and beyond.”

As President, Patrick will focus on evolving IDEA’s strategies to meet the dynamic needs of the electrical industry and adjacent markets. He will lead initiatives to strengthen IDEA’s offerings, accelerate adoption of cutting-edge technologies, and expand IDEA’s footprint into new verticals, supporting long-term growth.

“Patrick’s leadership, industry insight, and ability to drive results make him the ideal choice to help shape IDEA’s future,” said David Oldfather, CEO of IDEA. “I look forward to welcoming Patrick to the team and working together to build on IDEA’s strong foundation of success.”

Patrick expressed his enthusiasm for the opportunity, stating, “I am honored to join IDEA at such an exciting time. I look forward to collaborating with the talented team, Board, and industry partners to build on IDEA’s success and unlock new opportunities for growth and innovation.”

Observation / Additional Information

Given that the press release was a little short on background, and as the saying goes, “curiosity killed the cat”, according to Patrick’s LinkedIn profile, his relevant / industry background includes:

• Most recently, two years at Rexel as National Vice President – Solar and ESS Strategy
• Almost two years at IM Supply, which was IMARK’s national account initiative that was originally founded when Mayer Electric left AD. It was initially funded by a group of leading IMARK distributors, inclusive of Mayer and United Electric. He followed Jared Hoover.
• Prior to that was almost seven years outside the electrical industry working for a procurement firm and a buying group
• And his entry into the electrical industry was almost four years at Vanguard National Alliance, which was the national account initiative that was primarily focused on supporting industrial accounts and Rockell-focused distributors. VNA was eventually merged with SupplyForce. He reported to Sean Leahy.

So, some industry background. Some experience working with electrical distributors supporting their customers. Some experience negotiating with suppliers.

Congratulations to Patrick (and click here to connect with him and congratulate him) and good luck to him as he seeks to develop new / needed solutions to support the channel.